Canada announced on Wednesday that it will be reducing the number of international student permits and tightening foreign worker regulations in the coming year.
This move is part of a broader effort to decrease the number of temporary residents in the country.
The decision follows several recent measures aimed at addressing the record immigration levels that have pushed Canada’s population beyond 41 million earlier this year.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration has cited the strain on the housing sector, job market, and social services as key reasons for the new restrictions.
“It is a privilege to come to Canada, not a right,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated during a press conference.
For 2025, Ottawa plans to issue 437,000 study permits to international students, a decrease from 485,000 this year and more than 500,000 in 2023.
The government is also introducing new restrictions on work permits for the spouses of some international students and foreign workers.
Additionally, there will be increased scrutiny before issuing travel visas to address a rise in fraudulent or rejected asylum claims.
Ottawa has already announced its intention to reduce the proportion of temporary residents to five per cent of the population, down from 6.8 per cent in April.
