Canada is set to reduce its intake of temporary foreign workers, Immigration Minister Marc Miller has announced.
This strategy marks a significant shift from the nation’s previously expansive immigration policy, reports AFP.
Miller highlighted that Canada has witnessed a notable surge in the admission of temporary residents in recent years.
“Canada has witnessed a considerable increase in the volume of temporary residents recently,” Marc Miller said during a briefing.
While acknowledging the country’s reliance on temporary foreign workers to address labour shortages, Miller emphasised the necessity for improvements to enhance the system’s efficiency.
The federal government proposes adjusting the number of temporary residents to constitute no more than five per cent of the national population over the coming three years, a notable decrease from the current 6.2 per cent, which amounts to approximately 2.5 million individuals.
The adjustment comes in the wake of Canada experiencing substantial population growth driven by high levels of immigration, which has begun to outstrip job creation.
This surge includes international students, foreign workers filling employment gaps, and individuals displaced by conflicts and natural disasters.
