Canada, once a country welcoming an inpour of immigration, on Thursday announced that it is expected to hack down on its annual permanent-resident (PR) target to 395,000 down 21% from half a million for next year, 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.
What are the implications for Indians?
The number of Indians immigrating to Canada skyrocketed by 326% over the decade, increasing from 32,828 in 2013 to a staggering 139,715 in 2023, according to NFAP analysis.
“In the tumultuous times as we emerged from the pandemic, between addressing labor needs and maintaining population growth, we didn't get the balance quite right," Trudeau said, as the permanent residency dream for Indians seems more and more improbable now. He said, that although immigration is essential for Canada's future it has to be controlled and sustainable.
This change would mean stricter eligibility criteria for international students and temporary workers will be implemented to manage the influx of newcomers.
Will this help the Trudeau government stay in office?
Amid plummeting poll numbers, and rising popularity of the opposition, the government is seeking to regain public favour and maintain its hold on power. According to the Canadian government, the plan “will pause population growth in the short term to achieve well-managed, sustainable growth in the long term”.
Trudeau also said that businesses have also been a major reason for the spiralling immigration system, “Far too many corporations have chosen to abuse our temporary measures, exploiting foreign workers while refusing to hire Canadians for a fair wage.”
The pandemic-era policies had relaxed temporary residency to address labour gaps and the government is trying to change that.
“We have listened to Canadians,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in a statement on Thursday. He added, “This immigration policy is essential for the economic success and development of our country.”
What do the Canadians want?
According to a poll by Environics Institute, “The latest Focus Canada research shows that almost six in ten (58%) Canadians now believe the country accepts too many immigrants…”
Economists sound alarm on Canada's ballooning population, citing strains on housing and critical services like healthcare and the government has been criticised for welcoming immigrants without reinforcing housing and healthcare.
Canada has experienced a 2 million growth in population according to Statistics Canada, which has exacerbated the housing supply and demand imbalance. “These lower PR targets are expected to reduce the housing supply gap by about 6,70,000 units by the end of 2027,” Miller said.
How do migrant advocacy groups view this issue?
Syed Hussan, spokesperson for the Migrant Rights Network Secretariat, said in a statement, “Cutting permanent resident numbers is a direct assault on migrants, who will be forced to remain temporary or become undocumented, pushed further into exploitative jobs.”
The group is of the opinion that migrants are not the root of Canada's housing crisis, unemployment and inadequate healthcare. Instead, they are the result of "decades of federal and provincial policies that have underfunded and privatised public services".
