OTTAWA — Canada is tightening its immigration rules by reducing the number of temporary foreign workers allowed into the country, addressing an unexpected surge in newcomers and rising unemployment.
Starting September 26, new regulations will reinstate a ban on issuing temporary foreign worker permits for low-wage jobs in cities with an unemployment rate of six percent or higher. This move comes as part of Canada’s broader shift in immigration policy, aimed at managing the recent population growth and easing pressure on housing and social services.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller emphasized the need for migration rules to align with the current economic climate. “We won’t hesitate to take additional measures if necessary,” he stated at a news conference.
Alongside the previously announced cap on temporary migrants, which has reduced their share of the population from 6.2 to five percent, the new rules will cut the annual intake of temporary foreign workers by 65,000. This adjustment follows a period where Canada nearly doubled the number of temporary workers admitted to address labor shortages post-pandemic.
The updated policy will limit permits for low-wage jobs to one year, down from two years, though exceptions will be made for sectors like agriculture, health care, and construction. The proportion of temporary foreign workers an employer can hire will revert to the pre-pandemic limit of 10 percent, reduced from 20 percent.
These changes come on the heels of a January announcement placing a cap on international students, who were perceived as using student visas as a means of entering the country.
Jobs Minister Randy Boissonnault stressed the importance of ensuring that Canadian citizens have access to available jobs and addressing abuses within the temporary foreign worker program.
