In a bold move, Canada has adopted a more sustainable and defensive approach to its immigration policy. The Toronto Star reported that Canadian immigration denied a record 2.3 million temporary resident applications last compared to 1.8 million the previous year.
Background -
There is mounting pressure on the Canadian government to accommodate the growing living costs and housing shortages. The public outrage clearly hints that these are caused by the temporary migrants.
TV47 Digital published that Canada aims to reduce its permanent residency over the next three years, aiming to achieve only 0.39 million in 2025, 0.38 million in 2026, and 0.36 million in 2027. The significant surge in visa rejections directly results from the mounting pressure on the Canadian government to curb the number of temporary immigrants.
Impact on Applicants -
With this unprecedented move, Canada is slowly shutting its doors to students, tourists, and foreign workers. Many applicants are still experiencing the shockwaves of this unprecedented move by the Canadian immigration authorities.
The Business Standard has published that visa denial has soared to a new high in 2024, with 52% of study permit and 22% of work permit applications being rejected.
Many residents now apply for visitor records to stay in Canada without working or studying. Although the rejection rate is only 5% for these applications, the wait time is almost 120 days.
Global Context -
The Economic Times data shows a sharp decline in the overall study visa applications is a global trend found in modern countries like the US (11% decrease), the UK (16% decrease), and Australia (36% decrease), which were once hot favorites for decades.
The tightened visa policy has also seen a major hit in air traffic, with major Canadian airports welcoming fewer passengers. Canada’s reputation as a thriving accanaademic sector is soon fading and steadily declining.
Future Outlook –
The heat of the bold move on its border control strategy is faced by foreign workers, students, and tourists, and the economic impact can be quite complex here. With the recalibrated move, Canada has responded brilliantly by curbing the impact of temporary residents on its housing and healthcare sector. This will surely take a tool and significantly tarnish Canada’s reputation as a global talent hub. The key sectors rely heavily on foreign workers, students, and tourists should be prepared soon to bite the bullet in the long run.