Canada is shaping the Future of Immigration Policies | Canada Immigration Updates

Provincial and territorial ministers continued to urge the federal government to reverse the $625M cuts to employment services under the labour market transfer agreements (LMTAs), which pose risks to services relied upon by workers, newcomers, job seekers, and vulnerable Canadians.

They stressed that robust collaboration and coordination between government levels are key to leveraging federal, provincial, and territorial immigration programs, including the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Federal, provincial, and territorial immigration programs aim to address regional labor market needs and assist all jurisdictions in meeting their economic, cultural, and societal objectives. Ministers acknowledged Canada’s longstanding tradition of welcoming newcomers, including the world’s most vulnerable people.

Ministers discussed the importance of balancing temporary and permanent resident arrivals, including the federal government’s intention to include temporary residents in the annual levels plan for the first time this year and reduce the temporary resident population to 5% of Canada’s total population. They shared unique perspectives and realities facing their jurisdictions.

Temporary residents encompass temporary foreign workers, international students, individuals arriving under Canada’s responses to international humanitarian crises, and asylum claimants. Ministers explored connections between temporary residents and regional immigration priorities, including economic and labor market needs, and enhancing the vitality of Francophone communities outside Quebec.

Like permanent residents, ministers emphasized that temporary residents play a crucial role in contributing to prosperity, labor markets, and cultural diversity throughout Canada. They noted that any reduction in overall temporary resident volumes must be strategically managed to consider labor needs in key industry sectors where foreign workers play a valuable role. Ministers stressed the importance of a data-driven approach and monitoring the impacts of recent federal measures aimed at reducing temporary resident volumes.

Ministers discussed recent federal measures, including changes to the International Student Program (ISP). They recognized that the ISP falls under both immigration—a shared jurisdiction—and education, which falls exclusively under provincial responsibility.

Ministers acknowledged changes to the federal government’s existing work permit programs and emphasized the need for better alignment with short- and long-term regional labor market needs, including the strategic use of temporary foreign workers in certain economic sectors.

Ministers affirmed their ongoing commitment to collaborate to strengthen the integrity of Canada’s work permit programs and underscored the importance of safeguards to ensure that Canadians and permanent residents have the first opportunity to fill jobs.

Amid significant levels of global conflict, economic and political upheaval, human rights abuses, natural disasters, and climate change, Canada has taken a leadership role in welcoming displaced people. This includes responses to crises in Afghanistan, Gaza, Iran, Sudan, Syria, and Turkey, and the implementation of the Canada–Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program.

Ministers discussed the desire for further solutions for Ukrainians wishing to remain in Canada permanently. They acknowledged Canada’s significant volumes of asylum claimants, consistent with worldwide trends, and stressed the importance of strengthening the asylum system to offer protection and support to those genuinely in need.

Ministers highlighted the importance of ongoing collaboration to aid in the arrival and integration of these vulnerable newcomers and discussed the need for ongoing cooperation around the federal crisis response framework to guide and manage Canada’s response to humanitarian crises. 

They emphasized the importance of early communication between governments on initiatives that may impact jurisdictions and the need to clearly define each government’s responsibilities, including enhanced federal support to help settle these vulnerable newcomers, particularly asylum claimants.

Ministers discussed challenges associated with the increased volume of asylum claimants and the need to maintain fairness and accelerate the processing of asylum claims to allow for the full integration of successful claimants into their host community. They noted that increased collaboration could help alleviate pressures on some jurisdictions, particularly the impact on housing and shelter in some provinces and territories. 

Ministers recognized the disproportionate pressures facing Ontario and Quebec and agreed to establish a working group of ministers and officials to better manage the flow of asylum claimants across the country and allocate necessary resources to support them.

Ministers agreed that PNPs have a critically important role in supporting regional economic and labor market needs. They discussed the role PNPs can play in transitioning from temporary to permanent residence for those with in-demand skills. Provincial and territorial ministers raised concerns regarding PNP allocation levels for 2024 and called for a greater share of PNPs in immigration levels planning and additional allocations.

Ministers noted that PNPs could face increased demand as a result of reductions in the number of temporary residents, including temporary work permit holders available to fill job vacancies. Some ministers noted that increasing PNP allocations to support temporary resident-to-permanent resident pathways aligned with provincial and territorial priorities would support the federal government’s objective of reducing the volume of temporary residents in Canada.

Ministers underscored their ongoing commitment to advancing joint immigration priorities in line with the principles of shared jurisdiction and mutual respect for both federal and provincial-territorial roles and responsibilities for immigration in Canada.