Marc Miller Announces Major Changes of Canada's Immigration System

In a recent interview with Reuters, Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, discussed a forthcoming suite of measures aimed at further limiting the levels of non-permanent residents in Canada, particularly those on study or work permits.

Potential Changes to the PGWP

Miller mentioned that upcoming changes could include modifications to Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) and increased enforcement. “The era of uncapped programs to come into this country is quickly coming to an end. This is a big shift,” Miller stated.

In June, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) distributed surveys to key stakeholders in the post-secondary education sector to gather feedback on possible PGWP changes. The department is considering aligning the issuance of PGWPs with labor market needs, focusing on granting work permits to students entering occupations in shortage while reducing access for graduates from other programs.

IRCC and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) have collaborated to map educational programs to job titles, using the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) and the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. For example, relevant NOCs for carpenters are connected to study programs in construction trades, carpentry, and woodworking/general.

Part of a Wider Plan

Earlier this year, IRCC announced the first-ever target for non-permanent resident levels, which will be included in this year’s immigration levels plan. The goal is to stabilize the proportion of these newcomers in the Canadian population to five percent over the next three years, down from nearly seven percent as of last April.

As part of this initiative, IRCC has implemented a two-year cap on international students, limiting the number of new post-secondary students to 292,000 this year. This cap will be reconsidered in 2025, with possible adjustments to the international student levels.

Additionally, Minister Miller has indicated his intention to prioritize domestic draws for both federal and provincial permanent residence (PR) pathways. This strategy aims to reduce the number of temporary residents by transitioning them to PR status, rather than recruiting new PRs from abroad, which could exacerbate housing and affordability issues associated with immigration.

A Response to Public Scrutiny

These measures come at a time when Canadians are increasingly scrutinizing immigration. Miller noted that immigration would likely be “a top issue, if not the top issue, in the next election.”