Indians to be affected as Canada plans cut in temporary work permits

New Delhi: Ottawa has declared that it will cut back on the number of temporary residents entering the country, which is a blow to Indians who want to settle and work in Canada. First, they will reduce the number of temporary residents from 6.2 per cent to 5 per cent, according to Immigration Minister Marc Miller.

Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault announced during a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday that the government will lower the cap on the number of temporary foreign workers that businesses can hire from 30% to 20%, with the exception of some industries like agriculture.

One major factor contributing to Canada's rapid population growth has been temporary residents, such as students and workers with permits. However, finding enough housing and other amenities, including healthcare, for all these newcomers has become a concern as a result of this. There are currently about 2.5 million temporary residents in Canada, comprising workers, students, refugees, and asylum seekers, Indian Express reported.

India ranked among the top ten countries of origin for TFWP permit holders in 2023 with 26,495 temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in Canada.

Over 2.5 million people are temporary residents in Canada, making up 6.2% of the country's overall population.

In a statement to the media last year, Canada's Immigration Minister Marc Miller hinted that limits on the entry of temporary foreign workers beyond 2024 were likely to be implemented.

The Indian population in Canada has been steadily expanding in the last few years. Between 2000 and 2020, the number of Indians in Canada who are officially registered increased from 670,000 to over one million. There were 1,021,356 Indians who were registered with the Canadian government by 2020.

Miller believes they need to do more planning and discuss the issue of having enough housing for workers with the provinces. In addition, he wants to make it simpler for temporary residents to become permanent.

The number of temporary foreign workers that firms are able to hire will be decreased, according to Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault.

Boissonnault wants companies to make a greater effort to hire refugees or Canadians before searching for foreign workers. According to him, there are 1.2 million job seekers in Canada but only 650,000 available positions.

Prior to hiring someone from overseas, employers are required by law to demonstrate that they have made an effort to hire asylum seekers. Miller believes that since those who are currently in Canada would have somewhere to reside, this together with hiring international students might help solve the housing crisis.

Currently, the government sets goals for the number of permanent residents it will admit; however, despite the fact that 42% of temporary residents are overseas students, this policy does not apply to them. The main cause of Canada's population growth quicker than that of other large nations has been immigration.

Although the government maintained that a high level of immigration would assist address the ageing population and employment shortages, some economists now claim that it will make housing even more difficult to find.