Canada has recently implemented significant changes to its immigration policies, directly affecting millions of temporary workers and international students, including a substantial number of Indian nationals.
These measures, introduced by Immigration Minister Marc Miller, aim to address domestic challenges in housing, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Expiration of Temporary Permits
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Current data indicates that nearly five million temporary permits are set to expire by the end of 2025.
Among these, approximately 766,000 are study permits expiring by December 2025.
While some international students may seek to renew their permits or obtain post-graduate work permits to extend their stay, a significant majority will need to return to their home countries.
The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) will enforce immigration laws against those who overstay their visas.
Reductions in Immigration Targets
The revised immigration policies include substantial reductions in both permanent and temporary resident targets over the next three years:
- Permanent Residents: The annual target will decrease from 500,000 to 395,000 by 2025, a 21% reduction.
- Temporary Foreign Workers: The number is expected to drop by over 40%.
- International Students: A reduction of 10% is anticipated by 2026.
These measures respond to Canada’s growing challenges in providing adequate housing, healthcare services, and infrastructure to support its population.
Impact on the Indian Community
Too add to thisโฆ. The Canadian Government is tightening their immigration policy because of the Indiansโฆ The Indians come in large numbers and Nigerias are are just loud
Here are the top 5 source countries of new permanent residents to Canada so far in 2024:
1
India
86,855โฆโ Iampelumi ๐จ๐ฆ (@Itzpelumi) November 29, 2024
With over 1.6 million Indian nationals residing in Canada, many on temporary visas such as work and study permits, these policy changes will have significant repercussions.
Indian nationals constitute a crucial segment of Canada’s workforce, occupying roles from engineers and technicians to executives and scientists.
The new policies may make it more challenging for these individuals to extend their stay or transition to permanent residency, potentially disrupting their professional and personal lives.
Additional Considerations and Processing Times
The Canadian government has also announced plans to cap the number of international students to 5% of the total population over the next three years, down from 6.8% in April 2024 according to NDTV.
This move is expected to further impact prospective students from India, who have been the largest group of international students in Canada, holding more than 41% of student permits in 2022.
As of December 2024, the processing time for study permits varies depending on the applicant’s country of residence, generally ranging from 6 to 14 weeks. For those applying through the Student Direct Stream (SDS), which offers expedited processing for nationals of select countries, including India, the typical processing time is around 20 calendar days.
Work permit processing times also vary based on the applicant’s location and specific program. Permanent residence applications, such as those through the Express Entry system, have processing times that can range from 6 to 16 months, depending on the program and individual circumstances.
Applicants are advised to consult the official IRCC website for the most current processing times and to plan their applications accordingly.
