On March 21, 2024, Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced the government’s plan to decrease the number of temporary residents by almost 20% in the next three years. It is the first time that temporary residents arrivals are included in the Immigration Levels Plan by the federal government.

Temporary residents in Canada include international students (42%), temporary foreign workers (9%), individuals with work permits (44%), and asylum seekers (5%). The government aims to reduce the percentage of temporary residents in Canada from the present 6.2% to 5% by 2027, which may lead to a 19% decline in the temporary resident population over this period. 

Currently, Canada has 2.5 million temporary residents, but this plan will decrease the number of temporary residents by approximately 480,000 within three years. In January 2024, the Canadian government already announced the implementation of a two-year cap on international student study permit.

Marc Miller also stated that the government plans to hold meetings with provincial and territorial governments in early May to discuss measures aimed at limiting the number of temporary residents and better aligning with local labor market demands. The target will be finalized in the fall and incorporated into the annual levels planning.

For more details, please visit the official released speech on IRCC’s website.