Canada announces another round of restrictions on temporary residents to better cope with the reduction of them in the coming years. The new changes set a cap on the number of study permits issued next year, restrictions on the spouses to join their partners in Canada on TFWP, and improved asylum policy.
New visa restrictions, and reviewing visa-decision making are also part of the new changes. Recent amendments in policy are part of reducing the number of temporary residents from 6.5% of the total population to 5% in 2026 in the country. Furthermore, these changes will be reflected in the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, which will be released by November 1, 2024.
Summary of the changes announced by the IRCC for temporary residents
| Temporary Residents Policy Changes | Details |
| 2025 Study Permit Cap | 437,000 permits issued to international students |
| Temporary Resident Reduction (2026) | Reducing from 6.5% to 5% of total population |
| Visa Requirements (Mexican Nationals) | Implementing partial visa requirements |
| Asylum System Improvement (2024) | Improving claims processing while maintaining fairness and integrity |
| Visa Decision-Making Review | Enhancing tools for officers to detect fraud and reduce non-genuine visitors |
| Strengthening Visa Integrity | Exploring further measures to improve visa integrity |
The new changes were announced by IRCC on 18 September and on this occasion, the immigration minister said:
“The reality is that not everyone who wants to come to Canada will be able to—just like not everyone who wants to stay in Canada will be able to. We are taking action to strengthen our temporary residence programs and roll out a more comprehensive immigration plan to meet the demands of today’s changing landscape. Our immigration system must preserve its integrity, and be well managed and sustainable. And as we look forward, we will do everything it takes to achieve that goal and set newcomers up for success.”
The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages said:
“The Temporary Foreign Worker Program was designed to address labour market shortages when qualified Canadians were not able to fill those roles. Right now, we know that there are more Canadians qualified to fill open positions. The changes we are making today will prioritize Canadian workers and ensures Canadians can trust the program is meeting the needs of our economy.”
Changes for asylum seekers
Canada, like many other countries, is observing a significant increase in the number of asylum seekers. The Canadian government has been working on several measures to address integrity issues and strengthen the in-Canada asylum system, including:
- Strengthening Visa Integrity: Exploring additional measures to further improve visa integrity.
- Improving Asylum Claims Processing: Enhancing the speed and efficiency of asylum claims processing while maintaining fairness and integrity, as announced in 2024.
- Partial Visa Requirements for Mexican Nationals: Implementing partial visa requirements for Mexican nationals.
- Reviewing Visa Decision-Making: Ensuring highly trained officers have the right tools to detect fraud and reduce the number of non-genuine visitors.
Changes for Temporary Foreign Workers
Work permit eligibility will also be restricted to spouses of foreign workers in management or professional jobs or in industries with labor shortages under Canada’s work permit programs (TFWP and IMP).
IRCC also announced other changes for temporary residents back in August, which are as follows:
- In effect from 28 August, the temporary residents in Canada can not apply for a work permit within Canada. The old policy helped such candidates to change their visa status without having to leave the country which is now no longer possible. Furthermore, the department will continue to process applications submitted before August 28, 2024, under the policy;
- No more LMIA’s to be issued under the “Temporary Foreign Worker Program” for metropolitan cities that have an unemployment rate of 6% or above.
Changes for study permits and PGWP
Canada also wants to further cap the international study permits for next year. According to the official announcements, a 10% less quota has been set for 2025 compared with 2024. This means, overall 437,000 study permits will be issued next year. Further changes are as follows:
| New changes | Details |
| 2025 Study Permit Cap | 437,000 (10% reduction from 2024 target) |
| 2026 Study Permit Cap | Stabilized at 2025 level (437,000 study permits) |
| Post-Graduation Work Permit Program Update | Updating in fall 2024 to align with immigration goals and labor market needs |
| Work Permit Eligibility for Spouses (Students), later this year | Only the spouses of master’s degree students whose programs last at least 16 months will be eligible for work permits. |
| New language requirements for PGWP | New language requirements under the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program. Starting from November 1, 2024, university graduates will need to meet a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7, and college graduates will need a CLB level 5 to apply for a PGWP. |