Immigration Minister Marc Miller emphasized the need for the federal government to enhance efforts to prevent the misuse of visitor visas for entry into Canada.
He noted that various measures have been implemented over the summer to manage the increasing influx of individuals crossing the border. However, according to him, the country should introduce additional measures that would target those who do not follow the visitor visa rules, VisaGuide.World reports.
And it’s no surprise to anyone that … we need to do a stronger job in making sure that people that are coming here, for example on visitor’s visas, do so for those purposes and not for the purposes of … claiming asylum or finding their way into the US.
Canada’s Temporary Resident Numbers Rise Amid Stricter Visa Regulations
According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), from October 2023 to August 2024, there were 21,929 migrant encounters between border posts along the Canada-US border. Of these, 17,810 occurred in the Swanton Sector, bordering Quebec, New York, and Vermont.
While this figure is significantly lower than those recorded on the US southern border, it represents more than double the 8,686 encounters reported in the same period a year earlier. Two years ago, only 2,238 migrants were encountered at the northern border.
Of the 21,929 individuals detained by the US Border Patrol, nearly 60 percent—12,992—were from India. Immigration Minister Marc Miller indicated that visa applicants from India could face increased scrutiny.
A statement released by the government of Canada revealed that the country has experienced a marked increase in temporary residents, driven by the rise in international students, temporary foreign workers and asylum applications. While all newcomers are essential to Canada’s economic, social and cultural landscape, Miller acknowledged that this increase can affect local communities, including rising unemployment rates among youth and newcomers.
Canada Plans 10% Reduction on Study Permits Over Next 2 Years
By November 1, Miller plans to unveil the new Immigration Levels Plan for the next three years. Changes are already underway to adjust the volumes of international students, foreign workers, and permanent residents.
To make sure the entire plan makes sense for the needs of Canadians and the needs of our economy, for the first time ever in Canadian history, we will include targets for temporary residents in addition to permanent residents in our annual immigration levels planning.
Miller further stated that it will reduce the number of study permits by ten percent in 2025 and 2026, aiming for up to 437,000 permits each year, a 36 percent decrease from 2023.
He added that assuming graduate students are more suitable for Canada’s labor market, we will reserve about 12 percent of permits for them and align the post-graduation work permit program with economic needs. These changes will lead to about 300,000 fewer study permit holders over three years.