May 16th, 2024 at 06:01 am

Canada Immigration Minister’s Latest Statement on TR to PR | Canada PR for All

The argument and evaluation of temporary residence vs permanent settlement is a long-standing issue in the field of immigration policy. Making temporary residents permanent is an interesting option that government officials have recently suggested to address the issue of temporary inhabitants.

The advantages, disadvantages, and ramifications of converting temporary residents to permanent status have all been brought up by this idea. In this investigation, we explore the reasoning behind this proposal, looking at its viability, possible effects, and wider ramifications for immigration law.

Overview: Temporary Work Visa

In 2018, there were 337,460 holders of a temporary work visa; by 2022, that number had increased to 605,851. The immigration minister stated, “A key method of restricting the population of temporary residents is to offer them permanent resident status,” but not everyone who wants to stay will be able to.

Mark Miller Image Strat

For the first time since announcing an extraordinary plan to cap the number of new temporary residents, Mark Miller met with his provincial and territory counterparts. Several provincial ministers proposed making permanent residents out of temporary visa holders by enlarging their immigration programs.

“It’s smart because the impact of people’s presence on affordability has already been factored in,” Miller added. However, this does not imply that everyone has the right to remain in Canada or even to be here. Reducing the number of temporary residents from 6.2% of the total population in 2023 to 5% during the next three years is intended to slow down Canada’s uncontrollably high rate of population growth.

After the provinces and territories have had an opportunity to provide feedback, the new targets will be developed over the summer. However, labor economist Mikal Skuterud stated that they shouldn’t be viewed in isolation. That is not possible for you to accomplish. According to Skuterud, an economist at the University of Waterloo, it’s a component of the whole system.

He was one of the first to advise the government to moderate the sharp increase in the number of people coming to Canada temporarily for employment or education.

In January, Miller revealed plans to reduce the number of foreign students by capping new admissions at two years. Additionally, the government is working to expedite the processing of asylum claims, and the most recent federal budget includes legislative provisions intended to expedite the deportation process if asylum petitions are denied.

Update on Temporary Work Permit

The last and most significant group that has not yet been covered is those who possess temporary work permits. According to Miller, the labor market has developed an addiction to the workforce in recent years. There were 337,460 distinct labor shortages in 2018.

Lower-skilled workers now have an incentive to immigrate to Canada in the hopes of obtaining permanent status, thanks to those improvements. According to him, this is what’s drawing in a lot of people and causing an issue for the community of non-permanent residents. He proposes that the issue could be resolved by giving immigrants a more dependable route to permanent residence.

The ministers’ main concern will be figuring out how to distribute fewer temporary visas, which businesses have grown dependent on. Whatever the case, changing directions in Manitoba is going to present some challenges. For instance, an enormous increase in applications for permanent residency under the Provincial Nominee Program has coincided with announcements from Ottawa regarding the reduction of temporary immigration.

Miller granted Manitoba’s request earlier this week to extend the federal work permits for some 6,700 immigrants whose visas were about to expire at the end of the year. This will give the immigrants more time to apply for permanent residency in Canada. Low population growth will also be considerably slowed by the new temporary Visa Target.

Executive director at CIBC Economics Andrew Grantham stated, “While that could ease some pressure on housing costs and availability, it could also result in worker shortages.” According to a survey released last month, employers may have to pay more to entice people to stay in or return to labor as a result of limits on population growth.

“If companies are unable to access low-paid foreign labor, we may lose some that are just not profitable,” Grantham stated. It is anticipated that the labor requirements of every province will play a significant role in the current talks. In the fall, the revised goals for temporary visas will be released.

Final Thoughts

The idea of converting temporary residents to permanent status offers a compelling avenue for consideration as the debate over immigration policy continues to unfold. It may have advantages in terms of integration, stability, and labor force participation, but it also raises concerns regarding administrative procedures, eligibility requirements, and more general policy goals.

In the end, choosing to follow this course of action will necessitate giving careful thought to several variables, such as social, economic, and humanitarian concerns, to make sure that it is consistent with the values of justice, equity, and inclusivity.