World Immigration News

Overheated immigration system needed ‘discipline’ infusion: minister

Release Date: 2024-12-21
Media: Global News
Summary: Canada's Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, acknowledged that the country's immigration system had become "overheated" due to record levels of newcomers, which affected public opinion on immigration. In 2024, he implemented measures such as capping student visas, reducing the planned intake of permanent residents, making it harder to obtain work visas, and pausing most private refugee sponsorship applications. These actions were in response to the rapid population growth in 2023, which was double the average growth of the past decade.

Miller attributed the souring of public opinion to factors like high asylum seeker numbers, rising housing costs, and global political movements. While recognizing the importance of immigration to Canada's labor force, especially with an aging population, he emphasized the need to address public concerns and restore balance in the system. He also pointed out the issue of exploitation in temporary worker programs and vowed to remove points from the Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) system to prevent fraud.

Miller plans further reforms in the asylum process to address illegitimate claims more efficiently, while balancing Canada's humanitarian commitments with its capacity to absorb immigrants.
Tags: CANADA