The inaugural budget of the Carney administration will lead to a significant decrease in the admission of temporary immigrants to Canada over the next three years. The reductions will primarily affect the temporary foreign worker program and the international student program. The new targets set for 2026 are 60,000 for temporary foreign workers, down from the previous 82,000, and 150,000 for international students, reduced from 305,900.
This shift in policy reflects the Carney government’s stricter stance on immigration compared to the previous administration led by Justin Trudeau. Carney highlighted during a recent event at the Canadian Club in Toronto that temporary residents accounted for about three percent of Canada’s population in 2018, which surged to 7.5 percent by the time he assumed office as prime minister. He emphasized the challenges in accommodating and providing adequate housing and services for this rapid increase in the temporary resident population.
The temporary foreign worker program enables employers to hire foreign workers for positions that cannot be filled by Canadian workers. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called for the complete elimination of the program, citing concerns about increased youth unemployment due to the influx of inexpensive labor from other countries. However, Lynn Bueckert from the Hospital Employees’ Union in B.C. defended the program, stating that foreign workers play a crucial role in sustaining essential positions within the system.
Critics, including Marisa Berry Mendez from Amnesty International Canada, argue that the recent cuts to the temporary foreign worker program fail to address the exploitative aspects of the initiative. Reports from Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Office have raised concerns about the program being a breeding ground for modern forms of slavery.
The primary roles occupied by temporary foreign workers are often in the agricultural sector, such as general farm workers or harvesting laborers. Berry Mendez highlighted the restrictive nature of the TFW visa, which ties workers to their employers and hinders their path to permanent residency due to being classified as “low-skilled.”
The reduction in international student admissions could have significant repercussions for post-secondary institutions, affecting their financial resources. With undergraduate international students paying substantially higher tuition fees compared to domestic students, universities and colleges rely on this revenue. The decline in international student numbers has led to financial challenges for institutions, forcing them to cut programs and teaching positions.
As these cuts impact both students and faculty, there is a growing concern about the quality of education being compromised due to reduced resources. Calls have been made for a reevaluation of funding mechanisms by federal and provincial governments to address the funding gap resulting from the decline in international student tuition. Fairweather emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach that addresses the core issues of funding in post-secondary education rather than solely targeting international students.