Canada set to accept fewer temporary residents

Canadian government will decrease the number of temporary residents allowed into the country.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller made the announcement at a news conference in Ottawa.

Miller said the government would for the first time, set targets for the percentage the temporary residents represent in the total Canadian population as is done for permanent resident arrivals.

“Canada has had a sharp increase in the volume of temporary residents in recent years.

“From the arrival of international students, to foreign workers filling job vacancies, to those fleeing wars and natural disasters,” he said.

Miller said that for instance, “we will have close to 300,000 arrivals of Ukrainians in Canada by the end of the month.”

“These are important global commitments,” said the immigration minister, who added that there needs to be “an honest conversation about what the rise in international migration means for Canada as we plan ahead.”

Canada as we plan ahead.”

Miller said in 2023, temporary residents comprised 6.2 per cent of Canada’s population, or 2.5 million people.

He added three years from now, the Canadian government wants that share to decrease to five per cent.

The minister said that he would convene a meeting with his counterparts in Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories to discuss the reduced targets for temporary residents.