As Canada faces challenges related to a growing population, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has outlined changes to the country's immigration policies. Trudeau acknowledged that while the government "could have acted quicker," he emphasized that the updated plan is designed to be "straightforward and simple."
Trudeau’s Explanation on Immigration Changes In a recent seven-minute video released online, Trudeau addressed various concerns about Canada's immigration system, summarizing past issues and announcing new directions. Reflecting on the situation after the COVID-19 pandemic, Trudeau said, "When the post-pandemic boom cooled and businesses no longer needed additional labor help, we could have acted quicker and turned off the taps faster."
With a national election scheduled for 2025, Trudeau's Liberal Party is currently behind in the polls, increasing the pressure to respond to public criticism. Many Canadians are concerned that higher immigration rates have led to challenges such as a shortage of affordable housing and rising inflation.
Canada’s New Immigration Strategy Trudeau explained that the new immigration plan aims to streamline the process and focus on skilled workers. Priority will be given to permanent residents with necessary skills, particularly in fields like healthcare and construction.
The updated policy intends to reduce the number of permanent residents entering Canada. By 2025, the target will be 395,000, which is nearly 20% lower than the 485,000 expected this year. Temporary immigrants, including international students and foreign workers, will also see a decrease, with projected numbers dropping to 446,000 in 2025 and 2026. Additionally, only 17,400 new non-permanent residents are expected by 2027.
Criticism of Exploitation in Immigration Programs In the video, Trudeau also criticized the misuse of Canada's immigration programs. Following the pandemic, the government boosted immigration to support the labor market and avoid economic downturn. However, Trudeau admitted that certain groups had taken advantage of the system for financial gain.
"We saw far too many large corporations exploit this," Trudeau said. He also called out educational institutions for using international student programs to increase revenue and condemned fraudulent agents for misleading vulnerable immigrants with false promises of citizenship.
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