That statement denotes that end-users will be relying on such points as they have been given almost five million temporary permits that will expire between now and the end of 2025. Of these permits, 766,000 belong to foreign students, one of the few groups affected by the new policies.
Still, responding to Conservative MP Tom Kmiec’s suggestions about compliance in the backdrop of so motley an ensemble of expiring permits, Immigration Minister Marc Miller spends few words assuring him that violations will be managed using mechanisms such as monitoring by the Canada Border Services Agency. While not all temporary residents will have to vacate, they will be able to supplement their temporary duration with renewals or postgraduate work permits (PGWPs). These permits usually last from nine months to three years, enabling foreign students to acquire Canadian work experience for eligibility for a permanent residence application.
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Students from the Punjab area protesting against Canada’s changing immigration policies have been protesting in Brampton since August. They lament that they traveled to Canada with the understanding that they would remain there permanently. Data from the immigration department show that, as of May 2023, over one million foreign students were in Canada. As of the end of this year, there will be 396,235 PGWP-holding students three times the number in 2018. However, it was reported that within a year, the lifetime validity of these permits will expire and bitter competition will be witnessed for permanent residence by students because of the newly instituted immigration controls.
In fact, data for 2024 showed a slash of international student permits by about 35% and an anticipated further cut in 2025 by another 10%, with the housing market under pressure being cited as the main reason behind the reductions.