Canada is grappling with rising unemployment and worsening housing crisis. In view of this situation, Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that,he is considering to putting a cap on the number of international students living in the country over the next few months, CTV News reported.
Marc Miller further Said he is considering the possibility of setting a cap on international students to reduce the demand for housing in both the first and second quarters of this year.
However, the extent of reduction to be enforced in the immigration system was not specified by the government. Marc Miller pointed out that a cap on international students would not be a “one-size-fits-all solution.”
Marc Miller told the publication, “This is a dialogue the federal government will need to have with States governments to ensure that the states that have not been doing their jobs take measures to control the numbers on a pure volume basis.”
While referring to numbers of international students in Canada he said, “That number is shocking . It’s really a system that has gotten out of control.” The Liberals want to bring 485,000 immigrants to Canada in 2024 and 500,000 in both 2025 and 2026.
On the number of international students coming to Canada, Marc Miller said, “We need to be done our jobs and make sure that we have a system that actually makes sure people have a financial capability to come to Canada, that’s why, we’re actually verifying offer letters.” Around 300,000 temporary residents mostly international students and migrant workers arrived in Canada in the third quarter of 2023.
Marc Miller also said that there is need to study the impact of the increasing number of immigrants, both permanent and temporary residents and said, “And now it’s time for us to have a dialogue about numbers and the impact that is having in certain areas.”
Miller said that housing is just one part of the calculation, the federal government also needs to bring down the average age of the workforce.
