Dear Mr. Brown,

I heard that Canada will freeze immigration for the next three years, but can I still study there during this time.

-BEV

Dear BEV:

I answered questions regarding the recent changes announced regarding Canadian immigration. However, due to the many changes and the fact that I have received several similar requests, I wanted to make sure you understood correctly.

Please note that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement was for an approximately three-year reduction in the number of immigrants entering Canada rather than a three-year freeze.

Canada will reduce the number of new permanent residents by 500,000 to 395,000 in 2025 and to 380,000 in 2026. A target of 365,000 has been set for 2027.

The plan’s objectives aim to suspend population growth in the short term to achieve sustainable and well-managed growth in the long term. The plan’s reduced targets include temporary residents, such as international students and foreign workers already in Canada who are applying to become permanent residents.

During the pandemic, policies were put in place to relax rules for temporary residents to address labor shortages.

Canada also announced a two-year cap on international student permits and said it would also stop granting work permits to some students after graduation.

There is also a cap to reduce temporary residents to five percent of the total population over the next three years, down from 6.2 percent in 2023.

Please visit JAMAICA2CANADA.COM for more information on Canadian work permits, study permits, visas, international student loans, permanent residency and/or appeals, etc.

Antonn Brown is a licensed Canadian job recruiter, an accredited Canadian education agent and an immigration consultant with JAMAICA2CANADA.COM, a Canadian immigration company in Kingston. Send your questions/comments to [email protected]