Canada is reassessing the number of long-term visas granted to foreign students. The move reflects a broader effort to control immigration and population growth.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Miller said, “Federal and provincial officials have been discussing how to match labour market demand with international students.”
Despite Canada’s long-standing practice of attracting educated, working-age immigrants through universities and colleges, Miller emphasised that study visas should not guarantee future residency or citizenship. “That should never be the promise. People should be coming here to educate themselves and perhaps go home and bring those skills back to their country,” he explained.
Job market alignment
Miller stressed the importance of ensuring that jobs for international students align with their studies. He noted that discussions are ongoing about how to match post-graduate work permits with the needs of a contracting labour market in various provinces. “The logic for having uncapped or uncontrolled draws from abroad is no longer there,” he stated.
What Indian students must understand
“There is a misconception that studying in Canada guarantees permanent residency. The Minister Miller aims to dispel this notion,” Ajay Sharma, an immigration consultant and founder of Abhinav Immigration Services told Business Standard.
This is not only happening in Canada but also in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
“The message is clear: studying in these countries does not automatically lead to permanent residency,” Sharma explains.
So, what must Indian students aspiring to go to Canada do?
If you plan to study in Canada, be aware that not all courses will lead to permanent residency. It is essential to choose courses that align with future job demands in Canada.
“Most students going to Canada opt for general courses like BBA and MBAs. However, Canada needs more students in STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—as well as trades, to meet future job demands,” says Sharma.
If you have the right education, experience, or certifications, you can work in fields such as:
– Science
– Law
– Health
– Education
– Commerce
– Communications
According to the Canada immigration website, the top 10 jobs are:
1. Medical Anesthesiologist
Average annual salary: $391,568 (approximately Rs 3.27 crore)
Role: Doctors who administer drugs to prevent patients from feeling pain during surgery. They ensure the patient’s well-being before, during, and after surgery.
2. Cardiologist
Average annual salary: $386,757 (approximately Rs 3.23 crore)
Role: Work in independent practices or medical institutions. Responsibilities include assessing new patients, ordering tests, diagnosing conditions, designing treatment plans, prescribing medications, coordinating with other healthcare providers, and providing ongoing care.
3. Surgeon
Average annual salary: $378,634 (approximately Rs 3.16 crore)
Role: Operate on patients, diagnose whether surgery is needed, create treatment plans based on medical history, and research new surgical techniques.
4. Psychiatrist
Average annual salary: $333,976 (approximately Rs 2.79 crore)
Role: Assess, diagnose, and treat psychiatric patients through a comprehensive evaluation of their biological, psychological, and social needs.
5. Orthodontist
Average annual salary: $269,126 (approximately Rs 2.24 crore)
Role: Dentists who specialize in orthodontic treatment after completing additional university education.
6. Financial Controller
Average annual salary: $207,155 (approximately Rs 1.73 crore)
Role: Lead the accounting team, manage financial statements, payroll, budgets, and tax compliance issues.
7. Cloud Architect
Average annual salary: $147,474 (approximately Rs 1.23 crore)
Role: Oversee a company’s cloud computing strategy, including adoption plans, application design, and management.
8. Software Engineering Manager
Average annual salary: $143,044 (approximately Rs 1.19 crore)
Role: Lead software development and creation, ensuring applications meet required standards. They have good prospects in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec.
9. Data Scientist
Average annual salary: $134,960 (approximately Rs 1.12 crore)
Role: Clean, collect, and validate data using technical expertise and software engineering skills.
10. Corporate Lawyer
Average annual salary: $109,631 (approximately Rs 91 lakh)
Role: Deal with laws governing the incorporation, dissolution, and registration of corporations under Canadian federal or provincial laws.
Pressure on Prime Minister Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces increasing pressure due to the rising cost of living, intense competition for housing, and higher unemployment rates. Earlier this year, Canada imposed a cap on the number of international student visas issued, projecting fewer than 300,000 new permits this year compared to about 437,000 last year. Officials are now focusing on which students should remain in Canada after completing their studies.
Increasing visa numbers
Government data shows a rapid increase in the number of post-graduate work permit (PGWP) holders, with 132,000 new holders in 2022, a 78% rise from four years earlier. Changes to immigration policy will require input from both governments and businesses. The Trudeau administration is also scrutinising the temporary foreign worker programme, which Miller said has been “used and abused.”
Challenges of the Canadian Dream
But, despite record-high immigration levels, many new immigrants are leaving the country because of high cost of living, which could harm Canada’s reputation as a welcoming place for newcomers,” according to data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute.
A report by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, co-authored with the Conference Board of Canada, highlighted a decline in the number of permanent residents becoming citizens, dropping from 75% in 2001 to 45% in 2021. Daniel Bernhard, CEO of ICC, remarked, “If Canada cannot deliver for newcomers and help them become Canadian in their passports and in their hearts, we may soon be discussing our prosperity in the past tense.”
