⚖️ Tightening measures or just an act of show off? ⚖️
In late August 2024, the Canadian government announced a series of new immigration measures aimed at reducing the number of temporary residents and fighting abuse of foreign workers in the immigration system. However, despite the loud statements, these measures have been criticized for containing significant loopholes and for barely affecting the actual level of immigration into the country.
🔍 The first new measure involves freezing the issuance of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) for low-wage positions in regions with an unemployment rate below 6%. But substantial exceptions for many sectors like agriculture, construction, and healthcare essentially lead to zero the supposed effectiveness of this measure.
🛑 The second measure is a new temporary policy that allows foreign nationals already in Canada to obtain open work permits without needing to go through the LMIA process if they have a provincial letter signed by local authorities and a job offer. However, this policy creates new opportunities for exploitation by unscrupulous employers.
🚫 The third new rule is the termination of the temporary policy that allowed visitors to Canada to apply for work permits without leaving the country. However, even with the end of this program, there are still ways to bypass the new restrictions, such as using the "flagpoling" procedure at the U.S. border.
Thus, the government’s new measures, despite their appearance of seriousness, are unlikely to lead to significant changes in the immigration system. Genuine reforms require stricter controls and the elimination of existing loopholes, rather than creating new ones.
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