Bhubaneswar: Terming it as an alignment with a broad objective of facilitating the entry of foreign nationals to Canada in a manner that protects the health, safety and security of Canadians, the Canada government has gone for a big change to its immigration policies.

Last year, in pursuance of its objective, the Canada Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRC) ministry had announced that the Government of Canada will set an intake cap on international student permit applications for a period of two years.

In 2024 also, Canada had made attestation letters mandatory for study permit applications, and eliminated the spousal Open Work Permit, preventing students from bringing their spouses along for most undergraduate programs.

In the backdrop, from Feb 1, the Canada Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship ministry has effected amendments that will impact thousands of Indian students, employees and temporary visitors.

The new amended immigration policy that has come into effect from Feb 1, 2025 has a sort of mutagenic amendments that will impact all who go to Canada with temporary resident documents.

As per the release of the Canda Govt, 

“The amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Cancellation of Immigration Documents) support migration management by providing consistent authorities in the Regulations to cancel temporary resident documents. The amendments will increase processing efficiencies with more clarity for officers and improve safety and security at the border and inside Canada.”

The IMPACT is loud and clear. As Border officials are vested with the power to cancel temporary resident documents such as electronic travel authorizations (eTAs) and temporary resident visas (TRVs), immigrants from India will now stare at the discretion of an official.

HERE ARE THE CHANGES LISTED BELOW

The regulatory amendments make a foreign national ineligible to hold an eTA if

• An officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the holder will not leave Canada by the end of their authorized stay; or
• The holder was refused a study or work permit or renewal of a study or work permit.
• The regulatory amendments allow an officer to cancel an eTA if it was issued based on an administrative error.
• The regulatory amendments automatically cancel an eTA if

1. the holder becomes a permanent resident;
2. the associated passport or other travel document is lost, stolen, or destroyed;
3. the associated passport or other travel document was abandoned; or
4. the holder is deceased.

The regulatory amendments allow an officer to cancel a TRV (temporary resident visa) if

• The holder is inadmissible;
• The holder did not meet one of the requirements when the TRV was issued or no longer meets one of the requirements;
• The holder was issued a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)
• The officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the holder will not leave Canada by the end of their authorized stay;
• The holder was refused an eTA, a work permit, a study permit, or another TRV
• The holder is the subject of a negative declaration by the Minister; or
• The officer is satisfied that the TRV was issued based on an administrative error.

The regulatory amendments automatically cancel a TRV if

• The holder becomes a permanent resident
• The passport or travel document is lost, stolen, or destroyed
• The passport or other travel document holding the TRV was abandoned
• The holder is deceased.

The regulatory amendments allow an officer to cancel a work permit if

• The officer is satisfied that it was issued based on an administrative error and would automatically cancel a work permit if the holder becomes a permanent resident or is deceased.

The regulatory amendments allow an officer to cancel a study permit if

• The officer is satisfied that it was issued based on an administrative error and automatically cancels a study permit  
• If the holder becomes a permanent resident or is deceased.

CANADA HOT DESTINATION FOR INDIANS

Here are the number counts that show how Canada has emerged as the hot destination for students and temporary workers.

• Indian citizens accounted for 37% of all study permits issued in Canada in 2024
• Indian are, therefore, the largest group of international students in Canada. 
• Indian students in Canada have nearly doubled in last 3 years, shows MEA data
• In 2021, Indian students went to Canada stood at – 2.1636 Lakh
• In 2024, the count increased to – 4.27085 lakh 

WHY CANADA BROUGHT AMENDMENTS TO IMMIGARTION LAWS?

Canada had the liberal immigration laws for its benefit. The country has liberal immigration laws for the purpose of adding to its low labour force population. But after many eTA or TRVs having found misusing its liberal provision and they make Canada a gateway to USA, and when the Trump administration has started cracking the whip on immigrants along with growing pressure on housing and other facilcities in Canada, the government has effected amendment to limit the inflow of immigrants.

The table above shows how much dependent Canada is on immigration and its assessment on the larger spectre. 

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