Canada PM Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reminiscing about his country’s move to allow the unwarranted influx of immigrants, on Sunday admitted that this factor led to many “bad actors” misusing the channel to make profits and “game the system.”

In an approximately seven-minute-long video, Trudeau explains why Canada is considerably reducing the number of immigrants it admits for the first time in years.

Notably, this move will mark a major shift in policy as the Trudeau government seeks to regain public support amid growing resentment.

Policy shift for Canada

Attributing the ‘bad factors’ gaining asylum in the Canadian land to the immigration system, Trudeau explained why the country is opting to reduce the influx of people coming to Canada for the next three years.

He further explained how Canada’s policy initially focused on permanent immigration but opened doors to let temporary immigrants in to meet the workforce demand following the crashing economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Explaining his move to allow the unwarranted temporary immigration, Trudeau said, “After two years with closed borders, we needed more people, more workers, fast. So we brought in more workers. It was the right choice, it worked. Our economy grew, restaurants, and stores reopened, and businesses kept running.”

He adds that his move helped his country avoid “the worst-case scenario, a recession.”

Trudeau maps out Canada’s immigration dynamics

Known for its welcoming gesture towards newcomers, Canada is now changing its narrative, with officials pointing to the pressure that immigration is putting on the country’s housing market, rising cost of living, and already overburdened healthcare system.

Trudeau addresses this issue in his video, stating, “This pause is going to give our economy and our communities the chance to catch up with things like our plan to build millions of more homes, that’s not stopping. But now, we’ll have a little more breathing room. As we build, we’ll see more corporations investing in Canadian workers and youth, rather than relying on cheap foreign labour.”

He claims to have consulted several industry players and corporations regarding their labour demand, with regard to the current economic scenario.

“We are reducing permanent immigration levels by at least 20%, and a new string of measures to clamp down on temporary immigrants. That means a decrease in international students and temporary foreign workers,” he adds to his statement.

Passing a remark over the impact of a similar move, Trudeau said, “Our cap on international students is already bringing rental prices down in big cities. And as we keep that cap in place, rents will keep coming down. We’re making the system work for Canadians and newcomers, rather than for the big box stores, chain restaurants, immigration consultants, and sham colleges that exploit it.”

Describing his plans to tackle the population burst, Trudeau states, “Between the number of people coming and going we’ll effectively pause population growth for the next two years. Then from 2027 onwards, it will balance out and slowly start increasing again at a sustainable pace.”

At the concluding end of the video, Trudeau adds, “Now it is time to make the adjustments to stabilise the immigration system that we need and get it working right for Canadians”.

‘Vote bank’ factor behind this move?

The issue of immigration has become one of the most contentious topics in Canadian politics, especially with the upcoming federal election which may be held in October 2025.

Recent polls indicate that an increasing number of Canadians believe the country is accepting too many immigrants.

This sentiment is fuelling political debate as public concern over housing, job competition, and public services grows.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)

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