Quebec takes action to reduce temporary immigration

The Legault government unveiled two new measures on Tuesday aimed at reducing the number of temporary residents in Quebec.

As reported by Radio-Canada on Monday evening, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) will be suspended for jobs in Montreal offering a salary below the Quebec median income, which is $57,000. This freeze, effective September 3 and lasting six months, will affect both new applications and renewals. However, certain exemptions are planned for key sectors such as health, education, construction, agriculture, and food processing.

Additionally, the government announced the introduction of a bill this fall to better regulate the influx of international students, following reports of abuses. The proposed law is expected to take into account various factors such as the type of institution, region, and level of study, without specifically targeting anglophone universities.

These measures were presented at a press conference by Premier François Legault and Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette. The aim is to better manage the growing number of temporary immigrants, an issue that, according to Quebec, largely falls under federal responsibility.

François Legault estimated that the freeze could remove approximately 3,500 people from the Montreal job market over the next six months. However, he stressed that the federal government also needs to take action on immigration matters.

According to Statistics Canada, there are currently around 600,000 temporary immigrants in Quebec, most of whom are under federal jurisdiction. The Quebec government is calling for a more equitable distribution of asylum seekers across the country and is considering setting provincial quotas.

While waiting for federal intervention, Quebec plans to scale back its publicly funded recruitment missions for temporary immigrants. François Legault emphasized the need to limit temporary immigration to protect public services and the French language, stating that the province has exceeded its integration capacity.

The federal government, a partner in the TFWP, approved the freeze but expressed disappointment at not being invited to the announcement made by the Quebec government. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, described the measures as "superficial" and criticized François Legault's inability to adequately address immigration issues.