A tsunami of immigration restrictions is sweeping numerous countries both throughout North America and Europe. Once known for their friendly policies, nations currently closing their borders are generating conjecture about the underlying causes of this change and how it may affect immigration going forward.
Immigration has become a divisive issue worldwide in recent years as many nations impose new policies especially aimed at low-income workers and people on temporary visas. Rising worries about economic stresses, packed public services, and housing shortages have driven these reforms. Let's now explore more specifically how this tendency is developing in some of the big nations.
Let's start with Canada's policies against low-paying employment. Historically noted for its open-armed stance to immigrants, Canada has lately retreated. Starting in September 2024, the nation will drastically cut down on the low-wage temporary foreign worker intake. Employers will not be allowed to hire low-wage employ Tuition Fee Waiver plan students in an area of Canada showing an unemployment rate of six percent or above. Furthermore, from 20% to merely 10%, the proportion of TFW's enterprises can hire has been slashed. This action is a component of a larger plan meant to solve problems resulting from Canada's fast population increase.
The nation is struggling with more demand on public services and housing as immigrants flood it. Canada also has caps foreign student visas for two years. This divergence from Canada's historically liberal approach is mostly motivated by concerns that the flood of temporary residents—including overseas students—is taxing the nation's resources. Popular provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia very clearly show these limitations.
Although many Canadians blame the large number of immigrants for aggravating the housing situation, others contend that policy flaws and labor exploitation—rather than the migrants themselves—are the main causes. These policy changes probably impact a lot of migrants, especially the sizable Indian population in Canada, despite the continuous argument.
Turning our attention now to Australia, another highly sought-after immigrant destination, the government has also tightened immigration laws, particularly aimed at overseas students. The Australian government lately set restrictions on the amount of students universities may accept and raised visa charges for overseas students. These steps are meant to lower the nation's net migration rate, which shot to above 500,000 in 2022–23.
By 2025 the government wants this number halved. Australia's choice is partly driven by worries about its large student population stressing public infrastructure and the housing market too much. Like Canada, Australia is trying to balance its social and public service capacities against its economic needs.
The main causes of international students being subject to restrictions in North American and European countries are the constraints on public infrastructure and housing. Particularly affecting Indians, the new immigration policies in Canada, Australia, and other countries will have a major effect on people of Indian descent, who account for a sizable share of the migrant workforce and school enrollment in these countries.
TFWs and overseas students from India have been especially plentiful in Canada. Through the temporary foreign worker program, about 26,495 Indian workers entered Canada in 2023 alone. The decline in low-wage TFW intake would certainly have an impact on Indian workers, many of whom rely on these chances for their living. Furthermore, the cap on new foreign student visas in Canada has clearly caused the Indian student population to drop.
According to reports, this restriction—along with increased financial needs for study permits—is deterring possible Indian students from applying. Diplomatic tensions between Canada and India further complicate the matter since they have helped to lower visa approvals and student enrollment from India.
Over 70,000 foreign student graduates of recent Canadian migration policies in danger of deportation. These graduates—many of whom have finished their degrees and are working in Canada—may now be deported depending on changes in the laws controlling postgraduate work permits and routes to permanent residency. Widespread demonstrations calling for changes or abolition of these laws are being staged around the nation.
Regarding Australia, where a sizable fraction of the foreign student population consists of Indian students, the higher visa fees and intake limits are probably going to discourage many from seeking higher education there. This could cause the number of Indian students to drop as well as reduce the cultural and financial contributions these people make to Australian society. Indians currently in Australia on student visas or temporary work permits may find it difficult to move to permanent residency or land a job as Australia likewise aims to lower its net migration level.
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