Migrants in Canada Demand Permanent Residency as Permits Near Expiry

Thousands of temporary migrants gathered in Brampton this week to demand a pathway to permanent residency, as expiring permits and shifting immigration rules leave many facing an uncertain future.

The protest was organised by the United Immigrant Workers Front, with support from CUPE Ontario and the Marxist Leninist Party of Canada. In a video shared online, organisers warned that more than two million temporary permits are set to expire in the coming months, affecting workers and students across the country.

Similar demonstrations have taken place in Quebec, where campaigners are opposing the province’s decision to phase out the Programme de l’expérience Québécoise. The scheme had offered international students and foreign workers a relatively quick route to permanent residency but is being replaced with a more restrictive skills-based programme.

Indian nationals are expected to be among the most affected. India remains the largest source of temporary residents, with nearly 188,000 students and 249,000 workers holding permits in 2024. Unions and municipal leaders in Quebec have urged the federal government to allow migrants to stay, stressing their importance to local economies and communities.

National labour organisations have echoed these calls. The Canadian Labour Congress stated last year that migrant workers “deserve access to permanent residency and citizenship,” framing the issue as one of fairness and inclusion. Federal authorities, however, have signalled caution. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney has acknowledged that the rise in temporary migration has “far exceeded our ability to welcome people and make sure that they had good housing and services.” The 2025 budget described current levels as “unsustainable,” pledging to reduce the proportion of non-permanent residents to about five per cent of the population.

Statistics highlight the scale of the challenge. Canada’s temporary resident population grew from 1.4 million in early 2022 to 3.2 million by October 2024. The latest estimate places the figure at 2.8 million, representing one in fifteen people nationwide compared with one in fifty a decade ago. 

Last year, the Canada Border Services Agency deported 22,000 people with expired status and refused entry to 40,000 others.