Toronto/IBNS: Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, has announced plans to closely examine the issue of housing affordability and immigration for the influx of international students and other non-permanent residents entering the country.

Acknowledging that immigrants cannot be attributed for the increase in interest rates in Canada's housing affordability challenges, Miller suggested better evaluation of the rising interest rates, supply constraints, and affordability issues especially in a post-COVID scenario.

Miller said that the international student system was not designed to be a cash cow for universities.

“There are some people and designated learning institutions that are gaming the system,” he said.

In response to Miller's remarks that Conservative opposition has led to the Liberal government’s deficits and rising interest rates, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre proposed a plan to balance the budget, by linking infrastructure funding to the number of homes allowed to be built by cities.

Acknowledging the lack of specific targets for non-permanent residents in Liberal government's goal of 500,000 new permanent residents in 2026, Miller suggested reforms to postgraduate work permits or stricter control over the volume of non-permanent residents.

Defending Canada’s immigration approach, Miller also emphasized the importance of collaboration between federal and provincial governments for a sustainable and growing labor force as the population ages.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)