Canada announced Thursday it will decrease temporary immigration due to concerns over a resource shortage.

Immigration Minister, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller stated in a press conference:

Recently, Canada’s temporary resident volume has increased significantly, now reaching up to 6.2% of our population in 2023. Therefore, in our level planning we’ll be including a target in order to reach an adequate volume of temporary residents that we can welcome. As a starting point we are targeting a decrease in our temporary residents population to 5% over the next 3 years. Provinces and territories know their unique labor needs and capacity and need to assume responsibility for the people that they bring in as well.

Miller went on to state “We want every new family and resident to be set up for success and be able to access the services that they need.”

The announcement comes after a similar decision in February reinstating visa requirements for Mexican nationals. The objective of these measures is to “relieve pressure on Canada’s borders, immigration system, housing and social services, while preserving mobility for Mexican citizens who want to come to Canada,” according to the Canadian government.

There are currently 40 million people living in Canada with 2.5 million being temporary residents.