Housing Minister Sean Fraser reportedly ignored warnings that increasing work hours for international students could lead to integrity issues and increase housing costs. Fraser defended the decision, citing housing challenges students face and the need for workforce talent. Despite the concerns raised, job vacancies in Canada rose to over 990,000 in Q2 2022, prompting the Liberals to establish a parallel immigration system for non-skilled jobs. The Temporary Foreign Worker program and the International Students Program were used to fill these roles. However, the surge in population has led to a significant rise in housing costs. The new Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, has since reduced the number of international student visas by 35% and plans to limit their work hours. Despite these measures, the housing issue remains a major concern, with the Liberals being blamed for the current situation.
