How immigration cuts are affecting newcomers, businesses and communities on P.E.I.

When Liam Ang moved to Prince Edward Island in 2023, he was excited to start his studies at UPEI. He also hoped to one day make the Island his new home.

Now, the third-year student is considering leaving the country after graduation.

Ang, who is originally from Malaysia, said the many recent changes to Canada's immigration policies make it hard to navigate and plan for the future.

"It can be quite hard on me," he told CBC's Island Morning. "You have to plan so much and then think again, and then, you know, taking the next step."

The federal government has made sweeping changes to Canada's immigration system as the country's population continues to grow, reaching more than 41.5 million in October. Immigration has been a major factor in this growth, as concerns rise over so many people needing things like housing and health care.

As part of a new immigration plan, Ottawa has cut the projected number of new permanent residents to 395,000 this year, an 18.5 per cent reduction from 2024. The target will drop further to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027, as the federal government aims for a 0.2 per cent population decline over the next two years.

P.E.I. has definitely been affected. The federal government has slashed the Island's nominee allocation for 2025 under the Provincial Nominee Program and the Atlantic Immigration Program by half, reducing it to 1,025.

That decision came after the province voluntarily reduced its own nominations last year, issuing just 1,590 nominations out of its allocation of 2,050.

The P.E.I. government said this reduction was aimed at easing population growth and the strain that causes on housing and health care, while prioritizing workers in high-demand fields like health care and construction. The change sparked months of protests from some foreign workers in sales and service jobs, who felt their path to permanent residency was being cut off.

Ang, whose major is international business, feels he doesn't stand a good chance of finding a job here that could help him get nominated for permanent residency.

"So it's better for me to take a solid path where after my study, I just go back and then probably take some internship elsewhere… probably Europe or Asian countries, companies that provide international experience."

Shreesh Agrawal, vice president external at UPEI's Student Union, echoed Ang's concerns.

With so many changes and reductions in Canada's immigration system, Agrawal said he's heard from many international students and graduates on P.E.I. about their struggles in obtaining permanent residency. They are facing having to leave Canada after their post-graduate work permits expire, wasting their time, connections and experience.

"They're facing so much uncertainty and so much unpredictability, not knowing what their future's going to look like," Agrawal said.