Ottawa has no plans to give all undocumented workers residential status, minister says

Ottawa has no plans to broadly give residential status to undocumented migrants working in Canada, Immigration Minister Marc Miller says.

«As frustrating as that is to hear for people that are in a precarious position of being undocumented in Canada and are contributing to the economy — and perhaps kids that are Canadian — I think we have to be quite clear with Canadians and quite realistic about what's achievable,» Miller told CBC News.

«Despite the economic imperative, despite the very humanitarian imperative that a broad regularization program presents, it is clear to me that Canadians are not there and that's just reality.»

Reuters was the first to report the development.

Miller said he's still «actively considering» providing status to undocumented migrants working in certain sectors, such as health care and construction.

The Liberals pledged in late 2021 to «explore ways of regularizing status for undocumented workers who are contributing to Canadian communities.» Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had no timeline for putting this proposal into effect.

Miller has estimated the number of undocumented people in Canada at somewhere between 300,000 and 600,000.

The government has been under pressure from groups representing migrants, including the Migrant Rights Network, which in May urged Miller to follow through on the government's proposal.

Immigration more broadly has become a major point of political debate, especially as it relates to affordability issues like housing. A Leger poll conducted in July found 60 per cent of respondents said there are too many immigrants coming to Canada.

Miller announced in March that Ottawa would attempt to reduce temporary residents' share of the population from 6.2 per cent to five per