Canada's immigration landscape has experienced a significant shift with the appointment of a new Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship—Rachel Bendayan—as part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest cabinet shuffle. She takes over from Marc Miller at a crucial time when Canada is adjusting its immigration policies to address economic, housing, and labor market challenges.

Bendayan’s appointment signals a fresh perspective on how Canada will manage its permanent residency programs, temporary foreign workers, and international students. With immigration playing a key role in Canada’s economy and workforce development, her leadership is expected to shape both short-term adjustments and long-term strategies.

Who Is Rachel Bendayan?

Rachel Bendayan is a lawyer, politician, and experienced policymaker with a strong background in economic development, trade policy, and public service. Her career has been marked by a focus on international commerce, small businesses, and financial policies, which could influence how she approaches immigration reforms.

Early Life & Education

  • Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, in a Moroccan-Jewish family, she brings a multicultural perspective to her new role.

  • She is fluent in English and French, which aligns well with Canada’s bilingual immigration policies.

  • She holds a degree in International Development Studies and later pursued Law at McGill University, earning both a Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) and Juris Doctor (JD).

Legal and Trade Background

Before entering politics, Bendayan built a strong legal career:

  • Worked at Norton Rose Fulbright, one of Canada’s leading law firms, specializing in litigation, international arbitration, and trade law.

  • Advised clients on commercial regulations, international disputes, and trade agreements, which may shape her approach to economic immigration policies.

  • Taught as a lecturer at Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Law, focusing on commercial law, which gave her firsthand experience in educating and mentoring professionals—a skill that could be relevant to Canada's policies on skilled workers and foreign talent retention.

Legal and Trade Background

  • Worked at Norton Rose Fulbright, specializing in litigation, international arbitration, and trade law.

  • Advised clients on commercial regulations, trade agreements, and international disputes, shaping her approach to economic immigration.

  • Lectured on commercial law at Université de Montréal, gaining experience in mentoring professionals—valuable for policies on skilled workers and foreign talent.

Political Career & Experience in Government

Bendayan entered politics in 2015 when she ran for office in the Outremont riding, a historically strong Liberal seat. Though she narrowly lost in her first attempt, she remained active in government and was later elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in 2019, securing re-election in 2021.

Since joining Parliament, she has held multiple key positions, including:

  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, where she contributed to economic policy decisions.

  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, where she worked on policies impacting international travelers, tourism businesses, and economic recovery post-pandemic.

  • Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion, and International Trade, handling policies that supported business owners, entrepreneurs, and trade agreements.

  • Minister of Official Languages and Associate Minister of Public Safety, ensuring Canada’s bilingual identity is preserved while also handling issues related to national security and immigration processes.

Her political background in economic policy, trade, and finance suggests that her approach to immigration will likely focus on labor market needs, business growth, and economic impact rather than just population growth.

What Changes Might We See in Immigration Policies?

While Rachel Bendayan has yet to announce specific policy changes, her background and Canada’s current immigration challenges indicate potential areas of focus:

1. Express Entry and Immigration Targets

  • Canada recently revised its permanent residency targets, slowing increases to address housing and economic challenges.

  • Under Bendayan’s leadership, Express Entry programs may prioritize skilled workers in high-demand industries like healthcare, technology, and construction.

  • CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score fluctuations may continue, with a focus on specific skill-based draws rather than general invitations.

2. Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and Economic Immigration

  • PNPs will likely remain a key tool for addressing regional labor shortages, ensuring that immigration benefits provinces with specific workforce needs.

  • Potential streamlining of application processing and work permit approvals to reduce delays and improve efficiency.

3. Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and International Students

  • Marc Miller, the former immigration minister, raised concerns about the surge in temporary workers and international students contributing to housing shortages and labor market imbalances.

  • Under Bendayan, there could be stricter regulations on student visas and work permits, ensuring that immigration aligns with Canada’s economic capacity.

  • Policy adjustments might favor industries with urgent labor shortages while limiting sectors that already have a surplus of workers.

4. French-Speaking Immigration

  • As a Quebec-born politician and former Minister of Official Languages, Bendayan may advocate for increasing French-speaking immigrants, particularly in provinces outside of Quebec.

  • This aligns with Canada’s goal to increase Francophone immigration and support linguistic diversity across the country.

Marc Miller’s Tenure as Immigration Minister

Before Rachel Bendayan, Marc Miller served as Canada’s Immigration Minister. His tenure focused on:

  • Reducing overall immigration growth in response to concerns about housing shortages and economic pressures.

  • Introducing higher scrutiny on work and study permit applications, leading to increased rejection rates.

  • Modifying Express Entry and PNP policies to prioritize candidates who can immediately contribute to Canada’s labor market.

While Miller acknowledged that Canada needed stricter oversight on temporary immigration, he also faced criticism for slow processing times and policy unpredictability. Bendayan inherits these challenges and is expected to address them through more structured and business-friendly immigration policies.

Rachel Bendayan steps into the Immigration Minister role at a critical time for Canadian immigration policies. With a background in law, trade, and finance, she is expected to take a balanced approach, considering both economic and social impacts.

As Canada continues to refine its immigration policies, Bendayan’s leadership will likely focus on:

  • Targeted economic immigration that meets labor market demands.

  • More structured policies for temporary workers and international students.

  • Continued support for Francophone and bilingual immigration programs.

Her expertise and leadership style will play a significant role in shaping how Canada welcomes new immigrants while addressing economic and social challenges. The coming months will reveal whether her policies bring continuity or a shift in direction for Canada’s immigration system.