The Liberal and Conservative parties are competing over how to reform Canada’s increasingly unpopular immigration system, as more Canadians call for reduced newcomer intake.
Under the Liberal government, led by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada saw a significant surge in both permanent and non-permanent resident admissions. Immigration levels rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to increase in the years following.
As the population grew rapidly, public concern mounted. Many Canadians blamed rising immigration for worsening housing affordability, straining social services, and reducing job opportunities in low-skill sectors.
In response to the growing backlash, Trudeau announced a series of reforms aimed at cutting immigration: a 24% reduction in permanent resident admissions, a 10% cut in new international students, and a 16% decrease in temporary foreign workers.
With Mark Carney now leading the Liberals, the party has committed to continuing Trudeau’s rebalancing efforts. Carney’s Liberals are pledging to cap the number of non-permanent residents — including temporary workers and international students — at less than 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2027. At current population levels, this would mean about 2 million non-permanent residents.
They also plan to limit annual permanent resident admissions to under 1% of the population after 2027 — around 416,000 annually — maintaining a level similar to the Trudeau government’s 400,000 per year target.
Additional Liberal promises include raising francophone immigration outside Quebec to 12% by 2029, accelerating immigration processing times, and collaborating more closely with provinces on immigration policy, with special attention to Quebec’s unique needs.
On the other hand, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party has introduced a multi-point plan to overhaul federal immigration policy.
Poilievre pledges to slow population growth to a pace below that of housing development, job creation, and health care expansion — aiming for immigration levels similar to those under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, which ranged from 200,000 to 250,000 annually. While no specific target has been set, the direction is clear.
The Conservatives also plan to involve unions in the labour market impact assessment process to protect unionized jobs.
Their platform promises to deport individuals who have committed crimes after entering Canada under the temporary foreign student program and to prevent criminal applicants from entering through it in the first place.
Poilievre’s Conservatives also sharply criticize the Century Initiative, which proposes increasing Canada’s population to 100 million by 2100. They accuse Carney’s Liberals of aligning with this vision.
With election day fast approaching, the NDP has yet to release a formal immigration reform platform. During the federal leaders’ debate, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh defended current immigration policies.
Meanwhile, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet is demanding that Quebec be given full control over its immigration system, along with a reduction in federal immigration targets to more “reasonable” levels.
A poll conducted last fall found that a majority of Canadians view the current immigration system negatively, citing high intake levels and their perceived impact on the cost of living.