Today, Minister Marc Miller of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship announced Canada’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan. This plan temporarily limits population growth to ensure a sustainable, well-managed increase over time. For the first time, it includes specific targets for temporary residents—international students and foreign workers—alongside permanent residents.
Immigration has been crucial to Canada’s economic growth, especially post-pandemic, when businesses needed skilled workers to aid recovery. Canada acted swiftly, attracting global talent to support the workforce, which helped drive the economy and avoid a recession. This plan addresses Canada’s changing needs, easing housing, infrastructure, and social service pressures, while setting a pathway for sustained economic and social prosperity.
In 2025 and 2026, the plan anticipates a slight population decrease of 0.2%, returning to a 0.8% growth in 2027. Population targets have been reduced across several immigration streams to align with lower temporary resident numbers. As a result, the permanent resident target drops to 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027. Temporary resident levels are also being lowered, with a projected decrease of about 445,000 in both 2025 and 2026, followed by a modest increase of 17,000 in 2027.
Additional measures include converting more temporary residents, like students and workers, to permanent residents—representing over 40% of admissions by 2025. Focused on economic growth, 61.7% of admissions by 2027 will be in the economic class, prioritizing sectors such as health and trades. The plan also supports French-speaking communities outside Quebec, aiming for Francophone immigration to reach 10% by 2027.
Minister Miller emphasized that the updated plan responds to evolving immigration needs, reflecting Canadians’ concerns for quality jobs, housing, and services while maintaining a responsible immigration system. By aligning immigration with economic and housing goals, Canada aims to build a prosperous and accessible future for all.
References: