Canada will reduce the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of 500,000, CTV News confirmed Wednesday.
The decision comes as many Canadians face housing and affordability concerns and as the federal government faces continued pressure to address the number of temporary and permanent residents coming to Canada. It was held in
The new targets were first reported by the National Post.
During a Liberal cabinet retreat in Halifax last August, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hinted at the possibility of lowering the standard for permanent residents, which would be a major policy shift for the federal government.
“As we move forward, we want to ensure that Canada not only remains an active place in supporting immigration, but also takes responsibility in the way we integrate, ensuring that everyone who comes to Canada has a path to success.” “We’re looking at a lot of different trends,” Prime Minister Trudeau said.
The same week, the federal government announced stricter rules to reduce the flow of low-wage temporary foreign workers.
In an interview with CTV News Chief Political Correspondent Vassie Kapelos last August, Immigration Minister Mark Miller said the federal government was “considering a number of options” to reassess Canada’s permanent residency levels. He said the upcoming changes would not be “cosmetic.” But it’s “important”.
“Now is the time to look at them and put real options on the table that the prime minister and other ministers can consider, not just superficial changes to deal with public opinion. Changes that really matter,” Miller said. spoke.
federal government Announced in November 2023 The goal is to maintain the target of 485,000 permanent residents in 2024, increase it to 500,000 in 2025, and keep it at 500,000 in 2026, by stabilizing immigration levels. “This will allow us time to achieve successful integration while continuing to expand our labor market.” . ”
With files from CTV News’ Vassie Kapelos and Stephanie Ha.
