- Canada to cut immigration levels for the first time in years, planning for 1.1 million new permanent residents from 2025 to 2027
- Immigration Minister Marc Miller emphasised the need to balance economic growth with public concerns
- The new targets reflected a response to a significant public shift in attitudes toward immigration
In a significant policy shift, Canada has announced its decision to cut immigration levels for the first time in years, planning to welcome a total of 1.1 million new permanent residents from 2025 to 2027, which represents a 21 per cent reduction compared to previous years.
This was disclosed by the country’s Honourable Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller on Thursday, October 24.
Canada to cut immigration targets as public support declines
“While it’s clear our economy needs newcomers, we see the pressures facing our country, and we must adapt our policies accordingly,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated.
The government announced it would significantly reduce immigration targets to "pause population growth," a decision influenced by a decline in public support for immigration.
The announcement follows a surge in Canada’s population to 41 million, driven primarily by a high influx of new arrivals.
Previously, the immigration ministry aimed to permit 500,000 new permanent residents to move to Canada in 2025 and 2026.
Survey reveals Canadians oppose current immigration levels
However, the new targets have been lowered to 395,000 for next year and 380,000 for 2026, with a target of 365,000 set for 2027.
The immigration ministry announced that the purpose of the plan is to temporarily slow population growth to ensure sustainable and well-managed growth for the future.
According to a survey from the Environics Institute conducted last month regarding public views on immigration, “for the first time in a quarter century, a clear majority of Canadians say there is too much immigration.”
Rising immigration levels linked to increased housing costs for Canadians
Fifty-eight per cent of Canadians indicated in the survey that they believe the country is taking in too many immigrants, which represents a 14-point increase from 2023.
The ministry noted that the plan also seeks to alleviate housing pressures, as Canadians frequently cite the cost of renting or owning a home as a primary concern.
The ministry also pointed to the rise in immigration as a significant contributor to the Canadian economy's ability to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic without entering a recession.
Japa: 71,459 Nigerians became Canadian citizens in 19 years
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier explained that Nigeria is the only African country on the top-10 list of new Canadian citizens by country of birth in the last 19 years.
Netizens expressed disappointment that despite the ‘social media noise’ about Nigerians migrating to Canada, Nigeria was at the 10th spot on the list.