What the liberals have in store for Canada’s immigration policy

Surya Rathee
[Published 30 Apr, 2025 | 04:10 AM]
About Author - 4 min read
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The Liberal Party of Canada secured a victory in the 2025 federal election and is expected to form a minority government. Mark Carney, the party leader, is likely to be invited by the Governor General to take on the role of Prime Minister.

Although it is not possible to know the specifics of the Liberal government’s Canada immigration policies in advance, their platform and campaign statements provide an idea of the direction they may take.

“Stabilize” Permanent Resident Admissions

One key promise from the Liberals is to “stabilize” permanent resident admissions. They acknowledge that the previous government allowed immigration levels to increase at an “unsustainable” rate, creating pressure on housing and social services. As a result, the Liberals plan to adjust the numbers to bring them back on track. 

According to the party’s 2025 platform, they aim to limit the number of candidates that apply for Canada PR to less than 1% of Canada’s population annually starting in 2027. This aligns with Canada’s current immigration goals. Under the Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2025-2027, the targets for permanent resident admissions are set at 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027. With Canada’s population projected to be 41.5 million in 2025, these targets already fall under the 1% threshold.

Reducing Temporary Resident Levels

As of January 2025, Canada’s temporary resident population stands at approximately 3.02 million - about 7.25% of the country’s total population of 41.5 million. The Liberal Party has committed to bringing this number down to more “sustainable levels.”

According to their 2025 platform, the Liberals plan to reduce the share of temporary residents, including international students and temporary foreign workers, to below 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.

As per the latest Levels Plan, the government expects to see the number of temporary residents decrease as

• More temporary residents transition to PRs or
• Leave Canada due to their status expiring.

Even before the 2025 election, the previous Liberal government had already taken steps in this direction. Measures included placing a cap on Canada Study Visa applications and tightening rules for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) and Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWPs), significantly limiting eligibility in both categories. These changes signal a continued focus on rebalancing Canada’s immigration system in the coming years.

During a campaign stop, Mark Carney stated that “immigration caps will remain in place until we’ve expanded housing, and we’ve reabsorbed the levels of immigration that have happened in our country [during the pandemic].”