Key Takeaways
• Liberals aim for under 1% permanent residency from 2027; Conservatives target even lower numbers, tied to housing and jobs.
• Both parties plan sharp reductions for temporary residents and international students; stricter background checks and permit limits proposed.
• Liberals prioritize economic immigration and faster refugee processing; Conservatives focus on credential recognition and strict border enforcement.
As the Canada elections 2025 approach, the role of immigration in shaping the future of the country has become a centerpiece of public debate. Both the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party have placed immigration policies and permanent residency targets at the forefront of their campaigns, signaling important shifts that could affect millions of current and future migrants, students, families, and employers across Canada 🇨🇦. Understanding what each party is proposing can help those considering a move to Canada 🇨🇦 — or those already living there — see what may be waiting on the horizon.
Permanent Residency: How Many Can Come?
The Liberal Party, now under the leadership of Mark Carney, wants to keep annual numbers for permanent residency below 1% of Canada’s population starting from 2027. Under their current Immigration Levels Plan, they have set the following targets for new permanent residents:
- 395,000 in 2025 (about 0.95% of the population, which is projected to be 41.5 million)
- 380,000 in 2026
- 365,000 in 2027
These numbers mean a reduction of 105,000 people compared to what the party had originally planned. The reasoning behind these cuts is closely tied to the ongoing housing shortage. The Liberal Party says that until there are more homes available, they will keep immigration at these lower levels.
On the other side, the Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre plans to keep annual permanent residency numbers similar to those seen when Stephen Harper was Prime Minister. Back then, yearly numbers ranged between 247,000 and 281,000. The Conservatives also want to base the number of new immigrants on how many houses and jobs are available, and also on how easy it is for newcomers to get a doctor.
This tie between permanent residency and housing is something both parties mention, but the Conservatives plan for much lower numbers. They argue that bringing too many people while there aren’t enough homes, jobs, or doctors would put a strain on those already living in Canada 🇨🇦 and those who are just arriving.
Temporary Residents and International Students: Shrinking the Flow
Having a large number of temporary residents—people working in Canada 🇨🇦 for a short time or studying at a Canadian college or university—has been a big topic. As of January 2025, about 3.02 million people in Canada 🇨🇦 were there on some type of temporary visa, which is 7.27% of the country’s population. Both major parties agree that this number is too high, but they have different ways to address it.
Liberal Party Plans
The Liberals want to cap the total number of temporary workers and international students at less than 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2027. To do this, they will:
- Add targets for temporary residents in their main immigration plan
- Limit the number of study permits (the main permit international students need)
- Make it harder to get work permits after graduation or for the spouses of students
This means that fewer new students will be able to come to Canada 🇨🇦, and fewer of them will be allowed to work after finishing school.
Conservative Party Plans
The Conservatives also want to reduce the number of temporary workers and students, but their language has been stronger. They say they will “crack down” on fraud and sharply cut the numbers of both groups. Key proposals include:
- Requiring unions to agree before a company can bring in foreign workers (this is currently called a Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA)
- Making every student visa applicant go through a criminal background check
- Only letting foreign workers in “rare circumstances”—basically, when there are no Canadians available for the job
The aim, according to the Conservatives, is not just to cut numbers, but also to make it harder to abuse the system.
Economic Immigration: Attracting Skills, Making Credentials Count
Moving for work is one of the main routes to Canada 🇨🇦, and it’s a path both parties want to improve—though in different ways.
What the Liberals Propose
The Liberal Party wants to bring in highly skilled people, especially those already living in Canada 🇨🇦 on a temporary visa. Their goals include:
- Reviving the Global Skills Strategy, which brings in top workers from the United States 🇺🇸 and elsewhere
- Working with provinces and territories to make it easier for newcomers to get foreign study and work credentials recognized
- Focusing on people who are already in Canada 🇨🇦 as students or workers, with over 40% of new permanent residents in 2025 expected to come from this group
By 2027, the Liberals want about 62% of all new permanent residents to be part of the “economic class.” That means they come for work or business, not as refugees or through family sponsorship.
What the Conservatives Suggest
The Conservative Party has not provided as many details on economic immigration, but Pierre Poilievre has talked about a new “blue seal” certificate for immigrant doctors and nurses. This would be a national standard so these health workers could get licensed in one province and move easily to work in another, solving shortages and making sure skills are put to use.
Refugees and Family Reunification: Contrasting Views
When it comes to refugees—people leaving their countries because they aren’t safe—there are some sharp differences.
Liberal Party Approach
The Liberals want to make the refugee process more fair and faster by:
- Giving claimants the right to a lawyer
- Hiring more staff for quicker processing
- Making sure that every person facing removal from the country has gotten a fair review
They also want to increase the number of French-speaking immigrants coming to every part of Canada 🇨🇦, except for Quebec, aiming for 12% of all newcomers outside Quebec by 2029.
Conservative Party Approach
The Conservatives are stricter. They want:
- To process refugee claims on a “last-in, first-out” basis (so the most recent claims are looked at first)
- To track who leaves the country more closely to prevent people from overstaying their visas
- Faster removal of those who are found to be making false claims
Pierre Poilievre has said publicly, “If they’re a fraudster, they will have to go.”
Border Security and Safety: Tougher Stance From Conservatives
Making sure that people coming into the country are checked and that borders are safe is another hot topic.
Liberal Party Choices
The Liberal platform focuses on more:
- Security screening for those applying to come into Canada 🇨🇦
- Tighter rules for who needs a visa
- Quicker removal of people who are seen as a security risk
- Stronger efforts to fight immigration fraud
Conservative Party Plan
The Conservatives want to go even further with border controls. Their plans include:
- Sending the Canadian military, including helicopters, to patrol the border
- Giving the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) more power and more border agents
- Expedited removal of visitors and newcomers who commit crimes
- More power for the CBSA to police not just official border crossings, but the entire border region
These steps mark a more forceful approach compared to what the Liberal Party is proposing.
Why Is All This Happening Now?
Immigration policies aren’t just about the people who arrive—they can impact housing, healthcare, schools, and jobs for everyone in Canada 🇨🇦. There’s growing concern, from both Canadian citizens and newcomers, that the country’s systems are under strain. Home prices have continued to rise, and there’s a shortage of family doctors in many areas. Both parties agree that there needs to be a balance so that the arrival of newcomers does not overwhelm public services.
For the Liberal Party, the answer is to keep immigration lower until more houses are built and to make sure most newcomers match the country’s work needs. For the Conservative Party, it’s about lowering the numbers even more and tying immigration directly to the availability of homes, jobs, and healthcare.
How Will This Affect Immigrants, Employers, and Students?
The next government’s choices will bring real changes:
- Potential immigrants may find it harder or easier to get permanent residency based on their work skills, ties to Canada 🇨🇦, and how quickly housing shortages are fixed.
- Employers looking for workers may face more rules to bring in foreign employees. For some jobs, especially those needing unique skills, work visas may be easier. For others, stricter controls and union approval may mean hiring takes longer.
- International students could see tighter limits and may need to meet tougher background and financial checks. Fewer may be allowed in, and fewer may be able to stay after graduation.
- Temporary residents already in Canada 🇨🇦 may find more paths open for applying for permanent residency, especially under a Liberal government, but fewer new temporary permits may be issued going forward.
- Refugees and families could experience faster or slower decisions depending on the process chosen, as well as how quickly the government can close “loopholes” and track departures.
Different Approaches, Same Challenges
While the policies laid out by both parties may seem different, their main goals overlap: making sure Canada 🇨🇦 can handle new arrivals without making life harder for those already living there, and that newcomers add to the country’s social and economic strength. The way they plan to get there, however, varies a lot—especially on things like numbers, process, and what happens if rules are broken.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, the 2025 Canada elections are likely to shape the country’s future immigration path for years to come. The discussion is not whether Canada 🇨🇦 should remain open to newcomers, but how many, under which rules, and how quickly they should be able to join the national community.
What Should Future Applicants Do?
Anyone thinking about moving to Canada 🇨🇦—whether for school, work, or as a refugee—should keep a close eye on the 2025 election results and any new laws that may arise quickly afterwards. Policies on permanent residency and temporary stays can change fast. If you are thinking about applying, it’s also wise to review the up-to-date information from the official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
Also, keep in mind:
- Entry requirements, such as police background checks or limits on student permits, can change suddenly as new governments take charge.
- Numbers for newcomers and what programs are open may go up or down after the election, depending on which party wins.
- Requirements for proving funds, showing job offers, or getting credential recognition could all be updated soon.
The Bottom Line
Immigration reform and the future of permanent residency are some of the biggest issues in the Canada elections 2025, with both the Liberal Party and Conservative Party offering clear but very different plans. These parties hope to find new ways to balance growth and opportunity with the current limits of housing, healthcare, and services.
For people hoping to make a life in Canada 🇨🇦, staying informed and flexible will be important as these policies continue to take shape. The decisions made after the Canada elections 2025 could impact not just who gets to enter, but also how easy it is to settle, work, study, and bring your family in the coming years. Keeping up with reliable resources, like the IRCC and analysis from VisaVerge.com, can help you plan ahead and avoid surprises as Canada 🇨🇦 sets a new direction for immigration policy.
Learn Today
Permanent Residency → Legal status allowing a person to live and work in Canada indefinitely, but not considered a Canadian citizen.
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) → A government review determining if a foreign worker is needed for a job when no Canadian is available.
Economic Immigration → Admission of individuals based on work skills or business potential for contributing to Canada’s economy.
Study Permit → Authorization certificate required for international students to enroll at Canadian educational institutions.
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) → Federal agency responsible for border enforcement, customs, and immigration security in Canada.
This Article in a Nutshell
As Canada’s 2025 elections near, immigration is central to political debate. Liberals and Conservatives offer sharply different pathways, proposing varied permanent residency caps, student visa limits, and approaches to border security. These decisions will significantly influence immigrants, employers, students, and the country’s economic and social landscape for years to come.
— By VisaVerge.com
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