July 2025

The Canadian public is invited to share their opinions and feedback on immigration levels and related topics with IRCC through an online survey. The ‘2025 consultations on immigration levels’ is open from July 21, 2025, to August 17, 2025. I encourage you to participate in the survey.

 

Canada releases an Immigration Levels Plan annually, announcing a snapshot of Canada’s immigration targets for the next three years. When the Immigration Levels Plan for 2025 was announced in October 2024, it indicated that Canada would reduce the number of both temporary and permanent residents accepted between 2025 and 2027.

 

These numbers are decided in consideration of government priorities, economic needs across Canada, international obligations, the administrative capacity of IRCC, and Canada’s capacity to settle and integrate newcomers. IRCC conducts a series of engagement activities over several months, engaging with stakeholders and partners from across the country, the provinces and territories, and consulting with the Canadian public. Through online surveys, Canadians provided feedback to IRCC regarding immigration levels and other topics related to immigration. IRCC then publishes a final report of the consultations, such as ‘the 2024 consultations on immigration levels - final report’.

 

In 2024, IRCC introduced targets for temporary residents, diverging from the traditional focus on the number of permanent residents. Retaining the same approach, the 2025 consultations will contribute to the number of permanent residents and temporary residents that Canada will welcome between 2025 and 2027.  

 

The following three commitments will be guiding this year’s Immigration Levels Plan:

1. Lower the non-permanent resident population to less than 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2027
2. Stabilize permanent resident admissions at less than 1% of Canada’s population annually beyond 2027
3. Establish a 12% target for Francophone immigration outside of Quebec by 2029 to promote the vitality of Francophone communities

 

For temporary residents, the 2025 survey focuses on the targets currently set for ‘Workers’ and ‘Students’ categories. It asks the Canadians to comment on whether these numbers are too high, too low, or about right. On permanent residents, the 2025 survey similarly asks the Canadians to comment on whether the numbers for the ‘Economic classes’, ‘Family classes’, and ‘Refugees, protected persons, and persons in Canada on humanitarian grounds’ are too high, too low, or about right. The survey asks Canadians to prioritize the immigration class in the event of an increase and in the event of a reduction.

 

It also highlights Francophone immigration outside of Quebec, with a current target of 12% to bolster Francophone immigration by 2029. We saw this commitment earlier this year with the launch of the two pilots, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (read more in our February 2025 newsletter).

 

The 2024 Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027 sparked much controversy and debate amongst the public. In particular, the introduction of targets for temporary residents, when the plan had traditionally focused only on permanent residents. We will need to reflect on whether the reductions have successfully contributed to “a sustainable immigration system that supports diversity and helps build vibrant, dynamic and inclusive communities, while driving economic growth and prosperity, as well as ensuring the safety and security of Canadians.”