Canada announces reduction in permanent residency slots

The Canadian government has announced new measures to manage population growth by lowering the number of permanent residents accepted into the country.

Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, revealed the plan on Thursday, signaling a shift from the current target of 500,000 permanent residents per year.

Starting in 2025, Canada will reduce its intake of permanent residents, welcoming 395,000 newcomers that year. The number will drop further to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.

This adjustment is part of the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to pause rapid population growth in the short term while ensuring sustainable development in the long term.

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Miller explained that the new measures are designed to ensure that Canada’s population expansion is well-managed, supporting the country’s economic, social, and infrastructure capacity as it plans for a balanced future.

“The levels plan includes controlled targets for temporary residents, specifically international students, and foreign workers, as well as for permanent residents,” the minister said.

“Today’s announcement is the next step in our plan to address the evolving immigration needs of our country. While it’s clear our economy needs newcomers, we see the pressures facing our country, and we must adapt our policies accordingly.

“These changes will make immigration work for our country so that everyone has access to the quality jobs, homes, and support they need to thrive. We have listened to Canadians, and we will continue to protect the integrity of our system and grow our population responsibly,” he added.

He explained that the Levels Plan also supports efforts to reduce temporary resident volumes to 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2026.

“Specifically, compared to each previous year, we will see Canada’s temporary population decline by 445,901 in 2025; 445,662 in 2026, and a modest increase of 17,439 in 2027,” the minister added.

Canada’s population has grown in recent years, reaching 41 million in April 2024, with immigration accounting for almost 98% of this growth in 2023, 60% of which can be attributed to temporary residents.