As Canada approaches the 2025 federal election, immigration remains a key issue. Both the Liberal and Conservative parties have unveiled their policies, with stark differences in their approach to immigration targets, foreign workers, international students, and refugees. Here’s a brief look at their contrasting positions:
Immigration Targets
Liberal Party
Under Mark Carney, the Liberals plan to maintain immigration levels at less than 1% of Canada’s population, with a target of 395,000 permanent residents in 2025. Carney has emphasized housing as a key factor in immigration decisions.
Conservative Party
Pierre Poilievre aims to reduce immigration to levels seen under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, with a focus on aligning immigration numbers with housing and job growth, though exact targets are unclear.
Temporary Foreign Workers
Liberal Party
The Liberals plan to cap temporary foreign workers and international students to less than 5% of Canada’s population by 2027, with measures already in place to reduce study permits and restrict PGWPs.
Conservative Party
Poilievre has criticized the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and proposes reducing the number of foreign workers and students. They also plan to require union approval for hiring foreign workers and criminal background checks for student permits.
Economic Immigration
Liberal Party
The Liberals plan to revitalize the Global Skills Strategy to attract high-skilled workers and streamline the recognition of foreign credentials.
Conservative Party
Poilievre supports simplifying foreign credential recognition, particularly in the healthcare sector, and has proposed a national licensing standard for immigrant doctors and nurses.
Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Liberal Party
The Liberals focus on providing legal aid to asylum seekers and resolving cases quickly, emphasizing collaboration with the US on managing asylum claims.
Conservative Party
The Conservatives propose a cap on asylum seekers and a “last-in, first-out” processing method for refugee claims, prioritizing newer applicants to reduce backlogs.
Border Security
Liberal Party
The Liberals plan to tighten visa requirements and increase resources for border security screenings to ensure inadmissible individuals are removed promptly.
Conservative Party
Poilievre advocates for enhanced border security, including the use of military forces and expanded CBSA powers to combat criminal activity and expedite deportations.
Francophone Immigration
Liberal Party
The Liberals aim to boost francophone immigration outside Quebec, targeting 12% by 2029.
Conservative Party
While Poilievre supports increasing francophone immigration, his platform does not provide specific targets.
Conclusion
As the election nears, Canadians face a choice between the Liberal Party’s focus on high immigration levels and economic integration, and the Conservative Party’s more cautious approach, emphasizing security, fraud prevention, and alignment with housing and job growth. Both parties present different visions for Canada’s immigration future.
