The Liberal Party of Canada is projected to win the 2025 federal election, according to major media reports.
They are expected to form a minority government.
Mark Carney, the Liberal leader, is anticipated to be invited by the Governor General to become the next Prime Minister of Canada.
While it’s impossible to predict exactly what policies the Liberals will implement, their campaign platform and public statements offer a clear indication of the general direction they intend to take on immigration.
Key Immigration Policies Expected from the Liberals:
1. Stabilizing Permanent Resident Admissions
The Liberal platform acknowledges that immigration levels have grown at an “unsustainable” rate under the previous administration, straining housing and social services.
They pledge to “stabilize permanent resident admissions at under 1% of Canada’s population annually” beyond 2027 — aligning with the current Immigration Levels Plan, which targets 395,000 new PRs in 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027.
Given that Canada’s projected population in 2025 is about 41.5 million, these figures already fall below 1% annually.
2. Reducing the Temporary Resident Population
As of January 2025, temporary residents make up approximately 7.25% of Canada’s population.
The Liberals aim to lower this to below 5% by the end of 2027 by either transitioning more temporary residents to PR status or seeing them leave when their status expires.
Previous Liberal measures — such as capping study permit applications and restricting eligibility for PGWPs and SOWPs — are part of this broader effort.
During a campaign event, Mark Carney emphasized that immigration caps would stay in place until housing expands and post-pandemic immigration levels are “reabsorbed.”
3. Promoting Francophone Immigration
The Liberals propose increasing the target for francophone immigration outside Quebec to 12% by 2029, building on existing goals of 8.5% (2025), 9.5% (2026), and 10% (2027).
This is part of a strategy to strengthen French-speaking communities outside Quebec and meet demographic and labour needs in minority francophone areas.
4. Boosting Economic Immigration
The Liberals promise to modernize the Global Skills Strategy, which offers expedited work permit processing for skilled foreign workers.
They plan new initiatives to attract highly skilled workers, particularly from the United States, and support Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs in hiring global talent.
They also commit to working with provinces and territories to speed up the recognition of foreign credentials.
5. Other Promises Include:
- Expanding digital services to speed up processing and clear immigration backlogs;
- Increasing legal support for asylum seekers and refugees to ensure faster case resolutions;
- Continuing removals of failed refugee claimants once due process is completed;
- Enhancing border security, tightening visa rules, and strengthening measures against immigration fraud;
- Upholding Quebec’s shared role in managing immigration.
BREAKING: What the Liberals have in store for Canada’s immigration policy | CIC News
