Overview
- Prime Minister Mark Carney said recent intake was not “sustainable” and signalled a more focused system during this week’s Liberal caucus retreat.
- Ottawa’s plan lowers permanent‑resident targets to 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027, with a goal to shrink temporary residents to roughly 5% of the population.
- Government data show declines in new international students and temporary foreign workers, but departures are tracked through model-based estimates rather than firm counts.
- Polling shows majorities now favour fewer newcomers, as Conservatives push for hard caps and the abolition of the temporary foreign worker program, and B.C.’s premier faults federal policy for service strains.
- Commentary argues the government may be overshooting some temporary‑worker goals and calls for deeper cuts, citing housing, health‑care pressures and public‑safety concerns.