Immigration is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about issues in Canada’s upcoming federal election. Both the Liberal and Conservative parties have unveiled their 2025 platforms, outlining where they stand on everything from immigration levels to border security. Party leaders Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre have both shared strong opinions on what immigration should look like under their leadership. With Canadians heading to the polls in less than a week, now’s the time to know where Liberals & Conservatives stand on 2025 immigration.
Let’s dive in!
Immigration Targets
Immigration targets refer to the number of newcomers Canada plans to welcome each year. This includes permanent residents, and now for the first time, temporary residents such as international students and temporary foreign workers.
This change was introduced in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, released in October 2024, marking a significant shift in how the government measures immigration flows.
Liberal Party
Liberal leader Mark Carney has been upfront about the need to stabilize immigration until the country’s infrastructure, particularly housing, can catch up.
In interviews, Carney has said that current caps on immigration will remain “until we have expanded housing capacity.” His party’s platform maintains a plan to keep annual permanent resident admissions below 1% of Canada’s total population beyond 2027.
This is consistent with the latest Immigration Levels Plan, which sets a target of 395,000 permanent residents in 2025. With a projected population of around 41.5 million, that figure keeps PR admissions under the 1% mark.
So, for now, it looks like the Liberals plan to keep things steady—no major increase or decrease in total immigration levels.
Conservative Party
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has linked immigration levels directly to Canada’s ability to build housing. Back in early 2024, he suggested that immigration targets should not exceed the rate at which Canada is building homes.
In subsequent appearances, Poilievre has repeated that a Conservative government would lower immigration numbers, though he has yet to offer detailed figures.
His party’s platform mentions returning to “sustainable” levels similar to those seen under Stephen Harper’s government, when Canada admitted between 247,000 and 281,000 permanent residents annually from 2006 to 2015.
Whether these figures would be adjusted to today’s population or remain flat is unclear. What is clear is the Conservatives’ intent to keep population growth in line with housing availability, job creation, and access to healthcare.
Temporary Foreign Workers
In addition to discussing where Liberals & Conservatives stand on 2025 immigration, let us now discuss about the temporary foreign workers.
Temporary immigration—like foreign workers and international students—has become a hot topic, especially as numbers surged during the pandemic.
Liberal Party
The Liberals’ platform aims to gradually bring down the number of temporary residents in Canada, including both workers and students. The plan is to limit this group to no more than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027.
As of January 2025, temporary residents made up about 7.27% of Canada’s population, totaling 3.02 million individuals.
Under Trudeau’s government, former Immigration Minister Marc Miller initiated several changes in 2024 to rein in these numbers. These included annual targets for temporary residents, stricter rules for post-graduation work permits, and limits on spousal open work permits.
According to the most recent Levels Plan, the government expects 150,000 fewer temporary residents arriving in 2026 compared to 2025.
Conservative Party
Pierre Poilievre has long criticized the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), arguing that it’s being overused and exploited.
The Conservatives’ 2025 platform promises to cut down dramatically on temporary foreign workers and international students, although they haven’t given exact figures.
The plan includes a proposal to require “union LMIA pre-checks.” This means employers would need union approval before being allowed to hire through the TFWP.
Poilievre has also emphasized that temporary workers should be used only in very specific cases—like agriculture or small businesses in hard-hit regions—where there are no Canadians available to do the job.
Another proposed change is to require police background checks for study permit applicants. Currently, applicants are only asked to provide police certificates if requested by an immigration officer.
Though immigration law already bars individuals with serious criminal histories, the Conservatives’ proposal would standardize background checks for all student visa applicants.
Economic Immigration
Both major parties recognize the importance of economic immigration in meeting labor market needs and boosting growth.
Liberal Party
The Liberal platform includes plans to relaunch the Global Skills Strategy. This initiative aims to attract top international talent and fast-track their arrival to help Canadian businesses grow.
They’re especially focused on bringing skilled workers from the U.S. and want to work with provinces to streamline how foreign credentials are recognized.
For instance, someone trained as a nurse or electrician in another country may face different rules in each province. The Liberals hope to reduce these inconsistencies so newcomers can put their skills to use faster.
Conservative Party
While the Conservative platform doesn’t dwell much on economic immigration, Poilievre has previously spoken about credential recognition.
In a speech from October 2024, he suggested a national licensing test—nicknamed the “blue seal”—that immigrants would take to qualify for healthcare jobs across participating provinces.
This would make it easier for internationally trained professionals to start working without waiting years for provincial certifications.
Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The number of asylum seekers coming into Canada, especially from the U.S., has grown significantly in recent years—and the parties have different views on how to handle it.
Liberal Party
Carney has tied this increase to tougher immigration rules under the Trump administration in the U.S., which have driven more people north to Canada.
The Liberals say the current system needs reform but should still be compassionate. Their platform pledges more legal aid to help asylum seekers navigate the complex process and reduce case backlogs.
Conservative Party
Poilievre has been blunt about weeding out fraudulent claims. He says while Canada should help genuine refugees, anyone faking a claim should be removed immediately.
One of the party’s proposals is a “last-in, first-out” approach to refugee claim processing. This means newer cases would be prioritized, particularly those that are more straightforward.
They also want to introduce a system to track who leaves the country—especially visitors or temporary residents who stay past their visas.
Border Security and General Safety
While both parties agree that safety matters, they differ in how far they’re willing to go to enforce immigration rules.
Liberal Party
The Liberals want to speed up removals for those denied refugee status or found inadmissible. They also plan to invest more in security screenings and strengthen fraud detection.
Their approach is more administrative—improving digital tools, reducing paperwork, and boosting coordination between departments.
Conservative Party
The Conservatives take a tougher stance. Poilievre’s earlier six-point plan includes deploying military helicopters and expanding the Canada Border Services Agency’s powers.
Their platform also promises faster deportation of foreign nationals who commit crimes, tightening up current systems that often take months or even years to resolve.
Francophone Immigration
The next thing to discuss regarding where Liberals & Conservatives stand on 2025 immigration is Francophone immigration. Well, Canada’s commitment to promoting French outside Quebec has become a growing part of immigration discussions.
Liberal Party
Carney’s Liberals have pledged to increase francophone immigration outside Quebec to 12% by 2029. This is up from the government’s existing targets: 8.5% in 2025, 9.5% in 2026, and 10% in 2027.
Conservative Party
Poilievre has expressed support for French-speaking newcomers but hasn’t set any concrete goals. The Conservative platform focuses more on broader reforms than language-specific initiatives.
Other Aspects
There are certain other aspects one should know regarding where Liberals & Conservatives stand on 2025 immigration. Take a look!
Liberal Party
The Liberals are promising to:
- Use technology to improve processing times and cut down on backlogs.
- Collaborate more with provinces and territories for smoother integration.
- Work with Quebec to maintain immigration levels that respect the province’s language and cultural goals.
Conservative Party
One area where the Conservatives draw a clear line is their opposition to the Century Initiative—a campaign that envisions a Canada of 100 million people by 2100, mostly through increased immigration.
The Conservatives argue this vision is unrealistic and could overwhelm infrastructure in major cities.
Instead, they support expanding regional immigration through programs like the Atlantic Immigration Program and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot to spread newcomers more evenly across the country.
This side-by-side comparison of the Liberal and Conservative 2025 immigration platforms gives a clear look at where each party stands. As Canadians prepare to vote, immigration will likely remain one of the most closely watched and debated topics of the election.
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