Justin Trudeau announces two-year curbs as Canada takes an immigration u-turn

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a temporary reduction in immigration targets for the next two years, citing the need to slow population growth and allow the economy to adjust. The decision, revealed during a news conference on Parliament Hill, aims to ensure that the system operates effectively for all Canadians.

"We're going to significantly reduce the number of immigrants coming to Canada for the next two years. This is temporary to pause our population growth and let our economy catch up. We have to get the system working right for all Canadians," Trudeau shared on social media platform X.



The revised immigration plan outlines a decrease in permanent residents, dropping from 500,000 to 395,000 in 2025 and from 500,000 to 380,000 in 2026. A target of 365,000 permanent residents has been set for 2027, according to the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC).

Immigration Minister Marc Miller, who joined Trudeau at the announcement alongside his parliamentary secretary Paul Chiang, emphasized that while immigration remains key to Canada’s economic future, this short-term measure is necessary to maintain sustainable growth. "Today, we announced the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels plan. Immigration is essential to our country's economic success and growth. In response to the evolving needs of our country, this plan will pause population growth in the short term to achieve well-managed, sustainable growth," Miller wrote on X. He also highlighted that the reduction would ease the pressure to build more housing to accommodate population increases.

The announcement comes amid internal challenges within the Liberal Party, with some members urging Trudeau to step down. Just hours after several dissident MPs voiced their dissatisfaction, Trudeau affirmed his intention to lead the party into the next election. Liberal MP Sean Casey, who was among the MPs calling for Trudeau’s resignation, described the prime minister's decision to remain in leadership as "disappointing."

A document urging Trudeau’s resignation was presented during a caucus meeting on Wednesday, though it did not specify any consequences if he did not comply by the October 28 deadline. Trudeau has served as Canada’s prime minister since 2015 and has led the Liberal Party since 2013.