OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is drastically cutting immigration levels next year because his government didn’t get the “balance quite right” after years of constant increases.
“In the tumultuous times, as we emerged from the pandemic, between addressing labour needs and maintaining population growth, we didn’t get the balance quite right. With the plan we’re announcing today, along with previously announced measures, we’re making our immigration system work better,” Trudeau told reporters Thursday.
As reported by the National Post on Wednesday, the federal government will decrease permanent resident intake from 485,000 this year to 395,000 in 2025. The government is planning to further cut intake to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027. It also set a first-ever cap on the intake of temporary residents at just over 300,000.
Trudeau said the cuts will effectively stabilize the growth of immigration population in Canada.
He also called on provinces, businesses and academic institutions to “do their part.”
“Immigration is essential for Canada’s future must be controlled and it must be sustainable. With today’s annual immigration plan, that is precisely what we’re doing,” Trudeau told reporters Thursday.
More to come…
National Post
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