Asylum seekers, temporary workers, international students, permanent residents... these are just some of the terms that have been bandied about during the federal election campaign, the outcome of which will be known on Monday, April 28. But what are the main political parties really proposing in terms of immigration? La Converse takes a look.
With Canadians facing a housing crisis, healthcare issues, and inflation, immigration is being singled out in this federal election race. Although experts emphasize that it is far from being the only or even the main cause, foreigners are often designated as scapegoats. This rhetoric is amplified by certain politicians and commentators.
Upon coming to power in 2015, Justin Trudeau implemented a more open immigration policy. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the prime minister significantly increased immigration thresholds to stimulate the labor market and avoid a recession.
But last fall, the federal government closed the floodgates after the country recorded a record number of new arrivals in 2024, with 483,390 new permanent residents according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Justin Trudeau then unveiled a new immigration plan for 2025-2027, with a gradual reduction in the number of new permanent residents of 18.5% starting in 2025. The goal is to achieve population growth of 0.2% over two years. At the same time, Ottawa also reduced the number of international study permits and suspended certain programs for foreign workers.
After nearly a decade, the Trudeau era has come to an end, and the federal elections triggered by his successor are naturally marked by the issue of migration. La Converse has scrutinized the election platforms of the five main political parties: the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party (NDP), the Green Party, and the Bloc Québécois.
Conservative Party: Pierre Poilièvre wants to “cut immigration”
The Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilièvre, has long remained vague on the issue but has finally made its anti-immigration views clear throughout this short election campaign. The Conservatives are presenting themselves as the complete opposite of the policies pursued by Liberal governments in recent years and are promoting a strategy of change.
- “A mathematical formula”
“We will restore the integrity of our system by fighting fraud, significantly reducing the number of temporary foreign workers, and limiting permanent immigration to a sustainable rate close to the levels seen under the Harper government,” reads Pierre Poilièvre's election platform. The Conservative Party is committed to maintaining population growth below “the rate of growth in housing, employment, and access to health care,” without offering any concrete proposals on how to achieve this. Pierre Poilièvre simply claims to have a “mathematical formula” that allows him to calculate what the acceptable immigration rate would be. Pierre Poilièvre wants unions to be consulted before hiring temporary foreign workers.
- Highly monitored border
In its election platform, the Conservative Party commits to strengthening Canada's border security with a series of strategic measures. Pierre Poilièvre proposes immediately deploying military helicopters and surveillance equipment to detect and intercept “potential threats.” He also plans to expand the powers of Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers to patrol outside official crossing points and hire 2,000 new officers to combat criminal activities such as drug and arms trafficking. In addition, Pierre Poilièvre wants to install high-tech scanners at all major border crossings to detect illegal content in vehicles and containers. Finally, the program calls for the construction of surveillance towers and the use of truck-mounted drones to improve surveillance and responsiveness to incursions along the border.
- Fewer international students
The Conservative Party wants to reduce the number of international students and ensure that the criminal records of study permit holders are systematically checked.
- Monitoring asylum claims
In addition, the Conservatives want faster processing of asylum claims and increased visa monitoring to prevent overstaying, without saying how they would do this. Furthermore, anyone who commits a criminal offense while in Canada would be immediately deported. Pierre Poilièvre distinguishes between “real” and “fake” asylum seekers. “If [the person] can prove that they are a genuine asylum seeker, with no criminal record, and that they can contribute to our country, they should be able to stay here,” he said during his visit to Edmonton on April 8. At the same time, the Conservative leader believes that the housing, employment, and healthcare crises are linked to alleged “massive fraud involving international students, foreign workers, and fake asylum seekers.”
This statement sparked controversy when some media outlets revealed that the uncle of Anaida Poilievre, the Conservative leader's wife, crossed the Canadian border on foot twice—in 2004 and then in 2018 via Roxham Road—after his asylum application was denied in 2005.
Liberal Party: Mark Carney does not want more than 5% of foreign workers and students
Criticized for the pro-immigration policy that the Liberal government implemented during the Trudeau era, the party is making a strategic shift. The new Liberal leader, Mark Carney, is campaigning on promises to reduce immigration.
- Reducing immigration and increasing the proportion of Francophones
“Since the pandemic, the previous federal government has allowed immigration levels to rise at a pace that is too fast and unsustainable, while our housing and social infrastructure struggle to meet the needs of all newcomers,” admits the Liberal Party, which was in power during this period.
This admission introduces Mark Carney's plan to reduce immigration to ”sustainable levels.” He promises to cap the number of temporary workers and foreign students at less than 5% of Canada's population by the end of 2027 and to stabilize permanent resident admissions at less than 1% of the Canadian population each year. However, he assures that he will allow family reunification and the admission of refugees.
He is banking on a global skills strategy to prioritize the immigration of foreign talent who would contribute to the growth of the Canadian economy. Mark Carney also wants to facilitate the return of rejected foreign applicants and set a target of “12% of immigrants outside Quebec by 2029,” a 20% increase.
- More investment in border security
The current Liberal government has launched a $1.3 billion plan to strengthen border security by the end of 2024. Mark Carney has promised to combat irregular immigration, drug trafficking, illegal weapons, and the smuggling of stolen cars.
To this end, 1,000 new Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers will be hired, additional drones and detectors will be installed at the border, and canine units will be deployed.
- No questioning of the Safe Third Country Agreement for asylum claims
While there is nothing specific on this subject in the Liberal Party's platform, Mark Carney has indicated that he will continue to send applicants back to the United States, in accordance with the Safe Third Country Agreement. “It is not acceptable for the United States to send all its applicants from Haiti to us,” the Liberal leader said at a press conference on Tuesday.
New Democratic Party: Jagmeet Singh's strange silence on immigration
Surprisingly, the New Democratic Party (NDP) election platform only briefly mentions the issue of immigration but, like the others, believes that immigration levels should be set based on labor market needs and Canada's capacity to receive immigrants.
During the French-language leaders' debate, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh emphasized that the country needs immigrants and denounced rhetoric that blames them for structural problems.
- $100 million per year for Quebec
The NDP promises to provide $100 million per year to the Quebec government on a permanent basis for immigration management. It also commits to the federal government reimbursing the province in full for the costs incurred by the increase in asylum seekers in recent years.
Jagmeet Singh also supports the creation of more French language programs for newcomers, “so that they can thrive here in Quebec.”
- End of the Safe Third Country Agreement
The NDP leader called for the suspension of the agreement during the French-language leaders' debate. “It's a question of humanity, of compassion,” said the candidate, who emphasized his concern about the Trump administration's political decisions.
Bloc Québécois: Yves-François Blanchet to create a Ministry of Borders
The Bloc Québécois is known for its position on immigration, which focuses on defending the interests of the province. Quebec is home to 54% of asylum seekers in Canada, 19% of temporary foreign workers, and 11% of international students, according to 2024 figures from the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
When asked about immigration issues, Yves-François Blanchet emphasizes the preservation of the French language, the integration of newcomers, and limits on Quebec's capacity to accept immigrants.
- Transfer of power to Quebec
“The Bloc Québécois demands that all powers related to immigration, including the international mobility program, be transferred to Quebec,” reads the party's election platform. The party is also calling for the federal government to consult with the province in setting annual immigration targets and for Quebec to be able to make permanent residence conditional on the establishment of those who obtain it in the region.
- A border minister
The Bloc Québécois' flagship proposal is to create a border ministry “directly responsible for border services and 100% accountable.” Yves-François Blanchet also wants to strengthen the measures already announced by Ottawa. To this end, he plans to toughen legal penalties for smugglers, provide additional support to the RCMP, and authorize border services officers to intervene along the border.
- Elimination of the 14-day exception for asylum seekers
“The Bloc Québécois will introduce legislation to better regulate asylum claims, which will include the obligation to process files quickly, exceptional powers for the minister to prevent abuse, tighter eligibility criteria, and an end to claims made 14 days after illegally crossing the border,” the party's election platform states. Yves-François Blanchet proposes the creation of an emergency unit within the Ministry of Immigration to speed up the reception of refugees during major crises, without defining the criteria for assessing the severity of a crisis. He also aims for a “fair and proportional distribution of asylum seekers between Quebec and the provinces.”
- Reform of work permits for foreigners
Finally, the Bloc Québécois wants to see the introduction of categories of work permits linked to specific sectors and regions for temporary foreign workers. In concrete terms, a person could have a work permit that allows them to work only in the agricultural sector in the Montérégie region, for example.
Green Party: Jonathan Pedneault will end closed work permits
The Green Party promises “an immigration policy that is both humane and forward-looking,” but one that “must be planned and responsible.” It stands out from the other federal parties by proposing a reform of the Canadian system, with an emphasis on accountability and transparency. Their platform includes the creation of a Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), an independent body to ensure fair treatment for immigrants. The party also wants to strengthen penalties against dishonest immigration consultants and automatically restore citizenship to “lost Canadians”—people born abroad to Canadian parents who were themselves born abroad.
- Foreign workers: ending employer-linked work permits
Jonathan Pedneault is committed to phasing out single-employer work permits in non-agricultural sectors—also known as closed permits, which are often criticized for promoting exploitation—in favor of pathways to permanent residence. The goal is to reduce precariousness and promote the sustainable integration of immigrant workers.
To facilitate access to permanent residence, the Green Party proposes to allocate annual funding to reduce processing times, which currently average nine months. It also wants to create income-based exemptions from application fees for permanent residence and citizenship applications. Finally, the Green Party is committed to creating a “limited pathway to permanent residence” for international students who wish to work in labor-shortage sectors such as healthcare.
- International students: stricter admission criteria
In the field of international education, the Greens are calling for the signing of the London Declaration to regulate the recruitment of foreign students and are demanding greater financial transparency from educational institutions with regard to tuition fees. With regard to foreign students, Jonathan Pedneault wants to tighten admission criteria by: doubling the current requirement for proof of funds to $20,000 (plus $8,000 for the first accompanying family member and $6,000 for each additional family member); requiring proof of “sufficient financial support” periodically, a ban on working off campus for more than 20 hours per week, and limiting visas to institutions where 15% or more of international students do not complete their intended program of study.
- Withdrawal from the Safe Third Country Agreement for asylum claims
Like the NDP, the Green Party is committed to ending the Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States so that “asylum seekers are not forced to remain in a country that contravenes international protections for refugees.” It also wants to facilitate access to asylum for LGBTQI+ people who face persecution in their countries, and is committed to deciding on all asylum applications within a maximum of one year. Finally, Jonathan Pedneault promises to ensure that asylum seekers “receive housing, language training, and employment support,” without specifying how he intends to fulfill this commitment.
- More resources at the borders
Like many other parties, the Greens plan to increase border surveillance with “more drones, thermal sensors, and surveillance capabilities to control irregular crossings and illegal trafficking.” In conclusion, the five main parties' proposals on immigration highlight varied and sometimes contradictory approaches to a common challenge. Beyond the numbers, it is a model of society that Canadians will have to choose when they cast their votes.