Immigration increase could be on the horizon, Carney suggests in interview

Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a recent interview with the New York Times, suggests that Canada's immigration system, now back under control, may soon see a "controlled increase" in the country's population. This comes over a month before the government is legally obligated to publish its immigration levels plan for the next three years.

The last three federal immigration plans have been geared towards reducing the number of immigrants entering the country, following a sharp post-pandemic population surge. The government also established targets for annual temporary arrivals to limit short-term workers and students to five percent of the population, following a spike to seven percent in October 2024.

The C.D. Howe Institute's immigration targets council, comprising of top immigration policy experts, including former Deputy Minister Jason Kenney, advises the government to further limit arrivals over the next three years.