As the 2025 federal election draws near, immigration has become a defining and divisive issue between the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party of Canada. With voters heading to the polls in less than a week, both parties have unveiled detailed platforms that outline how they intend to address Canada’s evolving immigration landscape. From permanent residency caps to student visas and border security, their proposals signal diverging visions of Canada’s future.
Table of Contents
Immigration Admission Targets: A Numbers Game with Big Implications
Liberal Party: Cautious Stabilization Amid Housing Crisis
Liberal leader Mark Carney has emphasized that immigration growth must align with Canada’s housing capacity. In the party’s 2025 platform, the Liberals propose stabilizing permanent resident (PR) admissions to under 1% of Canada’s population beyond 2027. This reflects current targets under the Immigration Levels Plan, with 395,000 PRs slated for 2025—roughly 0.95% of Canada’s projected 41.5 million population.
This approach underscores a focus on sustainability, acknowledging the strain that rapid population growth places on housing and infrastructure.
Conservative Party: Linking Immigration to Infrastructure and Economic Capacity
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called for a return to immigration levels last seen under Stephen Harper’s government, ranging from 247,000 to 281,000 annually. Though not definitive, this suggests a significant drop from current levels.
The Conservative platform emphasizes a population growth strategy that prioritizes alignment with job creation, healthcare access, and housing development. Their stance is built around balancing immigration with real-world capacity—not abstract quotas.
Temporary Foreign Workers and International Students: Managing Volume and Integrity
Liberal Party: Tightening the Tap on Temporary Residents
The Liberal platform proposes capping the total number of temporary residents—including foreign workers and international students—to under 5% of the population by 2027. As of January 2025, temporary residents already comprise 7.27% of the population, at around 3.02 million.
To address this, the Liberals have already implemented measures like a cap on study permits and stricter rules around Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs). Between 2025 and 2026, the net new temporary resident arrivals are projected to fall by 150,000.
Conservative Party: “Rare Circumstances” and Stricter Oversight
The Conservative platform aims to significantly reduce the number of temporary foreign workers and students, accusing the current system of being plagued by fraud and abuse.
Key Conservative proposals include:
- Introducing criminal background checks for all international student visa applicants.
- Requiring union pre-approval (LMIA pre-checks) before employers can hire foreign workers.
- Allowing temporary workers only in “rare” cases—such as farming or businesses in tight labour markets.
Economic Immigration: Skilled Workers and Credential Recognition
Liberal Party: Attracting Global Talent and Streamlining Credentials
The Liberals aim to revitalize the Global Skills Strategy, focusing on attracting high-skilled professionals from countries like the U.S. Their plan includes:
- Supporting high-growth Canadian businesses.
- Speeding up the recognition of international credentials.
- Collaborating with provinces to remove licensing bottlenecks for regulated professions.
This initiative targets sectors like healthcare and tech, which are struggling with labour shortages.
Conservative Party: National Licensing and a “Blue Seal” Standard
Though their platform lacks a detailed economic immigration section, Poilievre has spoken in favor of simplifying foreign credential recognition. In late 2024, he proposed a national licensing standard, starting with the healthcare sector, where provinces could issue a “blue seal” allowing skilled immigrants to take a test and practice their profession across Canada.
Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Fairness Versus Fraud?
Liberal Party: Compassion Coupled with Coordination
Mark Carney has attributed the rise in asylum seekers to the U.S. crackdown on migrants, calling for stronger collaboration between Canada and the U.S.
Key commitments from the Liberal platform include:
- Legal aid and faster resolution for asylum cases.
- Continued removal of failed claimants, but only after due process.
- Enhanced screening and enforcement against immigration fraud.
Conservative Party: Speed and Security Over Sympathy
Poilievre has taken a tough stance, casting doubt on the legitimacy of many asylum claims. The Conservative platform proposes:
- Faster refugee claim processing using a “last-in, first-out” model.
- Caps on asylum seekers.
- Expedited removal of fraudulent claimants.
- Implementation of departure tracking to monitor overstays.
Border Security and Enforcement: A Hardline Conservative Approach
Liberal Party: Improving Existing Systems
The Liberals plan to improve border and immigration enforcement by:
- Increasing resources for security screenings.
- Enhancing fraud detection.
- Tightening visa issuance requirements.
- Maintaining fair removal processes for inadmissible individuals.
Conservative Party: Militarized Border and Immediate Deportations
The Conservative platform promises to get tough on border and security by:
- Deploying Canadian forces and military surveillance at border areas.
- Expanding CBSA authority beyond official entry points.
- Swift removal of foreign nationals who commit crimes while visiting.
New Survey Reveals Growing Anxiety Among Canadians Regarding Immigration
Ontario Introduces New Legislation to Combat Immigration Fraud
Student Discounts and Special Offers for International Students in Canada
Canada’s Tax System Requires Urgent Overhaul
International Students in Canada Can Now Work 24 Hours a Week Off-Campus: What You Need to Know
Francophone Immigration: Language and Regional Balance
Liberal Party: A Clear Goal for Francophone Growth
The Liberals aim to raise francophone immigration outside Quebec to 12% by 2029. Current targets increase gradually, from 8.5% in 2025 to 10% in 2027. The goal is to strengthen French-speaking communities across the country, not just in Quebec.
Conservative Party: Supportive, But Vague on Targets
While Poilievre has expressed general support for increasing francophone immigration and protecting the French language, the Conservative platform does not specify numeric targets or strategies.
Additional Immigration and Population Growth Policies
Liberal Party: Tech-Driven Improvements and Intergovernmental Coordination
Beyond admissions and enforcement, the Liberals promise to:
- Use digital tools to cut down processing times.
- Work with provinces and territories on settlement and immigration enforcement.
- Respect Quebec’s immigration autonomy to protect French language and culture.
Conservative Party: A Rejection of Massive Urban Growth
The Conservatives firmly oppose the Century Initiative—a population growth strategy aimed at transforming Canadian cities into global megacities. Instead, they advocate for immigration policies that distribute newcomers across smaller regions, aligning more closely with existing rural and regional immigration pilot programs.
Conclusion
Canada’s 2025 federal election is not just a contest between political parties, but between competing visions of how immigration should shape the country’s future. While the Liberal Party emphasizes stabilization, integration, and economic growth, the Conservative Party proposes sharp reductions, systemic reforms, and a stricter enforcement regime. For voters, immigration policy is now a defining issue—one with long-lasting impacts for communities, newcomers, and Canada’s role on the global stage.