Canada will cut its permanent immigration levels by at least 20 per cent

Canada will lower the number of permanent immigrants it allows into the country by at least 20 per cent from its previous target of 500,000, CTV News confirmed Wednesday.

The decision comes as many Canadians face housing and affordability concerns, and the federal government has faced ongoing pressure to address the number of temporary and permanent residents coming to Canada.

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The new targets were first reported by the National Post.

During a Liberal cabinet retreat in Halifax last August, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signalled a possible reduction in permanent resident levels, a major policy reversal for the federal government.

"We're looking at the various streams to make sure that as we move forward, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure there's pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada," Trudeau said.

That same week, the federal government announced stricter rules to reduce the low-wage stream of temporary foreign workers.

In an interview last August with CTV News Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the federal government is "looking at a number of options" to re-evaluate permanent resident levels in Canada and any upcoming changes would not be "cosmetic" but "significant."

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"Now it's time to take a look at them and put real options on the table for the prime minister and for other cabinet ministers to look at, and not cosmetic changes simply to deal with public opinion. Real significant change," Miller said.

The federal government announced in November 2023 it would maintain its target of 485,000 permanent residents for 2024, increase it to 500,000 in 2025 and lock in at the half-million mark in 2026, saying that stabilizing immigration levels would "allow time for successful integration, while continuing to augment Canada's labour market."

With files from CTV News' Vassy Kapelos and Stephanie Ha