What does Mark Carney's victory mean for Canada's immigration plans?

The Liberal Party of Canada won the federal election held on Monday, April 28, 2025, now Mark Carney's Liberals will form a minority government. In his program, the leader maintains immigration as a pillar of Canada's growth, but at a more cautious pace, linked to housing capacity and labor market needs, and this is what future immigrants should know.

Today we address Mark Carney's government proposal and its impact on immigration for the next 5 years (2025-2030). If your plans are to immigrate to Canada or get permanent residency, read with me to the end and learn what the outlook looks like and how to properly prepare yourself to arrive in the country successfully. Let's get started!

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What is Mark Carney proposing on immigration?

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Carney's proposal responds to the need for a change in the approach to immigration from the pandemic to the present. The new minister ran his election campaign under the slogan "Build, but responsibly". As many voters were concerned about the cost of housing and pressure on public services, the Liberals responded by promising to limit permanent residents (PR) to "less than 1% of the population" from 2027 and to reduce the temporary resident (TR) population to below 5% by the end of 2027.

To better understand Mark Carney's immigration approach and its relation to the housing crisis in Canada and the current economic pressure, with Trump as president, it is necessary to talk about his career as a banker and key man in managing the country's economic crisis in 2008 and then the UK's during Brexit.

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Who is Mark Carney?

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Mark Carney is a Canadian economist and politician currently serving as Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Liberal Party since March 2025. Prior to dabbling in politics, he had a distinguished career in finance, serving as governor of the Bank of Canada (2008-2013) and then governor of the Bank of England (2013-2020). He also chaired the G20 Financial Stability Board until 2018. 

Carney was born on March 16, 1965 in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada, and studied economics at Harvard and Oxford. His background includes experience in the private sector, working at Goldman Sachs, and in international organizations, such as his role as UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance. His leadership has been key in times of economic crisis and in the formulation of global financial policies.

Today, Carney says he is more committed than ever to growing the Canadian economy and his political discourse points to a strong and forceful front in response to Trump's trade threats and tariffs from the White House.

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Is Mark Carney committed to immigration?

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Yes, it is. Let's look at these tables on the pillars, government promises and what it means for each applicant.

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Key immigration commitments

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How is the migration landscape projected from 2025 to 2030?

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In this table, Mark Carney's likely timeline for immigration to Canada is presented , which focuses on the transition from temporary to permanent residents.

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What is the migratory impact according to the type of applicant?

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International students

• Pros: more PR places reserved for graduates already in Canada.
• Cons: fewer study quotas; PGWP more selective (masters/doctorate or priority sectors).
• What to do: strengthen your proof of funding and choose programs with direct employment outlets.

Skilled workers from abroad

• Pros: GSS 2.0 offers 14-day permissions for tech/green roles.
• Cons: Express Entry scores will remain high until housing improves.
• What to do: get a job offer in GSS occupations; prepare for an optimal required score in international language tests: IELTS/CELPIP, as soon as possible.

French-speaking applicants

• Pros: 12% quota in 2029; more dedicated PNP flows.
• What to do: obtain results in the international tests: TEF/TCF, and follow the new community pilots.

Family sponsors

• Pros: no announced numerical cuts.
• Cons: Some resources could be diverted to low-cost programs; waiting times would be somewhat longer.
• What to do: submit complete files early and use the new digital portal.

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Recommendations for the next 5 years

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Here I share 5 recommendations of what you should do from now on:

1. If you are already in Canada: maintain your status, accumulate Canadian work experience and create your Express Entry profile before the "Canada-only" rounds.
2. If applying from abroad: align your profile with in-demand occupations and consider provinces that demonstrate housing capacity.
3. Follow the new IRCC quarterly panels: Carney will publish real-time data; quotas will be adjusted on this basis.
4. Keep an eye on housing: permanent residency levels will only go up when the Canadian National Housing Agency (CMHC) reaches construction targets. Regions with high build-out, such as the Atlantic, could receive more nominations!
5. Speak French: you must take advantage of the value that Canada gives to the French-speaking world. How? By learning the language. Even an intermediate level adds CRS points and opens community flows.

Before closing the subject, I would like to answer some frequently asked questions that are beginning to be generated by the new government and that should be known:

• Will Canada curb immigration?
  No. Carney considers immigrants "indispensable" to offset aging demographics and his measures only synchronize inflows to the country with housing, this is a slowdown and not a shutdown. 
• Could the entry quotas be increased again?
  Yes, when housing and productivity targets are met, the government can raise the 1% ceiling.
• What will happen to asylum applications?
  Processes will be streamlined, there will be more legal support, but firmer removals after the decision. AI (Chinook) will continue, but now with mandatory explanations.

Canada's new liberal direction is to "pause, build and pivot". The country still needs immigrants, but will open the door with more criteria, favoring profiles that already contribute to the economy, speak French or fill vacancies in technology and green economy. 

Do you know how to prepare ahead of time and align your profile with Canada's priorities? If you need immigration guidance, you can make an appointment with an Immiland CICC regulated consultant and we will be happy to help you build a solid path to Canada for the 2025-2030 period.

Thanks for reading us. See you soon.

With love, 

Immiland Canada