Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, recently engaged in discussions with his counterparts from provinces and territories to strategize the nation’s immigration approach, including the Immigration Levels Plan 2024-2026.

The Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration comprises immigration ministers from all Canadian provinces and territories. Notably, the Quebec immigration minister, while holding observer status due to the province’s autonomous immigration program, recognizes the federal government’s ultimate authority over all Canadian immigration applications.

Acknowledging recent expansions in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the ministers advocated for an enhanced role for PNPs in immigration planning. The new levels plan proposes 110,000 new permanent residents through the PNP in 2024, escalating to a stabilization at 120,000 in 2025 and 2026—marking it as the largest economic immigration program during these years.

The ministers underscored the importance of increased collaboration with the federal government to attract and retain immigrants in areas beyond major urban centers. The PNP empowers provinces and territories to tailor programs for economic immigrants based on their unique labor market requirements.

Reducing duplication and processing times, as well as supporting Francophone immigration outside Quebec, were also highlighted. Advocates for French communities in Canada, outside Quebec, have persistently called for increased francophone immigration.

Minister Miller emphasized the necessity of holistic planning, stating, “As Canada continues to welcome newcomers, we will work across all levels of government to ensure that housing, infrastructure planning, and sustainable population growth are considered for the success of newcomers.”

Meeting in Toronto, a significant hub for newcomers, the ministers reviewed the recently-released report, “An Immigration System for Canada’s Future.” The report accentuates vital themes like enhancing the immigration experience, aligning immigration with labor market demands, and formulating a comprehensive growth strategy. Collaboration between federal, provincial, and territorial entities is stressed to provide optimal support for immigrants and communities nationwide.

Immigration, pivotal for both population and economic growth, is addressed in the Immigration Levels Plan aiming for stabilization at 500,000 new permanent residents in 2025 and 2026. This move is Canada’s response to growing its labor force while addressing housing shortages.

Following this announcement, researchers at RBC Bank noted that pausing the growth of immigration targets aligns with addressing housing shortages but emphasized the inevitable need for continued increases in immigration to sustain Canada’s growth.

In March 2023, the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) convened in Halifax, dedicating their efforts to shaping the trajectory of Canada’s immigration landscape. Central to their discussions was a commitment to refining the immigration system in alignment with economic and regional imperatives. Key themes included augmenting provincial participation in immigrant selection, fortifying Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), expediting application processing, minimizing redundancy, and bestowing greater authority over PNPs.

The Provincial ministers lauded the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) recent levels plan, which, at that juncture, augmented PNP allocations by an impressive 44 percent for the period spanning 2023-2025. Settlement endeavors, credential recognition, and Canada’s stance on the Ukraine crisis were also pivotal points of discussion.

The ministers unequivocally condemned Russia’s incursion into Ukraine and delved into strategies for aiding Ukrainians displaced by the conflict. Evaluation of Canada’s immigration response underscored the importance of collaborative efforts to facilitate the seamless integration of newcomers. A consensus emerged regarding the extension of support for displaced Ukrainians, along with deliberations on pathways to permanent residency for those unable to return home.

Apprehensions surfaced about the upsurge in asylum claimants and the corresponding challenges in managing their influx. Throughout, the ministers emphasized the criticality of supporting vulnerable individuals seeking asylum, with a specific spotlight on credential recognition, notably for healthcare professionals, to address labor shortages.

A collective commitment was made to forge a more adaptive, client-centric economic immigration system, marked by heightened provincial engagement. The ministers underscored the pivotal role of provincial and territorial insights into regional labor markets, advocating for flexible programs. The primary focus remained on refining federal immigration processing times and leveraging the nuanced knowledge of provinces and territories to meet regional needs.

The discourse delved into the significance of regional immigration, appraising communities’ capacity to absorb newcomers, and exploring innovative models for settlement services. The overarching objective was to fortify the integration and retention of immigrants in their chosen province or territory. Future meetings were slated to delve deeper into service delivery models and the nuanced roles of various government levels.

In March 2023, the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) convened in Halifax, dedicating their efforts to shaping the trajectory of Canada’s immigration landscape. Central to their discussions was a commitment to refining the immigration system in alignment with economic and regional imperatives. Key themes included augmenting provincial participation in immigrant selection, fortifying Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), expediting application processing, minimizing redundancy, and bestowing greater authority over PNPs.

The Provincial ministers lauded the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) recent levels plan, which, at that juncture, augmented PNP allocations by an impressive 44 percent for the period spanning 2023-2025. Settlement endeavors, credential recognition, and Canada’s stance on the Ukraine crisis were also pivotal points of discussion.

The ministers unequivocally condemned Russia’s incursion into Ukraine and delved into strategies for aiding Ukrainians displaced by the conflict. Evaluation of Canada’s immigration response underscored the importance of collaborative efforts to facilitate the seamless integration of newcomers. A consensus emerged regarding the extension of support for displaced Ukrainians, along with deliberations on pathways to permanent residency for those unable to return home.

Apprehensions surfaced about the upsurge in asylum claimants and the corresponding challenges in managing their influx. Throughout, the ministers emphasized the criticality of supporting vulnerable individuals seeking asylum, with a specific spotlight on credential recognition, notably for healthcare professionals, to address labor shortages.

A collective commitment was made to forge a more adaptive, client-centric economic immigration system, marked by heightened provincial engagement. The ministers underscored the pivotal role of provincial and territorial insights into regional labor markets, advocating for flexible programs. The primary focus remained on refining federal immigration processing times and leveraging the nuanced knowledge of provinces and territories to meet regional needs.

The discourse delved into the significance of regional immigration, appraising communities’ capacity to absorb newcomers, and exploring innovative models for settlement services. The overarching objective was to fortify the integration and retention of immigrants in their chosen province or territory. Future meetings were slated to delve deeper into service delivery models and the nuanced roles of various government levels.