Key Takeaways from Canada’s 2025 Immigration Report Signals a Reset

It’s a dense document packed with data, but the takeaway is simple: Canada is rebalancing immigration to keep it sustainable and better aligned with the workforce. Here are key insights that break down what’s changing, and why it matters.

What the Annual Report Is

The Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration is the federal government’s yearly overview of how Canada’s immigration system is performing: what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s ahead. It combines detailed data, program analysis, and insights on both permanent and temporary migration. It also presents the Immigration Levels Plan, which sets out projected targets for new permanent residents over the next three years. We covered this extensively last week.

The 2025 edition is especially significant. It reflects a shift away from rapid growth toward a more measured approach that balances immigration with housing supply, labour market needs, and social capacity.

It’s a long, data-rich report, so we’ve pulled out the top takeaways that matter most.

A System Reset to Sustainability

Canada is resetting the scale of immigration to match national capacity. Permanent resident (PR) admissions will stabilize at 380,000 per year from 2026 to 2028, slightly down from 395,000 planned for 2025.

At the same time, the government will reduce temporary resident (TR) numbers, including international students, temporary foreign workers, and visitors, so that they account for less than 5% of the population by the end of 2027, down from 7.5% in 2024.

Within these adjusted levels, the economic class share of permanent residents will rise to roughly 64%, strengthening Canada’s labour market and demographic foundations while keeping growth sustainable.

2024 by the Numbers

In 2024, 483,640 people became permanent residents, a 2.5% increase from 2023, keeping admissions within planned ranges.

Breakdown by category:

• Economic class: 281,615 (58.2%)
• Family reunification: 105,990 (21.9%)
• Refugees and protected persons: 76,685 (15.9%)
• Humanitarian and other: 19,355 (4.0%)

Gender representation was nearly even, 50.7% women and 49.4% men, and Ontario remained the leading destination, welcoming 42.6% of all new permanent residents.

Temporary migration, meanwhile, saw an expected reduction in 2024:

• Study permits: 516,275 valid (−24% year-over-year), with fewer than 360,000 new entrants due to new intake caps.
• Work permits: 905,440 new issuances (−4.3%).
• Visitor visas and eTAs: 5.03 million approvals (−8.4%).

These figures reflect the government’s focus on slowing short-term inflows while prioritizing long-term settlement and economic contribution.

Prioritizing In-Canada Talent

More pathways are now aimed at people already living and contributing in Canada. In 2024, 160,100 temporary workers and 25,580 international students became permanent residents, reflecting Ottawa’s effort to reward those with Canadian work or study experience.

The Express Entry system ran 19 category-based selection rounds in 2024, focusing on candidates with French-language skills and experience in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, education, skilled trades, STEM, transport, and agri-food.

Altogether, 134,980 individuals were admitted through Express Entry programs — a sign that Canada’s immigration priorities are increasingly tied to workforce alignment and long-term retention.

Express Entry

Express Entry remained central to Canada’s economic immigration system in 2024, managing applications for the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades, Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and parts of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

The 2025 Annual Report confirms that 134,980 people,  including principal applicants and their families, became permanent residents through Express Entry–managed programs in 2024. Of these, 63,890 identified as women, 71,085 as men, and a small number identified as another gender, reflecting an almost even gender balance across the stream.

The report confirms 19 category-based selection rounds in 2024, focused on French-language ability and key sectors like. However, it does not include details on general, CEC, or PNP draw volumes, information typically available from other official IRCC sources.

Regional and Francophone Focus

Regional growth and linguistic diversity remained key themes in 2024. The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) accounted for 114,905 new arrivals, while the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) brought in 8,055, and the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) added 4,070 before being replaced by new Rural and Francophone Community Pilots.

Francophone immigration outside Quebec reached 7.2% of total admissions in 2024, surpassing the 6% target. In total, 30,550 French-speaking newcomers settled outside Quebec, supporting the vitality of Francophone minority communities. Ottawa’s goal is to reach 12% Francophone immigration outside Quebec by 2029.

Settlement, Equity, and Inclusion

Beyond the numbers, the report highlights inclusion and equity as central to Canada’s immigration system. The Settlement Program served 694,640 clients in 2024, helping newcomers integrate through language training, employment support, and community connections.

Of those, 55% identified as women, and 69% of French-speaking newcomers accessed services through Francophone providers, up from 63% in 2023.

The 2025 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration marks a clear shift, from record-setting growth to sustainable management. Canada remains open and welcoming, but with a renewed focus on balance: managing population growth, protecting essential services, and maintaining public confidence.

For newcomers, it means clearer pathways for those already in Canada and a more stable system overall. For communities, it signals a move towards equilibrium, one that keeps Canada’s doors open while ensuring the country’s foundations remain strong.

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