World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada. The weekly roundup includes research, stories, and events of interest to the Canadian immigration and settlement community. This content has been created by WES and is reproduced here with their permission, in partnership.
Federal officials are not sure when immigration levels plan is coming (Toronto Star)
Under Canadian law, the federal government is required to table its annual immigration levels plan in Parliament by November 1st. This year, however, the 2026–2028 plan was not released by the expected deadline. The delay is particularly notable given that this will be the first immigration budget under Prime Minister Carney, raising questions about the new administration’s direction.
Critics argue that the timing of this delay is especially concerning. It comes amid growing uncertainty around funding for settlement services and increasing public skepticism about immigration. The absence of clear communication from the federal government is fueling anxiety among stakeholders, who are already grappling with shifting policy signals and strained resources. Moreover, the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding the delay reflects broader concerns about the government’s priorities and its long-term vision for immigration in Canada.
Is the Dial-Back of Immigration Having the Intended Impact in Canada? (National Post)
A recent report from TD Economics suggests that the reduction in immigration levels has helped ease pressure on Canada’s social and economic infrastructure. Lower numbers of permanent residents and temporary migrants have contributed to a cooling housing market, which had previously been strained by rapid growth—particularly in the international student population. Rising demand had driven up rental prices and home ownership costs across the country.
The TD report highlights that the timing of the immigration adjustment aligns with broader economic challenges, including slowing job growth and tightening labour market conditions. With hiring already under pressure and further job losses expected before year-end, the reduced immigration intake has helped balance demand across key sectors. However, while these developments may offer short-term relief, the report also notes that immigration remains a critical component of Canada’s long-term economic resilience—especially in light of evolving trade relations with the United States. Strategic immigration planning will be essential to maintaining competitiveness and supporting future growth.
REPORT | 2025 State of the Ontario Nonprofit Sector (ONN)
The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) has released its annual State of the Sector survey results. Since 2020, the survey has aimed to better understand how nonprofits across Ontario are managing, track sector-wide trends, and analyze data to explain emerging shifts. This year’s findings show that many challenges remain unchanged: demand for services and programs continues to rise, while organizational capacity remains limited. Revenue streams are stagnant or declining, expenses are high, and a significant number of organizations report being at risk of closure within the next three years.
More notably, the 2025 survey highlights several worsening trends compared to last year. These include a sharp increase in the use of reserve funds—approaching levels seen during the height of the pandemic in 2020—and growing concern among nonprofit leaders about their organizations’ long-term viability. Recruitment and retention of both paid staff and volunteers have also become more difficult, adding further strain to already stretched teams.
ONN attributes these challenges to an uncertain economic climate, which is driving up demand for nonprofit services at a time when funding and resources are shrinking. The weakening of Ontario’s social safety net is placing unsustainable pressure on nonprofits to fill gaps in community support. In response, ONN is calling on the provincial government to recognize the essential role of the nonprofit sector in Ontario’s social and economic infrastructure. It urges policymakers to include nonprofits in economic planning and to allocate ministry budgets that reflect the true costs of program delivery—including inflation, rising wages, and increasing community needs.
REPORT | Portrait of the Arab populations in Canada (Statistics Canada)
Between 2001 and 2021, Canada’s Arab population more than tripled, driven by immigration and natural growth. According to the latest census, Arabs now represent 2.2% of the Canadian population—approximately 795,665 people. Projections suggest this population could grow significantly, reaching between 1.4 and 1.9 million by 2041, or about 3.5% of the total population. Economic immigrants account for just over half of Arabs who arrived between 1980 and 2021. Ontario and Quebec remain the provinces with the largest Arab communities, with Quebec home to over 80% of Arabs from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia—reflecting historical ties to France.
Educational attainment among Arabs is notable: half of those aged 25–54 hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Compared to the overall Canadian population in the same age group, Arabs are 4.4 times more likely to have a pharmacy degree, 4 times more likely to hold a dentistry degree, and 3.3 times more likely to have a medical degree. However, like many immigrant groups, those with international credentials face challenges in working within their field. For example, 82.1% of Arabs with Canadian medical degrees work as physicians, compared to only 45.6% of those with medical degrees from outside of Canada. Similarly, while Arabs are more than twice as likely as the general population to hold an engineering degree, only 32.4% with Canadian credentials and 13.8% with international credentials work in engineering roles.
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