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.
Should the feds or provinces call the shots on finding economic immigrants? (iPolitics)
Premiers across Canada are advocating for greater control over immigration programming and more input in provincial nominee immigrant programs (PNP). Recently, the federal government slashed PNP allocations by 50 percent. The Premiers emphasize that understanding their region’s unique economic needs is critical in immigration decision making. Historically, the proportion of immigrants who enter through PNP programs have varied across provinces. In 2023 for example, Ontario had 21 percent, Manitoba had 85 percent, and Saskatchewan had 93 percent of new economic immigrants via the PNP. Although Nunavut and Quebec do not have their own PNP, Quebec remains the only province with the ability to select, identify and choose the number of newcomers it accepts each year. IRCC states that the department will continue to consult with provinces and territories in decision making. However, with the reduction of PNP allocations, the Premiers have signaled interest in invoking section 95 of the Canadian Constitution to issue their own work permits in the future.
Economists are urging the federal government to account for the estimated 500,000 undocumented residents in its plans. This fall, the federal government will release its three-year immigration levels plan which many expect will reflect lower numbers of admissions to Canada. In past years, the undocumented population has been relatively small, but as the immigration policy landscape has shifted, this number is rising exponentially. In March 2025, former IRCC Minister Marc Miller announced that the government would be “reserving space” for up to 6,000 undocumented construction workers to apply for permanency residency. Yet, several months have passed and no further information has been released. Furthermore, delays in public IRCC data (last updated in March 2025) have some advocates calling for pathways to permanent residency to be extended the other thousands of undocumented residents currently contributing to the Canadian economy.
Views on Immigration in Canada Fluctuate Widely by Age (Research Co.)
A recent poll from Research Co. indicates that views on immigration could vary drastically based on age demographics. More Canadians over the age of 55 think fewer legal immigrants should be allowed to relocate to Canada, compared to their younger counterparts. Forty-three percent of Canadians believe immigration is having a mostly positive effect in the country - up one percent since a similar poll was conducted last summer. Among respondents, 41 percent of those asked or two-in-five Canadians would like to see a decrease in the number of legal immigrants welcomed, while 34 percent would maintain current levels, and 16 percent open to increased immigration levels. Additionally, when introducing Canada as a "melting pot", a slightly larger proportion 44 percent favoured assimilation measures to ensure that new Canadians blend into society. Meanwhile, 40 percent of respondents endorsed the mosaic where cultural differences across Canada's landscape remain distinct, valued, and preserved.
Nearly 13 percent of Canada's language training programs ceased operations in the first quarter of 2025. This is due largely in part to sharp declines in enrolment in 2024, amidst a shift in immigration policy towards temporary residency programs. Latest data from Languages Canada reports that the significant drop in accredited English and French education programs signaled the steepest decline in the sector's history which included the closure of 29 programs across 11 institutions, and 3,300 jobs in the language education sector. Advocates and officials within the sector are expressing concern over the growing trend, citing unpredictability and uncertainty in Canada's immigration system and fear that Canada's standing as a top study destination is now at risk.
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