Conservatives call for cuts to permanent residency admissions in immigration plan

OTTAWA — The Conservatives are calling on the government to implement temporary resident exit tracking, boost collaboration with the provinces and further reduce permanent residency admissions in the coming immigration levels plan.

Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner outlined these and other demands in a press conference today, and blamed government policy for a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment in recent years.

She said the government should be putting more emphasis on integrating newcomers to restore faith in the system and ease social tensions around immigration.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday the government “will not budge” on its goal of making immigration numbers sustainable and its plan is “getting them to that level now.”

Last year’s immigration levels plan, which set a target of admitting 380,000 permanent residents annually between 2026 and 2028, also included two programs aimed at giving permanent status to more than 130,000 temporary residents who aren’t included in the broader target.

The government must provide an updated levels plan in the next few weeks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2026.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press