The promise of Canada has long been anchored in a simple idea: work hard, build a life and belong. For thousands of newcomers navigating an increasingly uncertain immigration landscape, that promise now feels less stable. Among them is Anu Subedi, a 27-year-old from Nepal who arrived in 2021 to study International Business Management at Fanshawe College. After graduating, she moved to Nova Scotia for a full-time role at RBC and volunteers with local nonprofits, building the kind of community ties Canada has long encouraged. But today, Subedi finds herself in limbo. Her work permit expires in 2026, her permanent residency application has been silent for eight months, and the anxiety of waiting has settled into her life like a second job.

Anu Subedi

Her experience mirrors the unease rippling through tens of thousands of temporary residents whose futures hinge on national policy decisions now being recalibrated. For someone who has built her life around contribution and community, that uncertainty feels like a betrayal of promise. “I moved provinces for better opportunities, but it’s been so stressful. I don’t know what the future holds,” she says.

A recalibration of immigration priorities

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement to lower immigration targets marks a meaningful shift in Canada’s long-standing strategy of high intake and rapid growth. The 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan aims to pull back temporary resident admissions, reducing numbers to 385,000 from the 2025 level of 673,650. It also caps the number of work-permit holders transitioning to permanent residency at 33,000 between 2026 and 2027.

Andrew Griffith

Andrew Griffith, former Director General of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, sees the plan as a realignment rather than a rupture. “I think the new plan is about sustainability,” he says. “Perhaps the major failure of the Trudeau government was that they never considered what the impact would be on housing, healthcare, and infrastructure. They just assumed people would adjust. But it got out of line.”

The result, he says, was a system expanding faster than the country’s ability to absorb it. “The real concern is how to improve the incomes of people, which means more emphasis on skills, productivity, and better integration,” he adds.

Public sentiment and political pressure

“Canadians continue to see immigration as an economic strength even as pressure on housing and services remains top of mind,” says Former Senator Ratna Omidvar, a long-time advocate for diversity and inclusion. Citing Focus Canada (Fall 2025) data, she notes that while most Canadians still recognize immigration’s economic importance, a growing share now believes the country is accepting too many newcomers.

Ratna Omidvar

For Omidvar, maintaining public confidence depends not only on who is admitted but also on how well they’re supported once they arrive. “Immigration is only half the story — integration is the other. The system is confusing, full of backlogs, and contradictory decisions. Long wait times are unacceptable. Two things must happen: the system needs to be managed better, and Canadians need to see that integration is working,” she explains.

International students and temporary workers feel the strain

One of the most dramatic changes has been the decision to scale back international student admissions, reducing intake to 155,000 in 2026 from 305,900 in 2025. Temporary foreign worker numbers will also decline. New IRCC data shows 45,380 new international student arrivals in August 2025, a 43 per cent drop from the previous year. Between January and August, student and temporary worker arrivals fell by nearly 280,000 compared to 2024.

Omidvar warns that cutting numbers too sharply could slow population growth and weaken Canada’s competitive edge. “We’ve positioned ourselves as a global leader in trade and innovation. We need to balance population growth, community capacity, and labour market needs — especially in smaller regions that rely heavily on newcomers.”

Griffith calls this the “unfortunate collateral damage” of policy correction. “Students benefited when things were easy, and now they’re paying the price,” he says. “There’s no way to make corrections without some people getting hurt — that’s the painful reality.”

Healthcare: Canada’s immigrant backbone

The impact on health care is especially significant. Immigrants make up 37 per cent of physicians, 25 per cent of registered nurses and more than 40 per cent of nurse aides, according to the 2021 census. They are also heavily represented among pharmacists and dentists. Despite this, staffing shortages persist.

Dr. Oluremi Adewale

Dr. Oluremi Adewale, health policy expert and community advocate, warns that immigration planning must align closely with health-care workforce needs. A Statistics Canada study shows 58 per cent of temporary workers in health care became permanent residents between 2000 and 2022, a sign of strong retention. But Adewale notes that international talent still faces slow, complicated licensing processes that require clearer pathways. “Many arrive with years of experience but face lengthy or complex licensing pathways,” Adewale notes. “We need continued dialogue between governments, regulators, and employers to make processes more transparent and supportive — without compromising quality or safety.”

Innovation, small business and the cost of lost talent

Sabine Soumare

Nearly 99 per cent of Canadian companies are small and medium enterprises, many of which rely on immigrant talent. Innovation expert Sabine Soumare says the future depends on faster coordination between government and industry, pointing to initiatives such as the federal 50–30 Challenge as examples of intentional progress. “That initiative showed us what accountability can look like. We made real progress in diverse recruitment — now we need to sustain it,” she says.

Yet many experienced professionals are already feeling strain.

Genevieve Kameni, a seasoned tax and finance consultant from Cameroon, built a 16-year career before immigrating through the Federal Skilled Worker Program two years ago. She arrived confident her qualifications would open doors.

“I came through an official program that evaluates my education and work experience,” she says. “But once I arrive, it feels like none of that counts. When I apply for jobs in my field, they say I don’t have Canadian experience. When I apply for other jobs, they say I’m overqualified.”

Genevieve Kameni

Caught between underemployment and exclusion, Kameni’s story reflects what many skilled immigrants face. That’s what worries Karla Briones, CEO of Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada. Having mentored hundreds of newcomer founders, Briones says wasted talent doesn’t just lim...

Canadian Immigrant

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