Canadian immigration on pace to exceed government target, data shows
(Image courtesy of Canada Border Services Agency)
Mark Carney was elected Prime Minister on a plan to curb immigration levels, which had reached record highs under his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. But it appears he is on pace to fail.
More people are entering Canada than expected
According to data released by Statistics Canada, the government welcomed 246,300 new permanent residents during the first seven months of 2025. Extrapolating that rate for the full year, Canada will bring about 422,000 permanent residents. While it is a decline compared to previous years, it is still far higher compared to the pre-Trudeau era.
Asylum claims have also gone up significantly in the last ten years, and under Carney’s government, they look more like Trudeau’s than Harper’s. As of June 2025, a total of 57,440 claims were processed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The first half of 2025 alone is more than the yearly totals from 2014 to 2018.
Total asylum claimants processed from 2011-2025. Notice the difference between the Conservative government in blue and the Liberal government in red. Information received from the Government of Canada. The 2025 figure is from January to June 2025.
India is the top claimant country
Many of these claims are from India, and a good portion of them are Sikh. Canada hosts one of the largest Sikh populations in the world, and many fleeing political persecution find Canada a desirable destination, particularly with the openly hostile government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India. Combined with the famously generous immigration policies of the Trudeau government, claims have gone up. According to the latest data, India led the way with 5,402 asylum claims finalized and an astounding 41,698 asylum cases pending.
Information received from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
New Liberal government seeks reform
Carney’s government has sought to address this issue, such as introducing the Strong Borders Act, which would restrict access to an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing for asylum seekers who have resided in Canada for more than one year.
Canada has a long history of welcoming immigrants and refugees from all over the world. However, the Canadian public has turned against immigration in recent years, and time will tell if the Carney government will change the Trudeau record or keep playing it.
