Permanent resident admissions plunge 20%. Is Canada's immigration boom over?
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada admitted 83,130 permanent residents between January and March, down from 104,320 a year earlier.
After years of record immigration, Canada’s intake is now plunging, with permanent resident admissions down 20 per cent and sharp declines in study permits and asylum claims in early 2026.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada admitted 83,130 permanent residents between January and March, down from 104,320 a year earlier, according to data analyzed by the Association for Canadian Studies.
Study permits fell 24 per cent while asylum claims dropped 35 per cent, marking a second straight year of declining admissions, the National Post reported.
Association for Canadian Studies president Jack Jedwab said the figures reflect a deliberate policy shift rather than a temporary fluctuation.
“Canada has moved from rapid immigration expansion to a deliberate, government-driven contraction,” Jedwab told the Post.
