Ministers push for coordinated approach to foreign credential recognition barriers
HR professionals face a narrowing international talent pool after Canada's immigration ministers agreed to strict new population targets and expanded provincial control over worker selection.
The Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration (FMRI) convened in Ottawa to advance the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reported broad ministerial agreement on the need to return immigration to "sustainable levels" while considering regional labour market and demographic needs.
The federal government committed to capping permanent resident admissions at less than one per cent of Canada's total population beyond 2027. Ministers also agreed to reduce the temporary resident population to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027 — a target with direct implications for employers who rely on temporary foreign workers and international student graduates.
“Canadians expect their governments to manage migration responsibly, balancing sustainability and system integrity with efforts to attract the best talent in the world,” said Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. “Alongside our partners, we are doing that work now. By restoring confidence and control to our system, we will maximize the social and economic benefits that newcomers can bring to communities across Canada. I look forward to collaborating further on our shared priorities in the months and years ahead.”
IRCC confirmed that ministers agreed "meaningful consultation, careful planning, and effective management across both permanent and temporary immigration pathways is essential to restoring balance to Canada's immigration system and alignment with economic objectives."
Provinces demand greater control over selection
Provincial and territorial ministers called for increased allocations under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program, arguing these are "the most effective tools available to address regional labour shortages in key sectors, enabling provinces and territories to directly select the skilled workers that align with their economic priorities."
Ministers also discussed improving the Express Entry system to better address regional labour market needs and agreed to strengthen pathways for temporary workers and international students already in Canada to transition to permanent residence. Provincial and territorial ministers requested further transparency from Ottawa on how PNP targets and allocations are set.
"Provinces and territories play a critical role in shaping immigration pathways that reflect regional labour market needs, support economic growth, and help communities of all sizes thrive,” Newfoundland and Labrador Immigration Minister Lin Paddock, the provincial-territorial FMRI co-chair, said. “I am encouraged by the progress we've made together on many issues including advancing collaboration on immigration levels, strengthening programs such as the Provincial Nominee Program, and improving foreign credential recognition."
Recently, the federal government committed to fast-tracking the immigration of skilled artificial-intelligence workers, and to retaining them once they arrive, under its new national strategy under “Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All”.
Credential recognition task force established
The ministers directed officials to act "expeditiously" through a newly created Forum of Labour Market Ministers–FMRI Joint Task Force on a coordinated approach to foreign credential recognition barriers spanning "the entire immigration continuum, from pre-arrival through to employment."
The ministers acknowledged progress on occupation-specific reforms in health care but said further work remains across all regulated sectors. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed the task force will address challenges related to newcomer settlement, integration, and entry into the labour market.
Provincial and territorial ministers also urged the federal government to restore adequate funding for targeted language training, which they said is essential to helping newcomers succeed in the workforce.
Canada could significantly expand its workforce by removing barriers that prevent internationally trained professionals from working in their fields, according to a previous report from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC).
Previously, the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) recommended the formation of a federal Canadian Business Immigration Council (“CBIC”) comprised of key government stakeholders and other experts to “advise the government on business immigration program design and evaluate performance to ensure the programs can advance national economic development and prosperity objectives”.
According to the group, fixing business immigration “requires fundamental paradigm shifts, not incremental change”.
“These shifts are from volume to value, from processing to governance, from intuition to evidence, from one-off consultations to continuous feedback, and from centralized control to shared stewardship. These shifts collectively point to a simple truth: Canada does not need perfect policy. It needs a system capable of becoming better, faster,” according to CILA.
“A shift of this scale is only possible through collaborative policymaking.”
