section_path: Political positions/Immigration
section_name: Immigration
paragraph_text: Immigration
  
  In 2022, Poilievre described himself as pro-immigration and put forward policies aiming to speed up processing times to reunite families, keep refugees safe, and get jobs filled in Canada. Poilievre stated that a government led by him would negotiate agreements with provinces to license qualified professionals within 60 days of receiving applications, provide study loans to aid new immigrants in passing examinations, and permit immigrants to receive licences before moving to Canada. Poilievre proposes establishing direct flights to Amritsar, India. In June 2023, Poilievre, as well as NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, joined protesters in support of students who were facing deportation for being scammed into moving to Canada on fake admission letters to universities.
  
  Poilievre has since argued that Canada should pursue reductions on immigration and asylum intake. In 2024, he described Liberal Party's approach to immigration as "radical and out of control" and argued Trudeau's government has "destroyed our immigration system". Poilievre argued that before Trudeau became prime minister, Canada maintained a multi-generational consensus on immigration, bringing in immigrants at a level that the housing market, job market, and healthcare system could absorb. After data published by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRBC) showed a substantial rise in asylum cases from Mexico, Poilievre called on the Canadian government to reinstate visa requirements for Mexico which had been imposed by previous Conservative government before Trudeau abolished this policy in 2016. In January 2024, Poilievre argued that the removal of visa requirements had led to an increase in immigration fraud and abuses of the asylum process.
  
  In 2024, Poilievre stated that if he became prime minister he would significantly reduce the numbers of asylum seekers and temporary residents, citing the high amount of new arrivals compared to Canada's housing supply. During a June 2024 speech in Quebec, Poilievre said that current levels of immigration into Canada are too high and in government he would link immigration numbers to the number of homes built, citing lack of accommodations and the capacity of the healthcare system to support current migrant numbers. Poilievre also spoke in favour of smaller population growth by mitigating immigration numbers.
  
  Poilievre has called for a tougher policy against illegal immigration and has accused the Trudeau government of allowing illegal border crossings at Roxham Road to continue. In 2023, he stated irregular border crossing points should be closed and loopholes allowing illegal migration to be ended by amending the " Safe Third Country Agreement ". In October 2024, he stated that a Conservative government under his leadership would introduce further border control and background screening measures of immigrants to stop foreign citizens with criminal and terrorism convictions from entering Canada.
  
  In an interview with Juno News, Pierre Poilievre says that under his Conservative government he will go back to Stephen Harper era's Permanent Residence numbers of around 200k-250k and deport those who overstay on their temporary visa. Saying that "It will be a lot more like the Harper era numbers that were the same basically for 40 years before Trudeau took office. We were bringing around 200-250k a year in citizens". Down from the previously planned 500,000 Permanent Residence numbers from the Liberal government, in which they faced criticism for worsening Canada's housing crisis, forcing Trudeau himself to admit to that fact, saying "we didn't get the balance quite right", and announcing reduced numbers of 395k to 365k from 2025-2027, still significantly higher than what Poilievre pledges.
  
  In 2022, Poilievre described himself as pro-immigration and put forward policies aiming to speed up processing times to reunite families, keep refugees safe, and get jobs filled in Canada. Poilievre stated that a government led by him would negotiate agreements with provinces to license qualified professionals within 60 days of receiving applications, provide study loans to aid new immigrants in passing examinations, and permit immigrants to receive licences before moving to Canada. Poilievre proposes establishing direct flights to Amritsar, India. In June 2023, Poilievre, as well as NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, joined protesters in support of students who were facing deportation for being scammed into moving to Canada on fake admission letters to universities.
  
  Poilievre has since argued that Canada should pursue reductions on immigration and asylum intake. In 2024, he described Liberal Party's approach to immigration as "radical and out of control" and argued Trudeau's government has "destroyed our immigration system". Poilievre argued that before Trudeau became prime minister, Canada maintained a multi-generational consensus on immigration, bringing in immigrants at a level that the housing market, job market, and healthcare system could absorb. After data published by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRBC) showed a substantial rise in asylum cases from Mexico, Poilievre called on the Canadian government to reinstate visa requirements for Mexico which had been imposed by previous Conservative government before Trudeau abolished this policy in 2016. In January 2024, Poilievre argued that the removal of visa requirements had led to an increase in immigration fraud and abuses of the asylum process.
  
  In 2024, Poilievre stated that if he became prime minister he would significantly reduce the numbers of asylum seekers and temporary residents, citing the high amount of new arrivals compared to Canada's housing supply. During a June 2024 speech in Quebec, Poilievre said that current levels of immigration into Canada are too high and in government he would link immigration numbers to the number of homes built, citing lack of accommodations and the capacity of the healthcare system to support current migrant numbers. Poilievre also spoke in favour of smaller population growth by mitigating immigration numbers.
  
  Poilievre has called for a tougher policy against illegal immigration and has accused the Trudeau government of allowing illegal border crossings at Roxham Road to continue. In 2023, he stated irregular border crossing points should be closed and loopholes allowing illegal migration to be ended by amending the " Safe Third Country Agreement ". In October 2024, he stated that a Conservative government under his leadership would introduce further border control and background screening measures of immigrants to stop foreign citizens with criminal and terrorism convictions from entering Canada.
  
  In an interview with Juno News, Pierre Poilievre says that under his Conservative government he will go back to Stephen Harper era's Permanent Residence numbers of around 200k-250k and deport those who overstay on their temporary visa. Saying that "It will be a lot more like the Harper era numbers that were the same basically for 40 years before Trudeau took office. We were bringing around 200-250k a year in citizens". Down from the previously planned 500,000 Permanent Residence numbers from the Liberal government, in which they faced criticism for worsening Canada's housing crisis, forcing Trudeau himself to admit to that fact, saying "we didn't get the balance quite right", and announcing reduced numbers of 395k to 365k from 2025-2027, still significantly higher than what Poilievre pledges.