Urgent Call for Responsible Immigration: Federal Policies Must Change Now
August 26, 2025 – Today, the National Citizens Coalition (NCC) demands immediate reforms to Canada's out-of-control federal immigration system, which is exacerbating the nation's housing crisis, straining healthcare resources, and fueling record youth unemployment. Through our Canadians for Responsible Immigration campaign, we are rallying Canadians to support a return to the sustainable policies of a decade ago, that prioritizes citizens first, protects Canadian jobs and taxpayer dollars, and once again ensures immigration benefits the country without overwhelming its capacity or cohesion.
Recent data reveals the alarming scale of the Liberal government's failure to manage immigration responsibly. The trend is undeniable: Canada now has a backlog of 291,000 asylum claimants -- many with fraudulent in-land claims and lack of validity -- with massive numbers housed in hotels and accessing healthcare at significant taxpayer expense, representing a blatant exploitation of the asylum process.
"While Canada faces the lowest youth employment since 1998, the Liberals are on track to issue the most temporary foreign worker visas in a single year," said Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner in a statement yesterday.
This comes despite the government's own promises to rein in numbers, with 105,000 temporary foreign workers admitted through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program so far in 2025 -- exceeding the annual cap of 82,000 -- and a staggering 302,000 added via the International Mobility Program in just the first half of the year, surpassing its 285,000 target.
Columnist Brian Lilley highlighted this broken promise in his analysis on August 25th, noting that the Liberals in Ottawa had pledged to curb immigration after it spiraled out of control, yet "the latest figures show that they are going well above what they promised to drop them down to."
Even amid high unemployment and a severe cost-of-housing crisis, a substantial portion of newcomers are temporary residents on work permits, further displacing Canadian workers and inflating living costs. "These breaking numbers blow through the government’s own targets midway through the year with some on course to be the highest on record," added Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, underscoring how these policies perpetuate a "triple-header crisis" in housing, healthcare, and youth joblessness.
"This is an egregious abuse of the asylum system. Change, now," Rempel Garner urged, echoing the sentiments of millions of Canadians frustrated by a system that no longer serves the public interest.
With the House set to resume in September, there can be no greater priority for young and working Canadians. The Liberals have failed to deliver on reforms promised by Mark Carney, who has instead backed the same unchecked replacement-labour policies driving these Liberal-made crises.
The NCC's Canadians for Responsible Immigration campaign calls for urgent action: a massive reduction in targets, stricter enforcement against fraudulent claims, country caps on all immigration streams, the abolition of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, a crackdown on fraudulent ‘diploma mill’ colleges, and a comprehensive overhaul to align immigration with Canada's needs, capacity, and values. We must restore order and legitimacy to a system once the envy of the world, ensuring it supports hardworking Canadians rather than burdening them and becoming a source of frustration and alienation.
Canadians, join us in this fight for accountability. SIGN our petition, DONATE, and amplify your voice as we rally and grow a vocal majority in the call for a return to the Responsible Immigration policies of the Harper years, that again put Canada first.
-30-
For media inquiries, contact: [email protected]
About the National Citizens Coalition: Founded in 1967, the National Citizens Coalition is Canada's longest-serving conservative non-profit advocacy group, dedicated to defending taxpayer interests and More Freedom, Through Less Government.
The NCC’s Canadians for Responsible Immigration campaign is a cornerstone effort to advocate on behalf of the Canadian worker, and for a return to the Canadian dream.