Canada, traditionally viewed as a welcoming country for immigrants, announced yesterday a significant 21% reduction in the quota for permanent residents it will accept starting next year. This decision reflects a shift in response to public opinion, which has shown hesitance regarding immigration issues.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, “Immigration is essential for Canada’s future, but it needs to be controlled,” emphasizing that this decrease will result in a “temporary halt in population growth over the next two years.”

This move comes after a series of restrictions aimed at containing record levels of immigration, following a rise in the population to over 41 million at the beginning of the year, compared to approximately 35 million a decade ago.

Trudeau explained that the goal is to “stabilize our demographic growth to give the government, at all levels, enough time to catch up and make necessary investments in healthcare, housing, and social services.”

Immigration Minister Marc Miller remarked that “this plan is probably the first of its kind so far,” confirming that it responds to “a significant amount of criticism” received in the past.

According to a survey conducted by Abacus Data at the beginning of October, one in two Canadians believes that immigration is harmful to the nation.

For the first time in a quarter-century, 58% of Canadians feel there is too much immigration, a sentiment that has significantly strengthened for the second consecutive year, according to another survey conducted by Environics Institute.

This announcement marks a radical turning point for Canada, a country that has long been known as a destination for immigrants, particularly economic migrants from developing countries seeking better living conditions.

The immigration minister stressed that the plan will help alleviate the current housing crisis by reducing the number of new units to be constructed.

However, more than 120 civil society organizations stated in an open letter that “immigrants are not responsible for the housing crisis in Canada, the job shortage, or insufficient healthcare or other public services,” arguing that the root cause of these crises lies in “decades of federal and provincial policies.”

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce described the announced reduction as “disappointing for businesses across the country,” as they consider immigration a “key driver of economic growth and our only source of workforce growth in the short term.”

Opposition Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre argued that Trudeau has “destroyed the immigration system” and that “today’s change in stance is an admission of failure.”

Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has made immigration a central theme of his campaign, also responded to the Canadian government's announcement, saying, “Even Justin Trudeau wants to close Canada’s borders,” referring to his own plan for regulating immigrants at the U.S. border.