January 29, 2026 – Since 2019, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) has accepted tens of thousands of asylum claims without holding an oral hearing through a paper-based process known as “File Review.” A new report from the C.D. Howe Institute argues that this policy raises serious legal, security, and governance concerns, may […]
Since 2019, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) has accepted tens of thousands of asylum claims without an oral hearing through its “File Review” policy, using a paper-based process that may exempt entire categories of claims, defined by nationality and claim type, from the default requirement of in-person adjudication. The policy was launched […]
From: Parisa MahboubiTo: Immigration observersDate: December 23, 2025Re: More Work Needed on Immigration Reform After years of high permanent immigration and runaway growth in non-permanent newcomers – a surge that strained housing, healthcare and confidence in the immigration system – the federal government is trimming its target for permanent admission to 380,000 arrivals annually, increasing […]
From: David Green, Philip Oreopoulos, Craig Riddell, Mikal Skuterud, and Christopher WorswickTo: Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship CanadaDate: December 9, 2025Re: How We Subverted our Skills Based Immigration System In 2023, with little fanfare and no political opposition, the federal government gave itself the power to subvert Canada’s world-renowned skilled […]
Published in Financial Post. After years of high permanent immigration and runaway growth in non-permanent newcomers — a surge that strained housing, health care and confidence in the immigration system — the federal government is trimming its target for permanent admission to 380,000 annually, increasing the share that are economic migrants and sharply reducing temporary […]
From: Henry LotinTo: Immigration ObserversDate: October 10, 2025Re: The Underappreciated Immigration Success Story Canada’s renewed immigration debate is ignoring a remarkable success story: The rapid improvement in the economic performance of new permanent residents, especially those with both pre-landing Canadian education and work experience. To ensure these gains continue, Canada must sustain its focus on […]
From: Parisa MahboubiTo: Immigration observersDate: October 8, 2025Re: Immigration Reform Begins with Simplifying the System Canada’s immigration policy has lost its way. Once a model for attracting skilled newcomers who drove growth and innovation, the system is now consumed with chasing numeric targets and competing objectives. The result is a complex web of programs that undermine wage […]
Published in The Globe and Mail. Canada’s immigration policy has lost its way. Once a model for attracting skilled newcomers who drove growth and innovation, the system is now consumed with chasing numeric targets and competing objectives. The result is a complex web of programs that undermine wage growth, discourage productivity investment and erode public […]
Second Meeting of the C.D. Howe Institute Immigration Targets Council The C.D. Howe Institute Immigration Targets Council held its second meeting on August 26, 2025, bringing together leading academics and policy experts to provide recommendations on Canada’s immigration-level targets and system design. Members agreed that Canada’s immigration policy has moved in the wrong direction and […]
September 16, 2025 – Canada’s immigration policy continues to move in the wrong direction and requires a fundamental course correction, according to a new Communiqué from the C.D. Howe Institute’s Immigration Targets Council. In “Immigration Policy Still in Need of a Course Correction,” the Council – composed of leading academics and policy experts – stresses […]
The C.D. Howe Institute Immigration Targets Council is comprised of leading academics and policy experts who provide independent recommendations on Canada’s immigration-level targets and the design of its selection system. Meeting annually ahead of the federal government’s November 1st release of its Immigration Levels Plan, the Council reviews demographic, labour market, and policy considerations to […]
From: Mikal SkuterudTo: Labour Market WatchersDate: September 9, 2025Re: A Realistic Strategy to Wean Canadian Businesses Off Low-Skill Foreign Labour Uprooting one’s life to settle in a new country is always daunting, but it’s particularly unnerving when immigration rules are in constant flux. Attracting foreign talent requires a system that is stable, transparent, and predictable. […]
Membership Application
Interested in becoming a Member of the C.D. Howe Institute? Please fill out the application form below and our team will be in touch with next steps. Note that Membership is subject to approval.
"*" indicates required fields
Member Login
Not a Member yet? Visit our Membership page to learn more and apply.
Since 2019, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) has accepted tens of thousands of asylum claims without an oral hearing through its “File Review” policy, using a paper-based process that may exempt entire categories of claims, defined by nationality and claim type, from the default requirement of in-person adjudication. The policy was launched […] 
From: Parisa MahboubiTo: Immigration observersDate: December 23, 2025Re: More Work Needed on Immigration Reform After years of high permanent immigration and runaway growth in non-permanent newcomers – a surge that strained housing, healthcare and confidence in the immigration system – the federal government is trimming its target for permanent admission to 380,000 arrivals annually, increasing […] 
From: David Green, Philip Oreopoulos, Craig Riddell, Mikal Skuterud, and Christopher WorswickTo: Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship CanadaDate: December 9, 2025Re: How We Subverted our Skills Based Immigration System In 2023, with little fanfare and no political opposition, the federal government gave itself the power to subvert Canada’s world-renowned skilled […] 
From: Henry LotinTo: Immigration ObserversDate: October 10, 2025Re: The Underappreciated Immigration Success Story Canada’s renewed immigration debate is ignoring a remarkable success story: The rapid improvement in the economic performance of new permanent residents, especially those with both pre-landing Canadian education and work experience. To ensure these gains continue, Canada must sustain its focus on […] 
From: Parisa MahboubiTo: Immigration observersDate: October 8, 2025Re: Immigration Reform Begins with Simplifying the System Canada’s immigration policy has lost its way. Once a model for attracting skilled newcomers who drove growth and innovation, the system is now consumed with chasing numeric targets and competing objectives. The result is a complex web of programs that undermine wage […] 
From: Mikal SkuterudTo: Labour Market WatchersDate: September 9, 2025Re: A Realistic Strategy to Wean Canadian Businesses Off Low-Skill Foreign Labour Uprooting one’s life to settle in a new country is always daunting, but it’s particularly unnerving when immigration rules are in constant flux. Attracting foreign talent requires a system that is stable, transparent, and predictable. […]