Canada Expands Immigration Measures to Strengthen Housing and Construction Sector
Canada’s growing housing demands require immediate and strategic action—especially when it comes to building the skilled workforce needed for construction and infrastructure. Immigration remains at the heart of this solution. On March 7, 2025, the federal government announced a bold set of new immigration measures aimed at addressing the country’s housing crisis while supporting skilled trades.
“Canada’s construction industry is vital to sustain our country’s growth—and immigration is key to meeting that challenge.”
– The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
The measures fall under the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan and signal the government’s commitment to using immigration as a tool for economic and community development.
How immigration is supporting Canada’s housing strategy.
These new initiatives are designed to improve access to qualified workers and offer fair, legal pathways for those already contributing to Canada’s construction industry:
Key Measures Introduced:
Tripartite Advisory Council:
A new federal council with government, union, and industry leaders will identify labor shortages in real time and advise on immigration pathways tailored to the construction industry’s evolving needs.Pathway for Out-of-Status Construction Workers:
A permanent program is in development to regularize the status of undocumented construction workers currently living and contributing to the economy—expanding on the success of the Greater Toronto Area pilot.
Key Areas of Impact:
These new policies support a range of long-term goals in housing and infrastructure:
Filling urgent labour gaps in construction and skilled trades;
Retaining skilled workers already in Canada;
Supporting the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy and Foreign Credential Recognition Program;
Removing red tape for foreign students in trades education.
