✍️ Immigration 2026–2029: three government scenarios... and sixteen citizen visions
Immigration 2026–2029: bringing family reunification out of the shadows
1. Three scenarios... but a ceiling for families
The MIFI consultation document proposes three permanent immigration trajectories for 2026–2029: 25,000, 35,000 or 45,000 admissions per year. In the minimum scenario, there would be approximately 14,500 economic admissions, 5,800 to 6,200 family reunifications and 3,600 refugees and humanitarian admissions. The median scenario rises to 35,000, and the maximum scenario to 45,000, including 26,000 economic immigrants, 9,800 to 10,400 family reunification immigrants and 6,200 humanitarian immigrants.
📉 Even at its maximum, the government is therefore limiting family reunification to around 10,400 admissions per year, well below the actual demand estimated at 17,000, generating an astronomical backlog and unprecedented waiting times. The backlog of cases had already reached more than 42,000 by 1 January 2025. It is in this context that economic, social, legal and community stakeholders have submitted their briefs.
2. Economic circles: labour first and foremost, but a scenario offering hope from employers
On the employer side, positions are converging towards a significant increase in thresholds, but with an almost exclusively economic angle.
The Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ) goes even further, with a target of 106,000 admissions (permanent and temporary combined), but does not mention family reunification (FCCQ brief). The same logic applies to the Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters (MEQ), which focuses on industrial competitiveness, and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM), which is calling for the maximum scenario of 45,000 to be considered a minimum (CCMM brief).
At the sectoral level, the Association Hôtellerie du Québec (AHQ) emphasises the need for temporary workers in the industry and advocates for pathways to permanent residence for essential positions (AHQ brief). Finally, regional voices from Chaudière-Appalaches (TREMCA & CAÉ) and Bas-Saint-Laurent (TREMBSL) advocate for immigration tailored to local realities, with easier permanent residence for those already established, regionalisation and francization as pillars (TREMCA & CAÉ brief). In all these cases, family reunification is absent or treated as secondary.
As an exception, the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ) proposes 70,000 permanent admissions per year, including 44,800 economic, 15,200 family reunification and 3,600 humanitarian (CPQ brief).
Briefs: (FCCQ) (CCMM) (AHQ) (TREMCA & CAÉ) (CPQ).
📊 Projections – CPQ scenario (15,200 RF/year)
2026: Processing time ≈ 25 months (more than 2 years).
2027: Processing time falls to 22 months (less than 2 years).
2030: Target achieved → maximum processing time of 12 months, considered normal.
2032: Backlog completely cleared.
📈 Reading
👉 By setting admissions at 15,200 per year, the system is gradually catching up. The current waiting time, which is over three years, is expected to fall below two years by 2027, and then reach the international target of 12 months by 2030. By 2032, families could finally see the enormous historical backlog eliminated.
3. Social and legal environments: rights and inclusion
In contrast, several social and legal organisations denounce the logic of caps and place family life at the heart of their concerns. The Quebec Association of Immigration Lawyers (AQAADI) rejects rigid thresholds and warns of delays of up to 30 years for certain categories. The Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI) sees family reunification as a pillar of inclusion and is calling for an increase beyond the proposed scenarios (TCRI brief). The FTQ adopts a union stance, insisting on more inclusive immigration and denouncing the precariousness of temporary workers. It refers to family reunification as a condition for integration, but in a broad, non-technical sense (FTQ brief).
The Canadian Bar Association – Quebec Division (CBA-Quebec) goes further: it strongly condemns the suspension of family reunification for 2024-2026, which increases waiting times to 37 months in Quebec compared to 11 months elsewhere in the country, and considers the caps to be contrary to the Canada-Quebec Accord (CBA-Quebec brief). The same logic applies to the Maison internationale de la Rive-Sud (MIRS), which advocates for inclusive and sustainable immigration, with a minimum of 55,000 permanent admissions and an emphasis on francization and social cohesion (MIRS brief).
Finally, the Regroupement des organismes en hébergement pour personnes migrantes (ROHMI) warns of the housing crisis and calls for increased funding to prevent homelessness, without directly addressing family reunification (ROHMI brief). The Fédération des centres de services scolaires du Québec (FCSSQ), for its part, emphasises school planning and vocational training, with an indirect mention of families through the students (FCSSQ brief).
Briefs: (TCRI), (FTQ), (ABC-Québec), (MIRS), (ROHMI), (FCSSQ).
4. Academic and critical voices
A different view is emerging from academia. Economist Pierre Fortin considers the rapid expansion of immigration between 2016 and 2024 to be an economic and social mistake: in his view, it has not alleviated the labour shortage, but has contributed to worsening the housing crisis, reducing productivity and undermining social cohesion. He recommends a 60% reduction in temporary immigration by 2028 (Pierre Fortin's brief). However, he insists that this revision must be carried out with respect for immigrants, with support for French language training and housing, to avoid stigmatisation. He does not make any specific recommendations on family reunification, which is a permanent category. (Pierre Fortin).
5. Québec Réunifié
For our part, Québec Réunifié is making family reunification the central issue: immediate resumption of CSQs, maximum legal delay of 12 months, exclusion of RF from quotas, priority processing of pending files, and explicit recognition of the right to family life in the law (QR brief).
6. Simplified comparative table (in French)
Conclusion
This public consultation will decide whether families will finally be able to live together or remain separated for years to come. At Québec Réunifié, our position is clear: no caps on families, a maximum waiting period of 12 months, and immigration focused on people, not just labour.
Take action — 3 concrete steps to put RF at the heart of the consultation
Complete the National Assembly survey (takes a few minutes)
👉 https://questionnaire. simplesondage.com/f/s.aspx?s=30adca65-a997-4a77-ba29-eacaedd3f79c
Insist on: excluding RF from the caps, the 12-month target, and priority processing of pending cases.
Comment officially on the subject under review (Commission comments page)
👉 https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/travaux-parlementaires/commentaire.html?type=Mandat&id=54013
Highlight: the right to family life, the gap between 10.4k planned and ~17k actual applications, and the human impact of delays.Sign and share the petition for the protection of family reunification
👉 https://www.assnat.qc.ca/fr/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-11563/index.html
📊 Updated on 30 August 2025: 2,502 actual signatures
➡ At the current rate, the petition would reach approximately 7,212 signatures by 1 October 2025.🎯
Target: 10,000 signatures → nearly 2,800 signatures are still needed to reach this goal.
Help us build momentum
Please forward this email to your friends, colleagues, and networks. The more people who respond to the survey, comment, and sign, the more families' voices will count in future decisions. 💛