U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of Canada on Wednesday, September 23, focusing this time on the country’s immigration system and making claims about migration, screening and unemployment.
The comments quickly attracted attention on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border as relations between Washington and Ottawa were already facing pressure over trade and Canada’s efforts to diversify its international partnerships.
Trump claimed in a Truth Social post that Canada was allowing “millions and millions” of people into the country and characterized them as essentially unchecked and unvetted. He also linked immigration to unemployment in Canada.
However, Trump did not provide evidence supporting those assertions, according to The Canadian Press. Available Canadian government data shows that Ottawa has actually been reducing temporary immigration and has established lower targets for international students and temporary workers.
What Did Trump Say About Canada?
Trump’s September 23 post focused heavily on Canada’s immigration policies. He argued that Canada’s approach to immigration was creating problems and pointed to unemployment as evidence supporting his criticism.
The remarks represent another point of tension between Trump and the Canadian government at a time when the economic and political relationship between the neighboring countries has been changing.
But Trump’s characterization of Canada’s immigration system needs additional context. Canadian immigration authorities say visitors, temporary foreign workers, students, immigrants and refugees are subject to security screening and can be deemed inadmissible for reasons including security concerns, human-rights violations and organized criminality.
That means Trump’s description of people entering Canada as essentially unvetted does not reflect how the Canadian government describes its screening system.
Is Canada Really Increasing Immigration in 2026?
Canada experienced substantial immigration growth during the earlier part of the decade, including increases in international students and temporary workers. But the direction of policy has subsequently changed.
Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan explicitly aims to reduce new temporary-resident arrivals while stabilizing permanent immigration.
The government has set a target of 385,000 new temporary-resident arrivals for 2026, followed by 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028.
- 230,000 temporary workers
- 155,000 international students
Canada has also committed to reducing temporary residents to less than 5% of the country’s population by the end of 2027.
Canada’s Temporary Immigration Has Been Falling
More recent data provides additional context. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the government is deliberately reducing the number of students and temporary workers entering Canada in an effort to ease pressure on housing, infrastructure and public services.
The Canadian Press reported that temporary-resident arrivals between January and July 2026 were 66% lower than during the same period in 2024, when Canada’s reduction measures began.
Official Canadian briefing material says the overall temporary-resident target was lowered from 673,650 to 385,000 in 2026. The target falls again to 370,000 in 2027.
So while immigration remains an important political and economic issue in Canada, current government policy is aimed at reducing temporary migration rather than continuing the rapid expansion seen previously.
What Is Canada’s Permanent Immigration Target for 2026?
Permanent immigration operates separately from Canada’s temporary-resident system. Under the current plan, Canada intends to admit approximately 380,000 permanent residents annually from 2026 through 2028.
Economic immigration remains a major component of the program. The government says economic immigration will represent approximately 64% of permanent admissions in 2027 and 2028 as Canada attempts to fill labor shortages while reducing overall pressure from temporary migration.
Canada is therefore not ending immigration. Instead, the federal government is restructuring the system around lower temporary migration, stable permanent admissions and greater emphasis on workers whose skills meet specific economic needs.
What About Trump’s Claim About Unemployment in Canada?
Trump also connected immigration with Canada’s unemployment numbers. Canada’s unemployment rate has been higher than the U.S. rate, but that comparison alone does not establish that immigration caused the difference.
Labor-market conditions can be influenced by economic growth, interest rates, business investment, population growth, sector-specific employment trends and numerous other factors. Any claim that immigration itself caused Canada’s unemployment level therefore requires evidence beyond comparing headline rates.
How Does Canada Screen Immigrants and Temporary Residents?
Another major part of Trump’s post concerned vetting. Canada’s immigration system includes screening requirements for people seeking to enter or remain in the country.
According to Canada’s Immigration Department, visitors, foreign workers, international students, immigrants and refugees undergo security-screening procedures. Applicants can be found inadmissible for reasons involving national security, organized crime, human or international-rights violations and other grounds.
The precise screening process varies depending on the immigration category and individual circumstances. That does not mean Canada’s immigration system is immune from policy disagreements or enforcement problems. Immigration levels, border security and screening standards remain subjects of political debate.
Why Are Trump and Canada Clashing Again?
The immigration comments did not emerge in isolation. U.S.-Canada relations have experienced substantial tension during Trump’s current presidency, particularly around trade and Canada’s economic relationship with other countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been pursuing stronger relationships outside the United States, including closer economic cooperation with Europe. Recent Canadian messaging has emphasized resilience, critical minerals, defense, artificial intelligence, energy and digital trade.
Canada Is Trying to Reduce Its Dependence on the United States
The larger story extends beyond immigration. Canada has historically built much of its economy around deep integration with the United States.
The United States remains Canada’s largest trading partner, but Carney’s government has increasingly emphasized diversification and stronger relationships with Europe and other markets.
This shift provides important context for the latest Trump-Canada dispute. Immigration is today’s immediate subject, but the relationship between Washington and Ottawa is also being reshaped by disagreements involving trade, tariffs, industrial policy and Canada’s international partnerships.
What Has Mark Carney Said?
Carney has emphasized cooperation among countries while also arguing that Canada needs greater economic resilience and diversified international partnerships.
His recent remarks have focused on strengthening Canada’s relationships with democratic allies and reducing vulnerability created by dependence on a single market. However, those broader comments should not automatically be characterized as a direct response to Trump’s September 23 immigration post unless Canadian officials explicitly connect the two.
Why Trump’s Canada Comments Matter to the United States
For American readers, the story matters for reasons extending beyond Canadian domestic politics. The United States and Canada share one of the world’s most significant economic relationships.
Supply chains in automobiles, energy, agriculture, manufacturing and other industries cross the border repeatedly. Political disputes involving immigration, tariffs or trade can therefore affect businesses and consumers in both countries.
Changes in Canadian immigration policy can also influence labor markets and economic growth north of the border, while changes in U.S. trade policy can directly affect Canadian businesses.
What Canada’s 2026 Immigration Numbers Actually Show
The clearest way to understand the debate is to separate political claims from measurable policy.
- Temporary residents: 385,000 targeted new arrivals in 2026.
- Temporary workers: 230,000 targeted arrivals.
- International students: 155,000 targeted arrivals.
- Permanent residents: 380,000 planned admissions.
- Temporary population objective: Below 5% of Canada’s total population by the end of 2027.
Official Canadian data therefore confirms that immigration remains substantial while also showing that the government has moved toward lower temporary-resident targets. Both points are important for understanding the debate accurately.
Trump Canada Immigration Debate: What Is Confirmed?
As of September 23, several facts can be established. Trump publicly criticized Canada’s immigration policy and argued that immigration was contributing to problems in the country.
He did not provide evidence for several of the assertions in his post, according to The Canadian Press. Canada does operate security-screening procedures for immigration and temporary-entry categories.
Ottawa has also significantly reduced temporary-resident targets and plans to bring the temporary population below 5% of the country’s total population by the end of 2027.
At the same time, Canada continues to accept permanent immigrants and views economic immigration as part of its long-term workforce strategy. The disagreement therefore combines genuine policy debates about immigration levels with claims that need to be tested against available data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Trump say about Canada?
Trump criticized Canada’s immigration policies on September 23, arguing that the country was allowing too many people to enter and connecting immigration with unemployment. He did not provide evidence for several of those assertions in the post.
Is Canada reducing immigration in 2026?
Canada is specifically reducing temporary immigration. The government has set a target of 385,000 new temporary-resident arrivals for 2026 and intends to reduce the temporary-resident population to below 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.
How many permanent residents will Canada accept in 2026?
Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets permanent-resident admissions at approximately 380,000 annually during the three-year period.
Does Canada screen immigrants?
Yes. Canada’s Immigration Department says visitors, foreign workers, students, immigrants and refugees are subject to security-screening protocols, with inadmissibility rules covering issues including security and organized criminality.
What is Mark Carney’s immigration policy?
Carney’s government is pursuing lower temporary-resident levels while maintaining permanent immigration, particularly economic immigration aimed at meeting labor-market needs.
What to Watch Next
The next development to watch is whether Trump expands his criticism into specific U.S. policy proposals affecting Canada and whether Carney or other Canadian officials issue a direct response specifically addressing Trump’s September 23 immigration claims.
Canada’s immigration numbers will also remain important. As additional 2026 data becomes available, it will provide a clearer picture of whether the government is meeting its reduced temporary-resident targets.
For now, the available evidence shows a more complicated picture than the political rhetoric alone suggests: Canada still maintains a large immigration program, but its current policy is explicitly aimed at reducing temporary-resident arrivals and stabilizing permanent immigration.
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