Lena Metlege Diab Appointed as Canada’s New Immigration Minister: A Chance to Address Past Challenges

On May 13, 2025, Lena Metlege Diab was named Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship under Prime Minister Mark Carney, as reported by CIC News. This marks the second leadership change in the immigration portfolio since Carney took office, following the brief tenure of Rachel Bendayan, who was appointed in March 2025 but served only a few weeks. The quick turnover raises questions about the direction of Canada’s immigration policy. Lena Metlege Diab inherits a system strained by challenges from the tenure of her predecessor, Marc Miller, under the Trudeau government. Below, we explore her background, key issues from the previous administration, and the priorities she might focus on to address these concerns, assuming the Carney government is committed to meaningful progress.

Who is Lena Metlege Diab?

Lena Metlege Diab, the Member of Parliament for Halifax West since 2021, brings a varied background to her new role. Originally from Lebanon and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, she is a lawyer fluent in English, French, and Arabic. Her experience as Nova Scotia’s Minister of Immigration from 2013 to 2017 included promoting programs like the Atlantic Immigration Pilot to attract and retain newcomers. Her immigrant roots and regional expertise position her well to navigate the complexities of Canada’s national immigration system, though the scale of current challenges will test her capabilities.

Challenges from the Trudeau Government’s Immigration Policies

Marc Miller, who served as Immigration Minister under Justin Trudeau until January 2025, pursued ambitious immigration targets to support economic growth and humanitarian commitments. While these efforts helped address labor shortages, they also created significant strains. Based on available sources, here are four notable missteps from the Trudeau government’s immigration policies under Miller’s leadership:

1. Population Growth Outpacing Infrastructure: The Trudeau government raised permanent resident targets to 485,000 in 2024, contributing to a population of 41 million by April 2024. This rapid growth strained housing, healthcare, and social services, as infrastructure development lagged, fuelling affordability concerns.
2. Weak Oversight of Temporary Immigration: A focus on permanent immigration led to inadequate regulation of temporary pathways, such as international student and temporary foreign worker programs. This allowed exploitative practices by some institutions and employers, which Trudeau later acknowledged as a failure to curb “bad actors.”
3. Slow Adjustment to Economic Shifts: Post-COVID, Miller’s policies brought in temporary workers to meet labor demands, aiding economic recovery. However, the government was slow to adjust these policies when economic conditions changed, contributing to housing and job market pressures.
4. Lack of Housing Coordination: Immigration targets were not aligned with housing supply, exacerbating Canada’s affordability crisis. Critics noted a disconnect between federal immigration goals and provincial housing capacities, which fuelled public frustration.

These challenges contributed to a decline in public support for immigration. A 2024 Environics Institute poll found 58% of Canadians believed immigration levels were too high, up from 31% in 2022.

Priorities for Lena Metlege Diab

Minister Diab steps into a role that demands careful navigation of systemic issues and public expectations. If the Carney government is serious about reform, there is much work to be done:

1. Improving Application Efficiency: Persistent backlogs in permanent residency, study permits, and visitor visa applications have frustrated applicants. The Minister could prioritize investments in technology and staffing to streamline processes. That said, IRCC announced they are cutting 3,000 workers from their ranks, so faster processing does not bode well, despite the anticipated drop in application volumes. Moreover, IRCC online portals continue to be glitchy and tedious to use.
2. Aligning Immigration with Infrastructure: The new Minister should collaborate with provinces to ensure immigration levels match housing and service capacities, potentially adjusting targets as needed.
3. Strengthening Oversight of Temporary Pathways: Addressing fraud and abuse in international student and temporary worker programs requires stricter vetting of schools, employers, and applicants.
4. Fixing Bad Policy: The immigration regime is rife with bad policies, stitched together in a haphazard way. For example, the elimination of 200 extra Express Entry points for business owners and NOC OO employees has eliminated a pathway for immigration for the very people Canada needs: industry leaders and business owners who are above the age of 35 and don’t score points for Age in the Comprehensive Ranking System. The government should immediately bring back the 200 extra points for LMIA and International Mobility work permits for certain individuals.