Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has ushered in a new immigration minister, following the recent liberal party victory in Canada’s federal election. Well, Lena Metlege Diab is Canada’s new immigration minister.
She will now lead IRCC, succeeding former Immigration Minister Rachel Bendayan.
Cabinet shuffles like today are a routine feature of Canadian politics following elections, offering prime ministers the chance to realign their ministerial teams based on performance, political priorities, or evolving policy goals.
The last major cabinet shuffle occurred in March 2025, when Rachel Bendayan was appointed as Immigration Minister, following Marc Miller’s term in the role.
Who Is Canada’s New Immigration Minister?
Lena Metlege Diab is Canada’s new immigration minister. She brings a wealth of political and legal experience to the immigration file.
She previously served as Nova Scotia’s Minister of Immigration from 2013 to 2021, becoming the first woman of Lebanese descent elected to a legislature in Canada and the first woman to serve as Attorney General and Minister of Justice in Nova Scotia’s history.
As provincial Minister of Immigration, Diab made significant strides in developing Nova Scotia’s immigration program, including nominating record numbers of new immigrant entrepreneur streams and pioneering the use of an Express Entry-aligned pilot for provincial immigration.
In addition to serving as Immigration Minister for her province, Diab also served as Nova Scotia’s Minister of:
- Acadian Affairs and Francophonie
- Labor and Advanced Education
Born and raised in Halifax to Lebanese immigrant parents, Diab is trilingual and holds degrees in commerce and law from Saint Mary’s University and Dalhousie University, respectively.
Prior to entering politics, she practiced law and was a small business owner in Halifax. Diab has remained deeply involved in the Lebanese Canadian community, having served for seven terms as president of the Canadian – Lebanon Society of Halifax. She was Society’s first female president.
According to the biographical section on the webpage for her candidacy for Halifax West’s MP seat, Minister Diab’s values are rooted in ‘diversity, inclusion, collaboration, and fairness’.
Immigration Policy Under Prime Minister Mark Carney
Lena Metlege Diab is Canada’s new immigration minister. Well, with Mark Carney now leading the Canadian government, the direction of Canada’s immigration policy might shift yet again. While specific mandate letters have yet to be made public, Carney has previously expressed support for:
- Reducing temporary resident levels
- Scaling permanent immigration back to a ‘sustainable’ level
- Supporting further economic immigration to Canada
- Increasing francophone immigration levels
- Reducing temporary resident levels
The Significance Of The Immigration Portfolio In Canadian Politics
Immigration keeps on playing a central role in Canada’s economic, demographic, and political landscape, thus serving as a crucial tool to address labor market gaps and a key driver of population growth.
Today, immigration accounts for close to 100% of Canada’s labor force and population growth.
Because of the crucial role that immigration plays in Canadian Society, immigration is often the focal point of both policy changes and media scrutiny.
Canada’s immigration department enjoys significant discretionary powers, allowing it to enact public policies that can have far-reaching effects on workers, students, families, and employers.
One example is the authority to introduce or suspend public policies, such as changes to work permit eligibility or international student work hour gaps.
The minister can invoke such temporary public policies without the need for parliamentary approval.
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