Canada’s Economic Integration Plan: Can it deliver economic justice for LGBTQI+ refugees over 35?

In June 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its 2025–26 Departmental Plan, positioning economic integration for newcomers as a cornerstone of national prosperity and equity. The plan highlights a 77.8% employment rate for immigrants aged 25–54 who landed between one and five years ago, and notes that 87.5% report a strong sense of belonging.

But for LGBTQI+ refugees who arrive in Canada at age 35 and older, these statistics fail to capture the full story. Many face interrupted careers, compounded systemic barriers, and limited access to long-term financial tools.

While the plan focuses on early integration, it misses the mark on economic justice across the lifespan—especially for those with complex migration journeys.

What the 2025–26 IRCC plan includes

The federal economic integration strategy includes:

Alignment of immigration pathways (Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, economic pilots) with labour market needs.
A temporary resident population cap of 5% and plans to stabilize permanent resident levels to under 1% of Canada’s population annually by 2027.
Expanded settlement support: language training, foreign credential recognition, and an equity-focused funding stream for marginalized communities.
Digital Platform Modernization and Case Management Platform to improve service navigation and processing times.

These priorities signal relative progress, but they do not address the long-term economic integration needs of older LGBTQI+ refugee populations.

What’s missing for LGBTQI+ refugees over age 35?

Despite its equity language, the plan falls short in delivering inclusive economic policies for older LGBTQI+ refugee newcomers:

No lifespan approach to economic inclusion for refugees with interrupted financial and career stages/histories.
Inadequate dedicated tools for long-term savings and retirement planning that effectively address the shorter income-earning lifespan in Canada for refugees over 35.
No explicit recognition of compounding discrimination faced by Black, queer, and trans refugees, including employment discrimination.

As a result, many older LGBTQI+ refugees are left without a clear path to financial security and economic dignity in Canada.

A Policy innovation: The Refugee Retirement Savings Fund (RRSF)

To close this gap, I have proposed the Refugee Retirement Savings Fund (RRSF)—a supplemental savings mechanism designed for refugees aged 35 and over. This fund would complement the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) by:

Allowing up to $10,000 per year in additional tax-deferred savings room for up to 10 years.
Verifying eligibility through existing IRB documentation—no new red tape
Permitting flexible transfers into RRSPs or taxable withdrawals at retirement after the 10-year period.

Building an inclusive economic justice agenda in Canada

To truly advance economic equity for LGBTQI+ refugees, Canada must:

Invest in lifespan-oriented financial tools like the proposed RRSF to support financial independence.
Encourage employer partnerships to offer matched savings for the proposed RRSF and financial literacy programs for refugees.
Create economic justice pilot programs co-designed with LGBTQI+ refugee-led organizations to address intersecting barriers tied to age, gender, and displacement.

From employment to belonging

Canada’s 2025–26 economic integration plan for newcomers is an important step—but true economic justice requires more than early employment metrics. For LGBTQI+ refugees over 35, belonging must include the right to retire with dignity, not just the opportunity to work today.

By adopting proposals like the RRSF, Canada can build a more inclusive and future-ready immigration system—one that offers every newcomer the opportunity to thrive across their entire life course.