On November 5, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released supplementary details of Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, reinforcing the government’s focus on sustainable immigration, economic growth, and attracting workers with skills needed by the Canadian economy.

Overall Immigration Numbers Remain Largely Unchanged

The new plan maintains permanent resident admissions at 380,000 annually from 2027 to 2029, consistent with the previous 2026–2028 Levels Plan. Similarly, targets for new temporary resident arrivals remain at 370,000 annually, with approximately 60% allocated to workers and 40% to students.

Economic immigration continues to represent approximately 64% of permanent resident admissions, confirming the government’s emphasis on economic streams and addressing labour market needs.

What Has Changed?

Despite the new three-year planning period, overall immigration numbers remain similar to the previous plan. The most notable changes include:

• Federal Business Immigration: Admissions increase modestly, with 1,500 targeted for 2027 and 2,725 for 2028, compared with 500 annually under the previous plan.
• French-speaking Immigration: Targets for French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec increase, reaching 12% by 2029.
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): Targets increase to 95,000 annually, up from 92,500 in 2027 and 2028 under the previous plan.
• Rural Immigration: Admissions under the Rural Community Immigration Program increase and has been given its own allotment as opposed to being looped in with all other Federal Economic Pilots.

Transitioning Temporary Residents to Permanent Residence

IRCC also announced a new time-limited measure to transition workers already in Canada, alongside certain individuals awaiting permanent residence on humanitarian grounds.

Importantly, this resembles last year’s announcement to accelerate the transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027. That announcement did not establish a standalone immigration program. Rather, it prioritized individuals already contributing to Canada’s economy and communities.

It is reasonable to expect a similar approach under the new measure, with greater emphasis on transitioning established workers already in Canada rather than creating an entirely new pathway.

If you have questions about your Canadian immigration options or would like assistance navigating Canada’s evolving immigration programs in conjunction with this announcement, feel free to contact us.