Every year the federal government publishes an Immigration Levels Plan — the targets that decide how many people Canada admits in each program. The 2026–2028 plan shapes almost every application processed this year, from spousal sponsorship to Express Entry. Here is what it says and what it means for you.
Permanent residents: stable at 380,000
The plan sets permanent resident admissions at 380,000 for each of 2026, 2027 and 2028. For 2026, IRCC's breakdown is:
- Economic immigration: 239,800 (including 109,000 through federal high-skilled programs like Express Entry and 91,500 through Provincial Nominee Programs)
- Family: 84,000 (69,000 spouses, partners and children; 15,000 parents and grandparents)
- Refugees and protected persons: 49,300 (including 20,000 protected persons in Canada)
- Humanitarian & compassionate and other: 6,900
Economic immigrants rise to about 64% of admissions by 2027 — the highest share in over a decade. Francophone immigration outside Quebec is targeted at 9% in 2026, rising to 10.5% by 2028.
Temporary residents: a real cut
The bigger change is on the temporary side. New temporary resident arrivals are targeted at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in each of 2027 and 2028. Within that, international students fall to 155,000 in 2026 (then 150,000), and Temporary Foreign Worker Program arrivals fall from 60,000 to 50,000 from 2027. The government's goal is to bring the temporary population down as a share of Canada's total population.
For students and workers, that means more competition for permits and less room for error. See our guides to study permits in 2026 and the low-wage LMIA freeze in the GTA.
Two one-time pathways to PR
In addition to the 380,000 target, the plan includes two one-time initiatives over 2026 and 2027:
- About 115,000 protected persons already in Canada and on a path to permanent residence will have that transition streamlined.
- Up to 33,000 work permit holders with established roots in their communities will have their transition to permanent residence accelerated.
If you are a protected person who has not yet applied for permanent residence, this is the time to get your application in properly.
What it means for families
Family-class targets are lower than in the previous plan, and IRCC has said spousal processing times are expected to increase because applications exceed available spaces. New Parents and Grandparents Program applications are paused in 2026. A complete, well-documented spousal sponsorship application avoids adding months on top of an already long wait.
What's next: the 2027–2029 plan
The next levels plan is due to be tabled in Parliament in fall 2026. At the time of writing (late October 2026) it had not yet been released. The 2027 and 2028 figures above are provisional and may be confirmed or revised — we will update this guide when the new plan is published.
This article is general information, not legal advice. If you want to know how these targets affect your own application, book a consultation through our immigration services.
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants will Canada admit in 2026?
The 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 380,000 new permanent residents in 2026, with the same target for 2027 and 2028, plus one-time initiatives for protected persons and work permit holders.
Is Canada reducing temporary residents?
Yes. New temporary resident arrivals are targeted at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027 and 2028, with lower targets for international students and Temporary Foreign Worker Program workers.
What is the one-time initiative for protected persons?
The plan streamlines the transition of approximately 115,000 protected persons already on a path to permanent residence over two years. These admissions are in addition to the regular targets.
Official sources
Written by Meena Sharma, RCIC-IRB
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant licensed by the CICC and authorized to represent clients before the Immigration and Refugee Board. This article is general information, not legal advice.