Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028
Hello World! On November 4, 2025, the Canadian government released the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. As a statutory plan published every year, it sets the immigration targets for the upcoming year and notional targets for the following two years. We’ll introduce the details in this blog.
Key Points of the Plan
This year’s plan emphasizes reducing the number of temporary residents and permanent residents to return to a sustainable level of immigration. The following are the three main commitments:
1. Reduce temporary population to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027
2. Stabilize permanent resident admissions at less than 1% of the total population after 2027
3. Increase the Francophone immigration target to 12% of permanent resident admissions by 2029
1. Temporary Residents
From last year’s Plan, Canada has set intake targets for newly arriving temporary residents, such as international students and foreign workers.
Work Permit
To work in Canada, foreign nationals must obtain a Work Permit under either 1) the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) which requires a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), or 2) the International Mobility Program (IMP) which is exempt from the LMIA. The TFWP already has LMIA application restrictions based on regional unemployment rates, and it is expected the LMIA process will become even stricter after 2026. Therefore, the IMP such as Working Holiday is becoming the main option. (*Previous blog: New Unemployment Rates for LMIA)
Study Permit
Starting in 2024, Canada set a cap on the number of Study Permits issuance, causing a sharp decrease in international students’ intake. The 2026 target will be 50% of the 2025 Plan.
(*Previous blog: Important Notice for International Students)
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work Permit | 367,750 | 230,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
| TFWP | 82,000 | 60,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| IMP | 285,750 | 170,000 | 170,000 | 170,000 |
| Study Permit | 305,900 | 155,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
| Total | 673,650 | 385,000 | 370,000 | 370,000 |
The Plan reduced the total target for foreign workers and international students from 673,650 in 2025 to 385,000 in 2026. However, 2025 actual admissions stayed well below the target. Between January and August 2025, Canada admitted 154,515 foreign workers, only 42% of the yearly goal, and 89,430 international students, only 29% of the goal. This suggests that the 2026 target aligns more with the 2025 results than a sharp reduction.
2. Permanent Residents
The Plan keeps the permanent resident target at 380,000, and prioritizes economic immigrants who represent 64% of the total. Among economic immigrants, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) intake numbers are approaching those of Express Entry.
PNP quotas fell by half at the beginning of 2025 temporarily but increased later in most provinces except Ontario and PEI. This shift prioritizes applicants already working in the provinces over new international applicants and highlights the provinces’ growing role in leading immigration strategy.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | 232,150 | 239,800 | 244,700 | 244,700 |
| Express Entry | 137,600 | 109,000 | 111,000 | 111,000 |
| PNP | 55,000 | 91,500 | 92,500 | 92,500 |
| Others | 39,550 | 39,300 | 41,200 | 41,200 |
| Family | 94,500 | 84,000 | 81,000 | 81,000 |
| Refugees | 68,350 | 56,200 | 54,300 | 54,300 |
| Total | 395,000 | 380,000 | 380,000 | 380,000 |
3. Francophone
The Plan continues to increase the target for French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec, and it expects to maintain preferential policies for French-speaking immigrants over the next few years.(*Previous blog: Immigration News Announced in Oct 2025)
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francophone | 8.5% (29,325) | 9% (30,267) | 9.5% (31,825) | 10.5% (35,175) |
Temporary Measure: Transition from Work Permits to Permanent Residency
The Plan introduced a temporary measure to adjust immigration to sustainable levels. It allows up to 33,000 Work Permit holders to transition to permanent residency during 2026 and 2027. This number is in addition to the permanent resident intake under the Plan. The government does not yet provide details on regions, eligible occupations, or the application process, so updates will follow.
The Plan also allows approximately 115,000 protected persons, including designated refugees, to transition to permanent residency over the next two years.
Please see the government homepage for full details of the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels.html
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels/supplementary-immigration-levels-2026-2028.html
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Time flies—this year marks the 5th anniversary since I started my independent practice. With immigration rules becoming stricter, I had the pleasure of consulting many clients and assisting with their applications this year. Immigration law will continue to change frequently, and I look forward to helping more people while keeping up with the latest rules.
For existing clients, support will continue as usual. For new clients, we will pause new consultations for the year. Please reach out through this form, and we will respond starting January 5, 2025.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year!
“You are one step closer to Canada!”
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