Canada’s next Immigration Levels Plan is expected to shape the country’s permanent residence and temporary resident priorities for 2027 to 2029.
As of September 2026, the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan has not yet been released. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that work is underway and that the plan is expected to be tabled in fall 2026. Therefore, applicants should be careful about treating future targets or program changes as confirmed. Government of Canada
However, the current 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan provides important clues about the direction Canada may take. The government is focusing on economic immigration, labour-market needs, reducing the temporary resident population and increasing Francophone immigration outside Quebec.
What Is Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan?
The Immigration Levels Plan is Canada’s multi-year framework for planning how many permanent residents and temporary residents the country expects to admit.
For permanent residents, the plan establishes targets across major immigration categories, including:
- Economic immigration
- Family reunification
- Refugees and protected persons
- Humanitarian and other immigration programs
Since the 2025–2027 plan, Canada has also included targets for new temporary resident arrivals, including international students and temporary workers.
When Will Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan Be Released?
IRCC has confirmed that work is underway on the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan and that it will be tabled in fall 2026.
This means the final targets for 2029, and any changes to the balance between immigration categories, should not be treated as official until the government releases the plan.
Until then, the 2026–2028 plan remains the most useful official baseline for understanding Canada’s current immigration direction.
What Are the Current PR Targets?
Under the current 2026–2028 plan, Canada has set a target of 380,000 permanent resident admissions per year for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
| Year | Current PR Target | Temporary Resident Arrival Target |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 380,000 | 385,000 |
| 2027 | 380,000 | 370,000 |
| 2028 | 380,000 | 370,000 |
The government has also committed to keeping permanent resident admissions below 1% of Canada’s population beyond 2027 and reducing the temporary resident population to less than 5% of the population by the end of 2027. Government of Canada
What Could Change in the 2027–2029 Plan?
The final plan could adjust admission targets between different immigration categories. While the details are not yet confirmed, several existing government priorities may influence the next plan.
1. Economic Immigration Could Remain the Main Priority
Economic immigration currently represents the largest share of Canada’s planned permanent resident admissions.
Under the 2026–2028 plan, the economic category represents approximately 64% of permanent resident admissions in both 2027 and 2028—the highest proportion in more than a decade.
This suggests that applicants with skills, work experience and profiles aligned with Canada’s labour-market needs may continue to receive significant attention in future immigration planning.
2. Express Entry Could Continue to Focus on Labour-Market Priorities
Immigration Levels Plans establish overall admission targets, while Express Entry categories and invitation rounds are used to select eligible candidates.
Recent Express Entry policy has placed greater emphasis on candidates who can help address specific labour-market and demographic priorities.
This means future applicants should not look only at their overall CRS score. Their occupation, Canadian work experience, language ability, French proficiency and eligibility for category-based selection may also become increasingly important.
However, the 2027 Express Entry categories and selection criteria should not be treated as confirmed until IRCC officially announces them.
3. Provincial Nominee Programs Could Remain Important
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) allow provinces and territories to select candidates who meet regional economic and labour-market needs.
The current 2026–2028 plan provides substantial PNP targets, including 91,500 admissions in 2026 and 92,500 in both 2027 and 2028.
If regional labour shortages remain a major policy priority, provincial nomination could continue to be an important pathway for candidates whose profiles do not receive an invitation through a federal Express Entry draw.
A provincial nomination through an Express Entry-linked stream can provide 600 additional CRS points, although receiving a nomination or entering a pool does not guarantee permanent residence.
4. French-Speaking Immigration Could Become More Important
Francophone immigration outside Quebec is another clearly established federal priority.
The current plan sets French-speaking permanent resident targets outside Quebec at:
- 9% in 2026
- 9.5% in 2027
- 10.5% in 2028
The federal government has committed to reaching 12% Francophone permanent resident admissions outside Quebec by 2029.
This could create continued opportunities for eligible French-speaking candidates in Express Entry and other economic immigration pathways.
5. Canada May Continue Prioritizing People Already in Canada
Canada has stated that it wants to focus permanent residence on people who are already living in Canada, working and contributing to the country.
The government has also announced one-time initiatives to transition some temporary workers already in Canada to permanent residence. The 2026–2028 plan includes a transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers as part of broader measures in 2026 and 2027.
This does not mean that every international student or temporary foreign worker will automatically receive PR. Applicants still need to qualify under an available immigration program.
6. Temporary Resident Numbers Could Remain Tightly Managed
The government is also focused on reducing the proportion of temporary residents in Canada.
The current plan targets 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals in both 2027 and 2028, compared with 385,000 in 2026.
International students and temporary workers are therefore likely to remain subject to careful planning as Canada balances labour-market needs with pressures related to housing, infrastructure and public services.
What Could This Mean for PR Applicants?
The 2027–2029 plan could affect applicants differently depending on their immigration pathway.
| Applicant Profile | Potential Impact |
|---|---|
| Express Entry candidates | Category priorities and invitation patterns could remain important. |
| PNP candidates | Provincial labour-market priorities may continue to create opportunities. |
| Temporary workers in Canada | In-Canada transition pathways may remain important. |
| International graduates | Canadian work experience and eligibility for economic pathways may become increasingly important. |
| French-speaking candidates | Continued federal focus on Francophone immigration could create opportunities. |
| Applicants outside Canada | Selection may continue to emphasize labour-market, regional and demographic priorities. |
Will Canada’s PR Target Increase in 2027?
It is not yet known.
The current 2026–2028 plan sets 380,000 PR admissions for 2027, but the new 2027–2029 plan could revise that number.
Applicants should therefore avoid relying on predictions that Canada will definitely increase or decrease PR admissions in 2027 until the official plan is released.
Could CRS Scores Change Because of the New Immigration Levels Plan?
Possibly, but there is no fixed CRS score that automatically follows from an Immigration Levels Plan.
CRS cut-offs depend on several factors, including:
- The number of invitations issued
- The type of Express Entry draw
- The size and composition of the candidate pool
- Category-based selection criteria
- Provincial nominations
- Candidate profiles and CRS distributions
Therefore, applicants should not assume that a specific CRS score will be enough for PR in 2027 simply because overall immigration targets change.
What Should PR Applicants Do Before the 2027–2029 Plan Is Released?
Applicants should focus on factors they can control rather than waiting for the final immigration targets.
- Improve your language score: Higher language results can improve eligibility and CRS competitiveness.
- Build eligible Canadian work experience: Canadian experience can open additional economic immigration options.
- Check PNP opportunities: Review provincial programs based on your occupation, experience and location.
- Consider French: French-language ability may become increasingly valuable as Canada works toward its 2029 Francophone immigration target.
- Review your NOC and TEER classification: Make sure your work experience is correctly classified for the immigration program you are considering.
- Monitor Express Entry categories: Category-based selection can create opportunities that are not obvious from CRS alone.
- Keep your temporary status valid: Temporary residents should plan their status carefully while pursuing a potential PR pathway.
- Prepare documents early: Education assessments, language tests, employment records and other documents can take time to obtain.
Will International Students Still Have a Pathway to PR?
International students may continue to have pathways to permanent residence, but studying in Canada does not automatically lead to PR.
The government’s current approach suggests that Canada’s immigration system is increasingly focused on selecting people who can meet economic and labour-market priorities.
For international graduates, factors such as eligible Canadian work experience, occupation, language proficiency and provincial opportunities may therefore be important when developing a PR strategy.
Will Temporary Foreign Workers Have Better PR Opportunities?
Temporary foreign workers may benefit from Canada’s focus on people already established in Canada, particularly where their work experience aligns with identified labour-market needs.
However, the government has not announced that all temporary workers will receive permanent residence. Eligibility will continue to depend on the specific immigration program or pathway.
Key Takeaway: What Should Applicants Watch?
The 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan could influence Canada’s PR landscape significantly, but the final numbers are not available yet.
Based on the current direction of immigration policy, applicants should watch five major areas:
- Economic immigration targets
- Express Entry category priorities
- Provincial Nominee Program allocations
- Francophone immigration targets
- Transitions from temporary residence to permanent residence
The most important point is that policy direction is not the same as a confirmed program change. Until IRCC tables the 2027–2029 plan and announces specific program changes, applicants should avoid relying on rumours or unofficial predictions.
Need Help Planning Your Canada PR Strategy?
Canada’s immigration system is becoming increasingly targeted toward economic needs, regional labour shortages, French-language immigration and candidates already established in Canada.
If you are a temporary worker, international graduate, Express Entry candidate or prospective immigrant, understanding how your profile fits into the available pathways can help you make better decisions.
Dhunna Immigration Consulting Inc.
Phone: +1 778-957-5656
Email: info@dhunnaimmigration.ca
Instagram: @dhunnaimmigration_nisha
Disclaimer: Every case is different. No outcome can be guaranteed.
Official References
- Government of Canada – Immigration Levels Plan
- Government of Canada – Supplementary Information for the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan
- Government of Canada – Meeting Our Population Commitments and Building Our Future
- Government of Canada – Express Entry
- Government of Canada – Provincial Nominee Program