On this page, you will find:
- What the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan sets
- How the new targets compare with the 2026-2028 plan
- The pathway for up to 200,000 temporary residents
- What has not yet been published
- What the plan means for applicants
- Frequently asked questions
Canada’s 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan holds permanent resident admissions at 380,000 a year and new temporary resident arrivals at 370,000 a year through 2029, according to Budget 2026, tabled by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne on November 5, 2026.
For the second year in a row, the federal government folded its annual Immigration Levels Plan into the budget rather than releasing it separately. The plan arrives four days after the November 1 date set out in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which this year fell on a Sunday.
The headline numbers confirm the course set last fall rather than change it. The budget’s main new measure is a pathway that would let up to 200,000 temporary residents already in Canada become permanent residents by the end of 2027.
What the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan Sets
Budget 2026 states that the plan “sets targets of 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals and 380,000 permanent resident admissions in each of 2027, 2028, and 2029.”
| Resident category | 2023 (actual) | 2024 (actual) | 2027–2029 (annual target) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New temporary resident arrivals | 971,815 | 686,010 | 370,000 |
| Permanent resident admissions | 471,820 | 483,655 | 380,000 |
Source: Budget 2026, Chapter 3, Chart 3.1 (IRCC data as of August 31, 2026).
Over the three years, that adds up to 1.14 million planned permanent resident admissions. The annual permanent resident target is about 21% below the 483,655 admissions recorded in 2024. The temporary arrivals target is about 46% below 2024 arrivals and about 62% below 2023.
The budget proposes $56.9 million over four years for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), starting in 2027-28, with $205.4 million in later years, to carry out the plan.
How the New Targets Compare With the 2026-2028 Plan
Last year’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan already set 380,000 permanent resident admissions for each of 2026, 2027 and 2028, within a range of 350,000 to 420,000. It set new temporary resident arrivals at 385,000 for 2026 and 370,000 for 2027 and 2028. IRCC described the 2027 and 2028 figures as notional, to be confirmed or adjusted each November.
The new plan confirms those numbers and carries them into 2029:
- Permanent residents: 380,000 for 2027 and 2028 confirmed; 380,000 added for 2029.
- Temporary residents: 370,000 for 2027 and 2028 confirmed; 370,000 added for 2029.
The decision settles weeks of mixed signals. In September, Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke of eventually resuming a “controlled increase” in population. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab later pointed to slowing population growth, saying “We do need people.” The Conservative Opposition had called for lower levels. Ahead of the budget, immigration.ca’s Colin R. Singer argued that Ottawa must pause economic immigration to clear the Lost Canadians backlog. In the end, the overall targets did not move in either direction.
The budget frames the targets against a sharp drop in new temporary arrivals. It reports that between January and August 2026, compared with the same period in 2024:
- new international student arrivals were 71% lower (156,440 fewer);
- new worker arrivals were 57% lower (170,455 fewer); and
- new asylum claims were 68% lower.
Statistics Canada estimated Canada’s population at 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, up 0.5% from a year earlier, the smallest July-to-July gain since 1944-45. The government’s stated goal is to bring temporary residents below 5% of the population by the end of 2027.
The Pathway for Up to 200,000 Temporary Residents
The most significant new measure for people already in Canada is a one-time transition to permanent residence. According to the budget:
- up to 200,000 temporary residents already in Canada would have the opportunity to become permanent residents by the end of 2027;
- of these, 100,000 workers eligible for Express Entry or the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) would transition through collaboration with the provinces and territories; and
- the measure is meant to increase the provincial and territorial share of permanent economic immigration.
Budget 2026 proposes $302.3 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, with $90.6 million in later years, to implement it.
The budget does not yet say who makes up the remaining 100,000, how candidates will be selected, or whether these admissions count inside the 380,000 annual target. The 2026-2028 plan placed its one-time initiatives (approximately 115,000 protected persons and 33,000 in-Canada skilled workers over 2026 and 2027) outside the overall target. Applicants should not assume the same treatment until IRCC publishes the details.
The budget also proposes $151.5 million over five years, starting in 2026-27, for Employment and Social Development Canada to reform the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to better match regional labour market needs, improve processing times and strengthen employer compliance.
What Has Not Yet Been Published
The budget gives only the two overall targets. It states that “additional details on the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan will be provided” when the Immigration Minister tables the 2026 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration.
Until then, the following are not public:
- targets by class (economic, family, refugees and protected persons, humanitarian);
- program-level targets, such as Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) and the PNP;
- the split of temporary arrivals between workers and students;
- the low and high planning ranges; and
- Francophone admission targets outside Quebec.
For reference, the 2026-2028 plan set the economic class at 239,800 for 2026 and 244,700 for 2027 and 2028, with Federal High Skilled at 109,000 and the PNP at 91,500 for 2026. Whether the new plan keeps those allocations is not yet known. immigration.ca will update this article when IRCC publishes the full tables.
What the Plan Means for Applicants
Overall competition for permanent residence will stay about where it is. With total admissions flat at 380,000 a year and a large group of temporary residents already in Canada, in-Canada candidates are likely to keep an advantage. The new 200,000-person pathway points the same way.
For Express Entry candidates, the program changes that took effect November 3, 2026, which give more points to high-wage workers, matter more in the near term than the headline target. Federal High Skilled admissions for 2027 onward will be known only when the full tables are released.
For PNP candidates, the budget’s stated aim of increasing the provincial and territorial share of economic immigration is notable. Provincial allocations are typically confirmed after the levels plan is published.
For prospective students and temporary workers abroad, the 370,000 cap on new arrivals continues the tighter intake of the past two years. Those already in Canada on a work or study permit should watch for eligibility details on the transition pathway.
Each case depends on the applicant’s status, occupation, province and timing. Applicants weighing their options under the new plan should seek advice from a licensed immigration professional. Background on the current plan is in immigration.ca’s Immigration Levels Plan guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Canada’s immigration targets for 2027 to 2029?
The 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan sets 380,000 permanent resident admissions and 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals in each of 2027, 2028 and 2029.
Did Canada lower its immigration levels in Budget 2026?
No. The targets for 2027 and 2028 are unchanged from the 2026-2028 plan, and 2029 is set at the same level. They remain well below 2024, when Canada admitted 483,655 permanent residents and 686,010 new temporary residents.
Did Canada raise its immigration levels in Budget 2026?
No. Despite earlier talk of a “controlled increase,” the overall targets stayed flat. The main expansion is a one-time pathway for up to 200,000 temporary residents already in Canada to become permanent residents by the end of 2027.
Who qualifies for the 200,000 temporary resident pathway?
The budget says 100,000 of the places are for workers eligible for Express Entry or the Provincial Nominee Program, selected in collaboration with the provinces and territories. The government has not yet published eligibility criteria for the rest of the measure or details on how to apply.
Does the 200,000 pathway count toward the 380,000 target?
The budget does not say. Last year’s one-time initiatives were placed outside the overall target, but IRCC has not confirmed how the new measure will be counted.
How many Express Entry and PNP admissions are planned for 2027?
Not yet known. The budget gives only overall targets. Program-level figures are expected in the 2026 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. Under the previous plan, Federal High Skilled was set at 111,000 and the PNP at 92,500 for 2027.
Why was the levels plan released after November 1?
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act sets November 1 as the tabling date when the House of Commons is sitting. For the second straight year, the government released the plan with the budget. This year, November 1 fell on a Sunday.
How many international students will Canada admit in 2027?
The split between students and workers within the 370,000 temporary arrivals target has not been published. The previous plan had set 150,000 new student arrivals for 2027.
When will the full 2027-2029 levels plan be published?
The budget says more details will come when the Immigration Minister tables the 2026 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. No date has been announced.
Is the temporary resident target a cap on total temporary residents?
No. The 370,000 figure counts new arrivals of workers and students in a year. It does not count all temporary residents in Canada, and it does not include asylum claimants or visitors.