On This Page, You Will Find:
- When the next Immigration Levels Plan will be released
- Prime Minister Carney’s comments on a “controlled increase”
- The 2026-2028 plan at a glance
- Temporary resident targets
- Permanent resident targets by category
- Economic immigration
- Family reunification
- Refugees, protected persons and humanitarian admissions
- One-time initiatives outside the targets
- What it means for applicants
- Frequently asked questions
Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan sets how many new permanent residents the country intends to admit each year, and since 2024 it has also set targets for new temporary workers and international students. The plan in force today is the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, tabled on November 4, 2025. It holds permanent resident admissions at 380,000 a year and cuts new temporary arrivals sharply.
That plan is about to be replaced. The government must table its 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan within weeks, and in late September 2026 Prime Minister Mark Carney signalled that, with the system “under control”, Canada could soon resume a gradual increase in its population through immigration. This page explains what is in the current plan, what has been said about the next one, and what applicants should watch for.
When Will the Next Immigration Levels Plan Be Released?
The Levels Plan is tabled in Parliament as part of the Minister’s Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. Under section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Minister must table that report on or before November 1 each year or, if a House of Parliament is not sitting on that date, within the next 30 days on which that House sits.
November 1, 2026 falls on a Sunday, so the 2027-2029 plan is expected in late October or in the first sitting days of November 2026. As of mid-October 2026, it has not yet been tabled, and IRCC has published no official 2027-2029 targets. Any figures circulating online before tabling are projections, not government policy.
The 2026-2028 plan already contains “notional” targets for 2027 and 2028. IRCC’s supplementary information states that those notional figures will be confirmed or adjusted each year, so the new plan may keep them, raise them or lower them.
Prime Minister Carney’s Comments on a “Controlled Increase”
In an interview with The New York Times, reported by The Canadian Press on September 29, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney said that with the immigration system back under control, the question now becomes when to resume “some controlled increase in the population, which is the nature of Canada”. He added that this “will happen”, but that the government wants to make sure the system remains under control.
The remarks mark a change in tone. Earlier in 2026, the government emphasised that it had “taken back control” of immigration after several years of rapid population growth. Carney did not give any numbers, and no targets have been changed. When asked whether an increase was planned, a spokesperson for Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan will “ensure immigration remains at sustainable levels”.
Reaction was mixed. The Conservative immigration critic said levels should go down, not up, while the C.D. Howe Institute’s immigration targets council recommended continuing to reduce permanent resident admissions over the next three years. Whether the new plan raises permanent resident targets, slows the cuts to temporary arrivals, or leaves the 2027 and 2028 figures unchanged will only be known once it is tabled. For our news coverage, see Carney signals Canada may raise immigration levels again.
The 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan at a Glance
The 2026-2028 plan was built around a return to what the government calls sustainable immigration levels. Its main features are:
- 380,000 permanent resident admissions in each of 2026, 2027 and 2028, within a range of 350,000 to 420,000
- 385,000 new temporary resident arrivals in 2026, falling to 370,000 in 2027 and 2028
- a commitment to reduce the temporary resident population to less than 5% of Canada’s total population by the end of 2027
- an economic share of permanent resident admissions reaching 64% in 2027 and 2028
- French-speaking admissions outside Quebec rising from 9% in 2026 to 10.5% in 2028, supporting a goal of 12% by 2029
- two one-time initiatives to grant permanent residence to protected persons and in-Canada workers, on top of the 380,000 target
Temporary Resident Targets
New temporary arrivals are being reduced through tighter eligibility and lower intake for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the International Mobility Program and the international student program.
| Category | 2026 Target | 2027 Target (notional) | 2028 Target (notional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall new temporary arrivals | 385,000 (375,000-395,000) | 370,000 (360,000-380,000) | 370,000 (360,000-380,000) |
| Workers (total) | 230,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
| International Mobility Program | 170,000 | 170,000 | 170,000 |
| Temporary Foreign Worker Program | 60,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Students | 155,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
Key points:
- The 2026 target of 385,000 compares with 673,650 new temporary arrivals targeted for 2025 under the previous plan, a reduction of about 43%.
- Temporary Foreign Worker Program arrivals fall from 60,000 in 2026 to 50,000 in 2027, a drop of about 17%.
- Post-Graduation Work Permits are not counted, because IRCC treats them as an extension or change of status rather than a new arrival. Targets also exclude visitors, permit extensions and asylum claimants.
- IRCC says the plan will consider sectors affected by tariffs and the needs of rural and remote communities.
Permanent Resident Targets by Category
Permanent resident admissions are stable at 380,000 a year, with a growing share reserved for economic immigrants and a stronger regional role for the Provincial Nominee Program.
| Immigration Category | 2026 Target | 2027 Target (notional) | 2028 Target (notional) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall permanent residents | 380,000 (350,000-420,000) | 380,000 (350,000-420,000) | 380,000 (350,000-420,000) |
| French-speaking admissions outside Quebec | 9% (30,267) | 9.5% (31,825) | 10.5% (35,175) |
| Total economic | 239,800 | 244,700 | 244,700 |
| Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) | 109,000 | 111,000 | 111,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 91,500 | 92,500 | 92,500 |
| Federal Business | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Federal economic pilots | 8,175 | 8,775 | 8,775 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Total family | 84,000 | 81,000 | 81,000 |
| Spouses, partners and children | 69,000 | 66,000 | 66,000 |
| Parents and grandparents | 15,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Total refugees and protected persons | 49,300 | 49,300 | 49,300 |
| Total humanitarian and compassionate and other | 6,900 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
Quebec’s economic targets are not set federally. Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec selects its own economic immigrants and publishes its own immigration plan.
IRCC’s own tracking shows how 2026 is progressing: by the end of July 2026, about 188,800 new permanent residents had been admitted under the levels plan, roughly half the annual target.
Economic Immigration
The economic class is the largest part of the plan, rising from 239,800 admissions in 2026 to 244,700 in 2027 and 2028.
Federal High Skilled (Express Entry)
Targets: 109,000 in 2026 (range 85,000-120,000) and 111,000 in 2027 and 2028 (range 86,000-122,000). This category covers the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class, all managed through Express Entry. Each year the Minister also sets category-based selection priorities tied to labour market needs.
Provincial Nominee Program
Targets: 91,500 in 2026 and 92,500 in 2027 and 2028. The PNP lets provinces and territories nominate candidates whose skills match local labour shortages.
Federal Business
Targets: 500 a year (range 250-1,000), covering the Start-up Visa Program and the Self-Employed Persons Program. Both programs are now closed to new applications, so these spaces are being used to process existing files. See our business immigration overview for the current position.
Economic Pilots and the Atlantic Immigration Program
Economic pilots are targeted at 8,175 admissions in 2026 and 8,775 in 2027 and 2028. They include the Home Care Worker Immigration caregiver pilots, the Agri-Food Pilot, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, and the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot. The Atlantic Immigration Program is set at 4,000 a year (range 3,000-5,000).
Family Reunification
Family class admissions total 84,000 in 2026 and 81,000 in 2027 and 2028, between 21.3% and 22.1% of all admissions.
- Spouses, partners and children: 69,000 in 2026 and 66,000 in 2027 and 2028.
- Parents and grandparents: 15,000 a year (range 13,000-19,000). IRCC paused intake of new interest-to-sponsor forms and new applications on July 15, 2026, and is processing existing applications toward the 2026 target. The super visa remains available for extended visits.
Refugees, Protected Persons and Humanitarian Admissions
Canada’s refugee and protected person admissions are held at 49,300 a year, about 13% of the total.
- Protected persons in Canada and dependants abroad: 20,000 (range 17,000-30,000)
- Government-assisted refugees: 13,250 (range 10,000-15,500)
- Blended Visa Office-Referred refugees: 50
- Privately sponsored refugees: 16,000
Humanitarian and compassionate and other admissions total 6,900 in 2026, falling to 5,000 in 2027 and 2028. In 2026 this includes 1,100 humanitarian and compassionate admissions and 5,800 “other” admissions (range 4,500-8,000), which cover Canada’s responses to situations in Ukraine, Sudan and Hong Kong.
One-Time Initiatives Outside the Targets
Two one-time initiatives run in 2026 and 2027. Admissions under them are in addition to, not part of, the 380,000 annual target.
Protected Persons Initiative
Over two years, IRCC will process permanent residence applications from up to 115,000 eligible protected persons and their in-Canada dependants. In 2026, IRCC intends to grant permanent residence to 46,000 people through this initiative. It applies to people who received protected person status from the Immigration and Refugee Board or through a pre-removal risk assessment and have applied for permanent residence, along with accompanying dependants already in Canada. Applicants who will live in Quebec are not eligible for processing under this initiative. By the end of July 2026, about 20,900 people had been admitted, roughly 45% of the 2026 goal.
In-Canada Workers Initiative
IRCC is accelerating permanent residence for up to 33,000 workers already in Canada, focusing on people who have lived in smaller communities for at least two years and have applied through the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, the rural or francophone community pilots, the caregiver pilots or the Agri-Food Pilot. At least 20,000 are planned for 2026, with the rest in 2027. About 13,000 had been admitted by the end of July 2026.
What It Means for Applicants
Until the 2027-2029 plan is tabled, the 2026-2028 targets remain the basis for IRCC’s planning. For most applicants, that means:
- Permanent residence remains open, but competition is steady rather than expanding, so a strong profile matters, particularly in the economic class.
- Study and work permit pathways are tighter, and new temporary applicants should expect more selective criteria.
- People already living and working in Canada continue to benefit from measures aimed at transitioning temporary residents to permanent residence.
- If the new plan raises targets, as the Prime Minister’s comments suggest is possible in time, the most likely beneficiaries are candidates already in Canada and in priority occupations. Applicants should not assume any specific increase until the plan is published.
For a broader picture, see our overview of immigration to Canada, our guide to what to expect from Canada immigration and the ways to immigrate to Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Canada release the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan?
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the Minister to table the annual report, which includes the levels plan, on or before November 1, or within the next 30 sitting days if Parliament is not sitting that day. Because November 1, 2026 is a Sunday, the plan is expected in late October or early November 2026. Until it is tabled, the 2026-2028 targets remain in force.
Did Mark Carney say Canada will increase immigration?
In a New York Times interview reported on September 29, 2026, Prime Minister Carney said the question is now when to resume a “controlled increase” in Canada’s population, and that this will happen once the government is sure the system is under control. He did not announce any numbers, and the Immigration Minister’s office said the next plan will keep immigration at sustainable levels. Any change will appear in the 2027-2029 levels plan.
How many permanent residents will Canada admit in 2026?
The 2026 target is 380,000 permanent residents, within a range of 350,000 to 420,000. On top of that, IRCC plans to admit 46,000 protected persons and at least 20,000 in-Canada workers in 2026 through two one-time initiatives that sit outside the target.
What are the temporary resident targets for 2026?
The plan sets 385,000 new temporary arrivals in 2026: 230,000 workers and 155,000 students. The notional targets for 2027 and 2028 are 370,000 each year. Post-Graduation Work Permits, permit extensions, visitors and asylum claimants are not counted in these targets.
Are the 2027 and 2028 targets in the current plan final?
No. IRCC describes the 2027 and 2028 figures as notional targets that will be confirmed or adjusted each year. The 2027-2029 plan will confirm or change the 2027 and 2028 figures and add a first target for 2029.