Canada announced its new Immigration Levels Plan (2026-2028) on November 4, 2025, which includes a balanced plan that focuses on a gradual economic growth of immigration and down-regulating the temporary inflows of residents.
It is now out in the 2025 federal budget.
The plan validates the fact that we will continually maintain 380,000 permanent residents every year in the upcoming three years as we had postulated in our analysis article in October.
Immigration Levels Plan 2026: Key Figures At A Glance
Overall permanent resident admissions: 380,000 annually for 2026, 2027, and 2028, within a range of 350,000 to 420,000.
Breakdown for 2026:
Economic class: 239,800
Family reunification: 84,000
Refugees, protected persons, humanitarian, and other: 56,200
For 2027 and 2028:
Economic class: 244,700 each year
Family reunification: 81,000 each year
Humanitarian and other: 54,300 each year
French-speaking admissions outside Quebec:
9% in 2026 (30,267 people)
9.5% in 2027 (31,825 people)
10.5% in 2028 (35,175 people)
Temporary resident projections:
2026: 385,000 total (230,000 workers and 155,000 students)
2027: 370,000 total (220,000 workers and 150,000 students)
2028: 370,000 total (220,000 workers and 150,000 students)
Transitioning 33,000 work permit holders to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027. These employees have become well rooted in their communities, they are paying taxes and they are contributing to the powerful economy that Canada requires.
What The Plan Signals
1. Stabilization Of Admissions
The federal government has obviously reached a stabilization period, as opposed to expansion.
The annual goal of 380,000 permanent residents is a sign that there is the intention to stop the high rate of growth and prioritize manageable integration.
This is an indication of the Canada desire to match immigration to the available accommodation, medical capacity and labour market absorption.
2. Prioritizing Economic Immigration
This plan is based on economic immigration. By 2026, close to 240,000 people out of 380,000 newcomers will reach the country via the economic routes like the Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program.
This emphasis is still present in 2027 and 2028, which is why talented employees will fill the gaps in such fields as construction, healthcare, technology, and trades.
3. Managing Temporary Residents Inflows
The plan contains the integration of the temporary resident admissions such as work and study permits in the overall immigration planning in Canada.
Another thing that the plan will be doing is providing permanent residence to the deserving Protected Persons in Canada within the next two years.
The fact that the number of 385000 will be reduced to 370,000 by 2027-2028 means that it is trying to reduce pressure on housing and social services without affecting economic productivity.
New Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028: Category-By-Category Breakdown
Federal Economic Pilots: Caregivers; Agri-Food; Community Immigration Pilot; Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot
8,175
5,000
11,800
8,775
6,600
12,400
8,775
6,600
12,400
Atlantic Immigration Program
4,000
3,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
5,000
Provincial Nominee Program
91,500
82,000
105,000
92,500
82,000
106,000
92,500
82,000
106,000
Quebec Skilled Workers and Business
TBD
TBD
TBD
Total Economic
239,800 (224,000 – 264,000)
244,700 (229,000 – 268,000)
244,700 (229,000 – 268,000)
Family
Spouses, Partners and Children
69,000
63,000
75,000
66,000
60,000
71,000
66,000
60,000
71,000
Parents and Grandparents
15,000
13,000
19,000
15,000
13,000
19,000
15,000
13,000
19,000
Total Family
84,000 (78,500 – 92,000)
81,000 (75,000 – 90,000)
81,000 (75,000 – 90,000)
Refugees and Protected Persons
Protected Persons in Canada and Dependents Abroad
20,000
17,000
30,000
20,000
17,000
30,000
20,000
17,000
30,000
Resettled Refugees – Government Assisted
13,250
10,000
15,500
13,250
10,000
15,500
13,250
10,000
15,500
Resettled Refugees – Blended Visa Office Referred
50
–
100
50
–
100
50
–
100
Resettled Refugees – Privately Sponsored
16,000
13,000
19,000
16,000
13,000
18,000
16,000
13,000
18,000
Total Refugees and Protected Persons
49,300 (42,000 – 55,000)
49,300 (42,000 – 55,000)
49,300 (42,000 – 55,000)
Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other
Humanitarian and Compassionate
1,100
1,000
3,000
1,000
700
2,900
1,000
700
2,900
Other
5,800
4,500
8,000
4,000
3,200
6,000
4,000
3,200
6,000
Total Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other
6,900 (6,000 – 9,000)
5,000 (4,000 – 7,000)
5,000 (4,000 – 7,000)
Temporary Residents
Year
Total
Workers
Students
2026
385,000
230,000
155,000
2027
370,000
220,000
150,000
2028
370,000
220,000
150,000
Why This Matters
Labour Market And Demographics
The population in Canada is getting older and most of the sectors are experiencing chronic problems of labour shortages. The extreme focus on economic migration assists in the occupation of vital roles especially in skilled labour, healthcare and technology.
These laborers will be able to promote the growth in productivity and maintain the fiscal sustainability of the country.
Housing And Infrastructure Alignment
Plan indicates a change towards equilibrium. The recent years have experienced high growth in population, which has put pressure on the housing market and the infrastructures of the residents of Canada.
Regulating the number of immigrants means that the municipalities will have time to get up to date on its housing supply, expansion of its transit network, and delivery of community services.
Francophone Immigration Growth
An increasing proportion of francophone immigration beyond Quebec points to the importance of bilingualism and the strength of French-speaking organizations in the whole of Canada.
The government intends to make the language more diverse in the region by focusing on admissions of 10.5% francophone by 2028 to promote language equity.
Tighter Management Of Temporary Programs
The introduction of the temporary residents into the plan has been a structural change in the Canada immigration strategy.
It brings in responsibility and consistency in the management of the international student population and temporary foreign workers. This is also regarded as a reaction to the social alarm at the things of having a surging growth in the non-permanent resident communities.
Implications
Employers may experience tighter labour supply in certain sectors if temporary foreign worker caps are enforced more strictly.
Post-secondary institutions could see reduced international enrolments, prompting a shift toward quality over quantity.
Provinces and territories will have to adjust their settlement and infrastructure planning to match the new stable intake levels.
For applicants, economic streams—particularly those tied to provincial nominations and francophone categories—will likely offer stronger chances for permanent residency.
Family and humanitarian categories are not volatile and it gives a measure of reliability in reunification and protection objectives.
The Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 is a realigned vision of the future of immigration to Canada.
As permanent resident targets become steady, the government increases attention on economic classes entries, and there are fewer ambiguous lines on temporary resident admissions, the government is pointing to a change in record growth towards long-term stability.
The increasing proportion of francophone immigration and the focus on regional integration strengthen the inclusive but cautious scheme of the plan.
With the preparation of these targets by Canada, more information is anticipated regarding provincial allocations, ExpressEntry category priorities, and transition pathways by the temporary residents to permanent status.
More developments will be provided as this new system of immigration determines the future of the Canadian demographic and economic development.
New Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026–2028 Announced
Canada announced its new Immigration Levels Plan (2026-2028) on November 4, 2025, which includes a balanced plan that focuses on a gradual economic growth of immigration and down-regulating the temporary inflows of residents.
It is now out in the 2025 federal budget.
The plan validates the fact that we will continually maintain 380,000 permanent residents every year in the upcoming three years as we had postulated in our analysis article in October.
Immigration Levels Plan 2026: Key Figures At A Glance
Overall permanent resident admissions: 380,000 annually for 2026, 2027, and 2028, within a range of 350,000 to 420,000.
Breakdown for 2026:
For 2027 and 2028:
French-speaking admissions outside Quebec:
Temporary resident projections:
Transitioning 33,000 work permit holders to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027. These employees have become well rooted in their communities, they are paying taxes and they are contributing to the powerful economy that Canada requires.
What The Plan Signals
1. Stabilization Of Admissions
The federal government has obviously reached a stabilization period, as opposed to expansion.
The annual goal of 380,000 permanent residents is a sign that there is the intention to stop the high rate of growth and prioritize manageable integration.
This is an indication of the Canada desire to match immigration to the available accommodation, medical capacity and labour market absorption.
2. Prioritizing Economic Immigration
This plan is based on economic immigration. By 2026, close to 240,000 people out of 380,000 newcomers will reach the country via the economic routes like the Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program.
This emphasis is still present in 2027 and 2028, which is why talented employees will fill the gaps in such fields as construction, healthcare, technology, and trades.
3. Managing Temporary Residents Inflows
The plan contains the integration of the temporary resident admissions such as work and study permits in the overall immigration planning in Canada.
Another thing that the plan will be doing is providing permanent residence to the deserving Protected Persons in Canada within the next two years.
The fact that the number of 385000 will be reduced to 370,000 by 2027-2028 means that it is trying to reduce pressure on housing and social services without affecting economic productivity.
New Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028: Category-By-Category Breakdown
Permanent Residents
2026
(350,000 – 420,000)
(350,000 – 420,000)
(350,000 – 420,000)
(30,267)
(31,825)
(35,175)
(224,000 – 264,000)
(229,000 – 268,000)
(229,000 – 268,000)
(78,500 – 92,000)
(75,000 – 90,000)
(75,000 – 90,000)
(42,000 – 55,000)
(42,000 – 55,000)
(42,000 – 55,000)
(6,000 – 9,000)
(4,000 – 7,000)
(4,000 – 7,000)
Temporary Residents
Why This Matters
Labour Market And Demographics
The population in Canada is getting older and most of the sectors are experiencing chronic problems of labour shortages. The extreme focus on economic migration assists in the occupation of vital roles especially in skilled labour, healthcare and technology.
These laborers will be able to promote the growth in productivity and maintain the fiscal sustainability of the country.
Housing And Infrastructure Alignment
Plan indicates a change towards equilibrium. The recent years have experienced high growth in population, which has put pressure on the housing market and the infrastructures of the residents of Canada.
Regulating the number of immigrants means that the municipalities will have time to get up to date on its housing supply, expansion of its transit network, and delivery of community services.
Francophone Immigration Growth
An increasing proportion of francophone immigration beyond Quebec points to the importance of bilingualism and the strength of French-speaking organizations in the whole of Canada.
The government intends to make the language more diverse in the region by focusing on admissions of 10.5% francophone by 2028 to promote language equity.
Tighter Management Of Temporary Programs
The introduction of the temporary residents into the plan has been a structural change in the Canada immigration strategy.
It brings in responsibility and consistency in the management of the international student population and temporary foreign workers. This is also regarded as a reaction to the social alarm at the things of having a surging growth in the non-permanent resident communities.
Implications
Family and humanitarian categories are not volatile and it gives a measure of reliability in reunification and protection objectives.
The Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 is a realigned vision of the future of immigration to Canada.
As permanent resident targets become steady, the government increases attention on economic classes entries, and there are fewer ambiguous lines on temporary resident admissions, the government is pointing to a change in record growth towards long-term stability.
The increasing proportion of francophone immigration and the focus on regional integration strengthen the inclusive but cautious scheme of the plan.
With the preparation of these targets by Canada, more information is anticipated regarding provincial allocations, ExpressEntry category priorities, and transition pathways by the temporary residents to permanent status.
More developments will be provided as this new system of immigration determines the future of the Canadian demographic and economic development.
Author: Shubham
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