Supplementary Information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is pleased to release details on the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan (Levels Plan). The Levels Plan includes temporary resident targets and ranges for new arrivals of international students and temporary foreign workers, along with permanent resident targets and ranges under the immigration categories of Economic, Family, Refugees and Protected Persons, and Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other.

This year’s Levels Plan focuses on a return to sustainable immigration levels through continued decreases to temporary resident arrivals and stabilized permanent resident admissions. The Plan prioritizes economic immigration to support the Government’s commitment to attract the best talent in the world and fill critical labour gaps in high-demand occupations that complement the domestic workforce, while maintaining our focus on humanitarian cases and family reunification.

To support a return to sustainable immigration levels, the Government is committed to reducing Canada’s temporary population to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027. Targets for new temporary resident arrivals are set at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027 and 2028. These figures represent new temporary worker and student arrivals to Canada. The targets for workers are allocated to temporary workers under both the International Mobility Program (IMP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program. This mix of students and workers supports our objective of attracting top talent from across the world to help build Canada’s economy. In recognition of the role temporary foreign workers play in some sectors of the economy, the Plan will also consider industries and sectors impacted by tariffs and the unique needs of rural and remote communities.

Targets for temporary and permanent residents have also been developed in tandem, with a focus on transitioning to permanent residence those who are already in Canada with needed skills and experience.

Overall permanent resident admissions will stabilize at 380,000 from 2026 to 2028. As supporting the Canadian economy continues to be a key priority, the economic category represents the largest proportion of admissions each year, reaching 64% in 2027 and 2028. The Plan increases admissions under the Federal High Skilled and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), ensuring that Canada is able to attract the talent needed to deliver on nation-building projects while also responding to the distinct labour market needs of provinces and territories.

The Plan also reinforces Canada’s commitment to ensuring the vitality of Francophone Minority communities. The Plan increases the target for Francophone admissions destined for outside Quebec, reaching 10.5% by 2028, and supports the broader goal of achieving 12% by 2029.

The Plan also maintains Canada’s global leadership in refugee resettlement, and continues to prioritize family reunification. The overall proportion of family class admissions will remain relatively stable, between 21.3-22.1% in order to support family reunification, a cornerstone of Canada’s tradition as a welcoming country. Canada will also continue to be a global leader in refugees and protected persons with 13% of overall admissions dedicated to these programs. Further, additional admissions spaces are included to fulfil Canada’s humanitarian commitments.

One-time initiatives to recalibrate our immigration system

As part of a broader recalibration effort to return our immigration system to sustainable levels, the Government is implementing a one-time initiative over a two-year period to streamline the transition of approximately 115,000 Protected Persons in Canada who are already on a pathway to permanent residence and in alignment with their protected status under domestic and international law. These admissions are in addition to those identified in the above permanent resident admission targets. Protected persons have a recognized protected person status in Canada and can reside in the country as long as they maintain this status. They are not temporary residents like workers or students who come to Canada on time-bound temporary permits. Prioritizing their admissions as permanent residents over the next two years will ensure that those in genuine need of Canada’s protection have their permanent status recognized, accelerating their full integration into the Canadian society and their path to citizenship, and upholding Canada’s international humanitarian obligations.

The Government will also accelerate the transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residency in 2026 and 2027. This initiative will target workers who have established strong roots in their communities, are paying taxes and are helping to build the strong economy Canada needs.

These targeted measures complement the broader objectives of the 2026–2028 Levels Plan, will restore control, clarity, and consistency to the immigration system, while maintaining compassion in our choices and driving competitiveness in our economy.

2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan

Temporary Residents

	2026	2027^{Table footnote 1}	2028
Overall Arrivals^{Table footnote 1} ^{Table footnote 2}	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^{Table footnote 3}	170,000	170,000	170,000
Temporary Foreign Worker Program^{Table footnote 4} ^{Table footnote 5} ^{Table footnote 6}	60,000	50,000	50,000
Students^{Table footnote 7}	155,000	150,000	150,000

Temporary Residents Table Footnotes

Table footnote 1

Notional targets and ranges for 2027 and 2028 will be confirmed or adjusted by November 1 of each year.

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Table footnote 2

Targets for temporary residents include new arrivals under one of the temporary worker programs (i.e., the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW Program) and the International Mobility Program (IMP)), as well as new arrivals under the International Student Program (ISP). Targets are not set for visitors arriving with temporary resident visas or electronic travel authorizations (eTAs), permit extensions, in-Canada study/work permit applications and asylum claimants. Asylum claimant volumes and in-Canada study/work permit applications are included in the overall methodology and calculations to reach the less than 5% target.

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Table footnote 3

The IMP is comprised of a collection of streams that do not require Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA), including work permits issued in accordance with agreements with partner countries, or work permits issued under economic, family-class or humanitarian public policies, and Post-Graduation Work Permits. However, Post-Graduation Work Permits are not included under these targets, as IRCC treats them as an extension or change of status, not new arrivals.

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Table footnote 4

The TFW Program is jointly administered with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and is based on employer demand to fill specific jobs when no Canadians or permanent residents are available to do the work, with an LMIA required to issue closed work permits. The TFW Program includes seasonal and non-seasonal agricultural streams.

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Table footnote 5

TFW Program targets include all non-seasonal workers who remain in Canada for longer than one year.

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Table footnote 6

TFW Program targets exclude seasonal workers who enter and leave Canada within the same year (e.g., some seasonal primary agriculture and seasonal low-wage occupations in Canada for less than 270 days).

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Table footnote 7

Study permits are issued to foreign nationals studying for six months or more in Canada at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) that is approved by the provincial or territorial government to host international students.

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Permanent Residents

Immigrant Category		Target	Low Range	High Range	Target^{Table footnote 1}	Low Range^{Table footnote 2}	High Range	Target	Low Range	High Range
		2026			2027			2028
Overall Planned Permanent Resident Admissions		380,000 (350,000 – 420,000)^{Table footnote 3}			380,000 (350,000 – 420,000)			380,000 (350,000 – 420,000)
Overall French-speaking Permanent Resident Admissions outside Quebec^{Table footnote 4}		9% (30,267)			9.5% (31,825)			10.5% (35,175)
Economic	Federal High Skilled^{Table footnote 5}	109,000	85,000	120,000	111,000	86,000	122,000	111,000	86,000	122,000
	Federal Business^{Table footnote 6}	500	250	1,000	500	250	1,000	500	250	1,000
	Federal Economic Pilots: Caregivers^{Table footnote 7}; Agri-Food; Community Immigration Pilots^{Table footnote 8}; 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^{Table footnote 9}	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^{Table footnote 10}	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^{Table footnote 11}	1,100	1,000	3,000	1,000	700	2,900	1,000	700	2,900
	Other^{Table footnote 12}	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)

Permanent Residents Table Footnotes

Table footnote 1

Notional targets and ranges for 2027 and 2028 will be confirmed or adjusted each year.

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Table footnote 2

Ranges provide operational flexibility so that IRCC can remain responsive to evolving priorities and program pressures.

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Table footnote 3

Program and category specific ranges do not equal the total range for each class.

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Table footnote 4

The overall French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec indicated here represent the number of admissions required to meet the 9% target in 2026, 9.5% target in 2027, and 10.5% target in 2028 of overall permanent resident admissions that have been set. These targets are for admissions outside Quebec and are therefore calculated based on how many admissions within the Levels Plan would be necessary to meet the targets, based on the overall ranges for admissions outside of Quebec. Once Quebec tables its 2026 immigration levels plan, these numbers may require updating.

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Table footnote 5

Includes the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. Each year the Minister of IRC establishes categories in the Express Entry system, informed by labour market information and projections as well as input received from partners, including provinces and territories, and stakeholders across the country, to select eligible candidates with specific skills, training and language ability, to respond to labour-market needs.

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Table footnote 6

Includes admissions from the Start-up Visa Program and the Self-employed Persons Program.

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Table footnote 7

Includes the Home Care Worker Immigration: Child Care, and Home Care Worker Immigration: Home Support pilots which were launched March 31, 2025. Also includes applications from previous caregiver programming – Home Child Care Provider, Home Support Worker Pilots, Caring for Children, Caring for People with High Medical Needs, Interim Pathway for Caregivers, and the Live-in Caregiver Program – which are being processed to completion.

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Table footnote 8

Includes admissions from the Rural Community Immigration Pilot, which replaced the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot for which applications are being processed to completion. Also includes admissions from the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot which targets Francophone minority communities.

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Table footnote 9

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec has responsibility for the selection of economic immigrants destined to the province. Targets can be found in Quebec’s immigration levels plan, tabled in fall 2025.

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Table footnote 10