CIMM - 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan—Permanent Resident Targets - December 4, 2025
Key Messages
- The 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan takes a balanced approach that meets labour market needs, supports Canadian workers, considers needs to access housing and healthcare, while keeping immigration levels sustainable.
- Targets for permanent residents have been stabilized at 380,000 across all three years, and focus on economic immigration, with the economic category reaching 64% of admissions.
- These targets support the government’s commitment to ensuring new permanent resident admissions do not exceed 1% of the population beyond 2027.
- 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 maintain our focus on humanitarian cases and family reunification.
Permanent Resident (PR) Targets 2026–2028
- PR admissions in the Levels Plan are expected to represent 0.9% of the population in 2028.
- The economic class represents the largest proportion of PR admissions each year, reaching approximately 63% of overall admissions in 2026, and 64% in both 2027 and 2028—the highest percentage in over a decade.
- The overall proportion of family class admissions will remain relatively stable, between 21–22% in order to support family reunification, a cornerstone of Canada’s tradition as a welcoming country.
- Canada will continue to be a global leader in refugee resettlement with 13% of overall admissions dedicated to programs in the Resettled Refugees and Protected Persons category.
- Finally, 16,900 admissions over three years will be dedicated to the Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other category to help fulfill Canada’s humanitarian commitments (e.g., Sudan, Ukraine, Hong Kong), as well as for applications based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
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The Government of Canada has also committed to a target of 12% Francophone
PR admissions outside Quebec by 2029 to strengthen Francophone minority
communities throughout Canada.
- In line with this commitment, the Levels Plan sets targets for French-speaking PR admissions at 9% of total admissions for 2026 (30,267), 9.5% (31,825) for 2027 and 10.5% (35,175) for 2028.
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Canada is on track to meet its 2025 target of 395,000 permanent resident
admissions.
- Between January and September 2025, approximately 310,500 permanent residents have been admitted to Canada.
- Of those, and within the same time period, approximately 50% of these permanent resident admissions were from former temporary residents.
Temporary Resident (TR) to Permanent Resident (PR) Transitions
- Higher numbers of TR to PR transitions help reduce Canada’s non-permanent resident population (in support of the commitment to decrease this population to less than 5% by 2027). In addition, lower net new arrivals to Canada help address domestic capacity concerns (e.g., pressures on housing or other social services).
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Historical TR to PR transition rate: based on admissions of PRs who
previously held a study and/or work permit, the average transition rate
for 2023–2024 was 44%. Rates vary by program:
Immigration Category Average Across 2023 and 2024 Federal High Skilled 56% Federal Business 30% Economic Pilots 64% Atlantic Immigration Program 71% Provincial Nominee Program 62% Quebec (Skilled Worker, Self Employed, Entrepreneur and Investor) 47% Economic 59% Sponsored Children, Spouse and Partner 29% Sponsored Extended Family Member, Parent or Grandparent 2% Sponsored Family 22% Protected Person in Canada (principal applicants already in Canada with almost 100% transition rate, but this category also includes dependents from abroad sponsored by the principal applicant) 58% Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other (transition rates increasing since 2023, as a result of large volumes of in-Canada humanitarian cohorts, such as Ukraine and Hong Kong) 49% Overall Average 44% - TR to PR transitions can happen across a number of programs.
- Programs have different eligibility requirements and some require previous in-Canada work or study experience.
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How long it takes to access permanent residence depends on which program
the applicant has applied to and a variety of other factors, including
whether there is an existing inventory of applicants who are “ahead of
them in line.”
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Workers or students who are invited to apply through Express Entry (for
Federal High Skilled programs) could be processed as quickly as six months
(IRCC only invites the number of clients to apply needed to meet
admissions targets in the Levels Plan).
- However, given the numbers of workers and students in Canada, and the finite spaces of admissions, not everyone is guaranteed to have permanent residence.
- Others applying under economic programs might wait much longer, particularly in the category of economic pilots such as caregiver and agri-food pilots, where there is a much higher TR population than space to accommodate in PR programs.
- Clients who have applied under a pathway for permanent residence for humanitarian reasons (e.g., Hong Kong pathway or Ukraine family reunification pathway) could be waiting upwards of approximately 50 years, given the limited admissions space in the Levels Plan and the sizeable inventory that has accumulated. In addition, some of these pathways have closed (e.g., Ukraine family reunification pathway).
-
Workers or students who are invited to apply through Express Entry (for
Federal High Skilled programs) could be processed as quickly as six months
(IRCC only invites the number of clients to apply needed to meet
admissions targets in the Levels Plan).
Breakdown of Permanent Resident categories: 2019 to June 2025
Narrative: Number of admissions of permanent residents decreased significantly at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, and then climbed steadily and significantly in subsequent years of pandemic in 2021‒2024.
| Immigration Category | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Jan-Jun 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Total | 196,655 | 106,360 | 252,990 | 255,700 | 272,655 | 281,625 | 130,660 |
| % of Canadian Population | 0.52% | 0.28% | 0.66% | 0.65% | 0.67% | 0.68% | 0.31% |
| Sponsored Family Total | 91,305 | 49,295 | 81,445 | 97,380 | 109,740 | 105,990 | 46,900 |
| % of Canadian Population | 0.24% | 0.13% | 0.21% | 0.25% | 0.27% | 0.26% | 0.11% |
| Resettled Refugee Total | 30,090 | 9,240 | 20,435 | 46,530 | 51,080 | 49,285 | 15,795 |
| % of Canadian Population | 0.08% | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.12% | 0.13% | 0.12% | 0.04% |
| Protected Person in Canada Total | 18,445 | 16,255 | 39,805 | 27,820 | 23,900 | 27,400 | 8,560 |
| % of Canadian Population | 0.05% | 0.04% | 0.10% | 0.07% | 0.06% | 0.07% | 0.02% |
| Resettled Refugee & Protected Person in Canada Total | 48,530 | 25,495 | 60,245 | 74,350 | 74,980 | 76,685 | 24,355 |
| % of Canadian Population | 0.13% | 0.07% | 0.16% | 0.19% | 0.18% | 0.18% | 0.06% |
| All Other Immigration | 4,680 | 3,455 | 11,375 | 10,200 | 14,450 | 19,350 | 5,735 |
| % of Canadian Population | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.05% | 0.01% |
| Total PR admissions | 341,175 | 184,605 | 406,055 | 437,635 | 471,820 | 483,655 | 207,650 |
| Total Canadian Population | 37,928,208 | 38,058,291 | 38,566,032 | 39,527,986 | 40,784,356 | 41,528,680 | 41,641,996Footnote 1 |
| % of PR admissions based on the overall Canadian Population | 0.90% | 0.49% | 1.05% | 1.11% | 1.16% | 1.16% | 0.50% |
Total Canadian Population - Statistics Canada. Table 17-10-0009-01 Population estimates, quarterly.
Annex A: 2026-2028 Levels Plan Permanent Resident Targets
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immigration Category | Target | Low Range | High Range | TargetFootnote 1 | Low RangeFootnote 2 | High Range | Target | Low Range | High Range | |
| Overall Planned Permanent Resident Admissions | 380,000 (350,000‒420,000)Footnote 3 |
380,000 (350,000‒420,000) |
380,000 (350,000‒420,000) | |||||||
| Overall French-speaking Permanent Resident Admissions outside QuebecFootnote 4 | 9% (30,267) |
9.5% (31,825) |
10.5% (35,175) |
|||||||
| Economic | Federal High SkilledFootnote 5 | 109,000 | 85,000 | 120,000 | 111,000 | 86,000 | 122,000 | 111,000 | 86,000 | 122,000 |
| Federal BusinessFootnote 6 | 500 | 250 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 1,000 | 500 | 250 | 1,000 | |
| Federal Economic Pilots:
Caregivers;Footnote 7 Agri-Food; Community Immigration PilotsFootnote 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 BusinessFootnote 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 AssistedFootnote 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 CompassionateFootnote 11 | 1,100 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 | 700 | 2,900 | 1,000 | 700 | 2,900 |
| OtherFootnote 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) |
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Annex B: **For Reference** 2025-2027 Levels Plan Permanent Resident Targets
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immigrant Category | Target | Low Range | High Range | TargetFootnote 1 | Low RangeFootnote 2 | High Range | Target | Low Range | High Range | |
| Overall Planned Permanent Resident Admissions | 395,000 (367,000 - 436,000)Footnote 3 |
380,000 (352,000 - 416,000) |
365,000 (338,000 - 401,000) |
|||||||
| Overall French-speaking Permanent Resident Admissions outside QuebecFootnote 4 | 8.5% (29,325) |
9.5% (31,350) |
10% (31,500) |
|||||||
| Economic | Federal Economic PrioritiesFootnote 5 | 41,700 | 30,000 | 62,000 | 47,400 | 30,000 | 65,000 | 47,800 | 32,000 | 65,000 |
| In-Canada FocusFootnote 6 | 82,980 | 39,000 | 89,000 | 75,830 | 33,000 | 82,000 | 70,930 | 66,000 | 76,000 | |
| Federal BusinessFootnote 7 | 2,000 | 1,200 | 3,000 | 1,000 | 200 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 200 | 2,000 | |
| Federal Economic Pilots: CaregiversFootnote 8 ; Agri-Food; Community Immigration PilotsFootnote 9 ; Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot |
10,920 | 6,000 | 14,800 | 9,920 | 5,300 | 14,000 | 9,920 | 5,300 | 14,000 | |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 5,000 | 4,000 | 7,000 | 5,000 | 4,000 | 7,000 | 5,000 | 4,000 | 7,000 | |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 55,000 | 20,000 | 65,000 | 55,000 | 20,000 | 65,000 | 55,000 | 20,000 | 65,000 | |
| Quebec Skilled Workers and BusinessFootnote 10 | 34,500 | 33,000 | 50,000 | TBD | - | - | TBD | - | - | |
| Regularization Public PolicyFootnote 11 | 50 | - | 250 | 100 | - | 500 | 200 | - | 1,000 | |
| Total Economic | 232,150 (215,000 – 256,000) |
229,750 (214,000 – 249,000) |
225,350 (207,000 – 246,000) |
|||||||
| Family | Spouses, Partners and Children | 70,000 | 65,500 | 78,000 | 66,500 | 63,000 | 75,000 | 61,000 | 58,000 | 67,500 |
| Parents and Grandparents | 24,500 | 20,500 | 28,000 | 21,500 | 16,500 | 24,500 | 20,000 | 15,000 | 22,000 | |
| Total Family | 94,500 (88,500 – 102,000) |
88,000 (82,000 – 96,000) |
81,000 (77,000 – 89,000) |
|||||||
| Refugees and Protected Persons | Protected Persons in Canada and Dependents Abroad | 20,000 | 18,000 | 30,000 | 18,000 | 16,000 | 30,000 | 18,000 | 16,000 | 30,000 |
| Resettled Refugees – Government AssistedFootnote 12 | 15,250 | 13,000 | 17,000 | 15,250 | 13,000 | 17,000 | 15,250 | 13,000 | 17,000 | |
| Resettled Refugees – Blended Visa Office Referred | 100 | - | 150 | 100 | - | 150 | 100 | - | 150 | |
| Resettled Refugees – Privately Sponsored | 23,000 | 21,000 | 26,000 | 22,000 | 19,000 | 24,000 | 21,000 | 19,000 | 24,000 | |
| Total Refugees and Protected Persons | 58,350 (55,000 – 65,000) |
55,350 (50,000 – 62,000) |
54,350 (50,000 – 60,000) |
|||||||
| Total Humanitarian & Compassionate and OtherFootnote 13 | 10,000 (8,500 – 13,000) |
6,900 (6,000 – 9,000) |
4,300 (4,000 – 6,000) |
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