CIMM – Humanitarian and Compassionate and Other Immigration – March 23, 2026

Key Messages

• The Government of Canada is matching immigration levels with Canada’s economic needs and capacity so that the system does better—for newcomers and everyone.
• This means we will be admitting fewer individuals under humanitarian pathways than in previous years. While this may mean longer wait times for some applicants, most are already in Canada and many have access to special measures allowing them to extend temporary status and work or study while they await the processing of their permanent resident application.

Humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) and Other Immigration Levels 2026–2028

• The 2026–2028 Levels Plan allocates 16,900 admissions to pathways in the H&C and Other category over the next three years. A total of 6,900 admissions are planned for 2026, with notional targets of 5,000 each in 2027 and 2028.
• This category is comprised mostly of in-Canada H&C applications in addition to various special measures launched in response to global events, such as situations in Afghanistan, the Americas, Ukraine, Hong Kong, and Sudan.
• Given the longer wait times, the Department is prioritizing applicants who are abroad (e.g. Sudan), and has put measures in place for eligible applicants to extend their stay in Canada (e.g., Hong Kong and Ukraine).

Program Performance

• The performance of pathways in the H&C and Other category is measured by the number of admissions in the H&C and Other category each year.
• High demand for these pathways, combined with a reduction in admissions space, has resulted in increased inventory and significant wait time for clients, which are expected to persist.

If pressed on program results:

• The H&C and Other category has traditionally seen admissions under 5,000 persons per year. The significant increases seen since 2021 are primarily a result of public policies implemented to respond to global events and other Government of Canada priorities.
• In 2025, nearly 13,000 people were admitted under this category, shared amongst various pathways. The target was 10,000.
• In 2026, the target is 6,900 admissions. As of January 31, 2026, 700 persons have been granted permanent residence.

If pressed on service standards:

• The H&C and Other category does not have a service standard, due in part to the unpredictable nature of global events and discretionary decision-making.

Processing Times

• Expected processing times vary between pathways. However, most new applicants in the H&C and Other category can expect to wait more than 10 years for a decision on their permanent residence application.
• Given that the number of applications is more than the number of available spaces, processing times are expected to remain high for the foreseeable future.
• The Department aligns its processing capacity with available admissions space in the Levels Plan. Allocating additional staff will not reduce processing times in the absence of additional admissions space.

If pressed on reallocating admissions space from other categories to address processing times:

• This year’s Levels Plan prioritizes economic immigration, as a result, wait times in most other categories have grown.
• Without higher admissions overall, reallocating admissions space from one category to another will not have a meaningful impact on processing times, and would displace applicants in other categories, including family reunification and resettlement.

In-Canada H&C Considerations

• Individuals who do not meet the requirements of the Act and Regulations, or are inadmissible, may request permanent residence on H&C grounds from within Canada.
• We are seeing an increase in H&C requests, due in part to more individuals in Canada not having a clear pathway to permanent residence. This includes populations who have come to Canada due to humanitarian and crisis situations and are unable or unwilling to return home.
• H&C applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and decision-making is highly discretionary. It is not intended to be a regular pathway.

Key Facts and Figures

• In 2025, 2,000 persons were admitted through in-Canada H&C^{Table Footnote 1}.
• 300 persons were admitted in January 2026.
• As of January 31, 2026, there were 68,400 persons in the in-Canada H&C inventory.

Special Measures

(see International Crises and Pathways note for additional details on Ukraine and Sudan measures)

• A number of special measures are included in the H&C and Other category, most of which are now closed to new intake, including family-based pathways for persons from Sudan and Ukraine. Applications under these measures are still being processed.
• One special measure, the Hong Kong Permanent Residence Pathways, remains open to new applications until August 31, 2026.

Key Facts and Figures

• As of January 31, 2026, special measures for Hong Kong, Sudan and Ukraine accounted for 48% of the H&C and Other inventory.
• 11,100 individuals were admitted under these and other pathways in 2025. An additional 275 individuals were admitted under these and other pathways in January 2026.

Ability to Work and Study During Processing

• We understand that applicants in the H&C and Other Category are concerned with longer processing times and those in Canada are worried about their legal status. Individuals may be eligible to apply for a work or study permit, if they meet the requirements for those programs.
• To ensure that Hong Kong Pathway applicants can maintain their status in Canada, a public policy was launched in
  May 2024 that facilitates access to open work permits (for up to three years) while their permanent residence application is being processed. It expires in May 2029.
• Eligible applicants who arrived in Canada under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel prior to March 31, 2024, are able to apply in Canada for a study permit or open work permit until March 31, 2026, allowing them to continue to work and study.
• Additionally, applicants to the Ukraine Family Reunification pathway can apply to extend their status, as a worker, student, or visitor under a new public policy launched in January 2026. This measure will expire in March 2027.
• Applicants who apply for a new work permit before their current permit expires can continue to live and work in Canada while their work permit application is processed.
• Applicants for H&C in Canada may apply for a work or study permit once they receive a positive eligibility decision on their application. Applicants who cannot be removed because they are subject to an Administrative Deferral of Removal or a Temporary Suspension of Removal are able to access a work or study permit sooner.

If pressed on pausing intake of Government Assisted Refugees to reallocate admissions space to applicants from Ukraine and Hong Kong in Canada:

• Applications are processed in accordance with the targets set out in the 2026–2028 Levels Plan, which are set by Cabinet annually.
• The objective of the Refugee Resettlement Program is to save lives and offer protection to refugees. While other humanitarian pathways allow for Canada to support individuals to find stability and safety in Canada, the Government Assisted Refugee Program is designed to provide protection to the most vulnerable populations in the world.
• Pausing the Government-Assisted Refugee program at a time when global resettlement spaces are at an all-time low would compromise the international protection regime, and the refugees it supports.
• As applicants to the Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway and the Hong Kong Permanent Residence Pathways have already found safety in Canada, our focus is on providing them with access to work and study permits while they wait to become permanent residents.