- Release Date and Purpose: On October 24, 2024, IRCC announced the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, outlining immigration targets across Economic, Family, Refugees, Protected Persons, and Humanitarian categories.
- New Holistic Approach: For the first time, the plan includes temporary resident targets for international students and temporary foreign workers, aiming to balance migration with community capacity.
- Temporary Resident Targets:
Set at 673,650 in 2025, 516,600 in 2026, and 543,600 in 2027.
International students make up 45% of temporary arrivals in 2025, increasing to 59% and 56% in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Reducing temporary resident share to 5% of the total population by 2026, aligning with recent caps and eligibility adjustments for study and work permits. - Permanent Resident Admissions:
Targets are set to decrease gradually: 395,000 in 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027.
Economic admissions represent the largest share, reaching nearly 62% by 2027, with a focus on skilled workers in critical sectors like healthcare and skilled trades.
Emphasis on transitioning in-Canada students and workers to permanent residence. - Other Categories:
Family reunification maintains 22% of overall admissions.
Refugees and protected persons represent 15% of total admissions, supporting Canada’s resettlement goals.
Humanitarian and compassionate admissions are allocated 21,200 spots over three years. - Francophone Immigration Goals: Increasing French-speaking immigrant targets outside Quebec to improve demographic balance—set at 8.5% in 2025, 9.5% in 2026, and 10% in 2027.
This plan balances Canada’s economic and demographic needs while managing immigration levels in response to community capacity.
2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan
Temporary Residents
| Year | Overall Arrivals | Workers (Total) | International Mobility Program | Temporary Foreign Worker Program | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 673,650 (604,900 – 742,400) | 367,750 | 285,750 | 82,000 | 305,900 |
| 2026 | 516,600 (435,250 – 597,950) | 210,700 | 128,700 | 82,000 | 305,900 |
| 2027 | 543,600 (237,700 – 614,250) | 210,700 | 155,700 | 82,000 | 305,900 |
Key Points:
Annual Review of Targets: Temporary resident targets for 2026 and 2027 are provisional and will be confirmed or adjusted annually by November 1.
Scope of Temporary Resident Targets: Targets cover new arrivals in temporary worker programs (Temporary Foreign Worker Program [TFW] and International Mobility Program [IMP]) and the International Student Program (ISP). They do not include visitors, permit extensions, in-Canada permit applications, or asylum seekers.
Range Flexibility: Target ranges account for variations in permit expirations and other departures.
IMP Overview: The IMP includes streams exempt from Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA), such as international agreements, economic, family-class, or humanitarian policies, and Post-Graduation Work Permits.
TFW Program Overview: Jointly managed with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the TFW Program issues closed work permits requiring an LMIA for roles when no Canadians are available. It includes both seasonal and non-seasonal agricultural jobs.
Non-Seasonal Worker Priority: TFW Program targets focus on non-seasonal workers staying over a year, prioritizing agriculture to support Canada’s economy and food supply.
Exclusion of Seasonal Workers: Seasonal TFW workers who leave Canada within the year (e.g., some agricultural and low-wage roles under 270 days) are excluded from targets.
Study Permit Requirements: Study permits are for foreign nationals studying over six months at government-approved Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs).
Permanent Residents
| Immigrant Category | 2026 Target | 2026 Low Range | 2026 High Range | 2028 Target | 2028 Low Range | 2028 High Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Planned Permanent Resident Admissions | 386,000 | 367,000 | 406,000 | 380,000 | 352,000 | 414,000 |
| Overall French-speaking Permanent Resident Admissions outside Quebec | ||||||
| Economic | 26,382 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 27,400 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Federal Economic Priorities | 41,700 | 30,000 | 62,000 | 47,400 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| In-Canada Focus | 22,858 | 18,000 | 26,000 | 25,000 | 20,000 | 20,000 |
| Federal Business | 1,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Federal Economic Pilots: Agri-food; Home Care Provider, Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot | 8,500 | 6,000 | 11,000 | 8,500 | 6,000 | 11,000 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 6,600 | 4,500 | 7,500 | 6,600 | 4,500 | 7,500 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 125,800 | 118,000 | 140,000 | 128,500 | 120,000 | 145,000 |
| Quebec: Skilled Workers and Business | TBD | |||||
| Regularization Public Policy | 5,000 | 2,500 | 10,000 | 5,000 | 2,500 | 10,000 |
| Total Economic | 215,200 | 205,000 | 260,000 | 220,000 | 214,000 | 260,000 |
| Family | 106,500 | 100,000 | 118,000 | 106,500 | 100,000 | 118,000 |
| Spouses, Partners and Children | 82,500 | 78,000 | 86,000 | 82,500 | 78,000 | 86,000 |
| Parents and Grandparents | 24,000 | 20,000 | 32,000 | 24,000 | 20,000 | 32,000 |
| Total Family | 106,500 | 100,000 | 118,000 | 106,500 | 100,000 | 118,000 |
| Refugees and Protected Persons | 85,850 | 82,500 | 100,000 | 86,000 | 82,500 | 100,000 |
| Resettled Refugees – Government-Assisted | 20,000 | 18,000 | 23,000 | 20,000 | 18,000 | 23,000 |
| Resettled Refugees – Privately Sponsored | 35,000 | 33,000 | 45,000 | 35,000 | 33,000 | 45,000 |
| Protected Persons in Canada and Dependants Abroad | 30,000 | 30,000 | 32,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 32,000 |
| Total Refugees and Protected Persons | 85,850 | 82,500 | 100,000 | 86,000 | 82,500 | 100,000 |
| Total Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other | 8,500 | 8,000 | 13,000 | 8,600 | 8,000 | 9,000 |
Key Points:
- Annual Review: Targets and ranges for 2026 and 2027 may be revised by November1 each year.
- Flexibility: Ranges allow IRCC to adapt to shifting priorities and pressures.
- Range Specifics: Program and category ranges may not equal the total for each immigration class.
- Francophone Admissions: French-speaking admissions outside Quebec aim for 8.5% in 2025, 9.5% in 2026, and 10% in 2027, but may adjust after Quebec releases its new immigration plan.
- Express Entry Priorities: Admissions focus on high-demand skills like healthcare, trades, and French language, guided by annual labor market needs.
- In-Canada Pathways: Primarily from the Canadian Experience Class and regional pathways, with some from Federal Skilled Workers and Skilled Trades.
- Entrepreneur Programs: Admissions from the Start-up Visa and Self-employed Persons programs.
- Caregiver Programs: Includes new caregiver pilots, as well as processing for older caregiver programs.
- Rural and Francophone Programs: Admissions include the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot for rural and minority Francophone communities.
- Quebec Selection: Quebec independently selects economic immigrants per its accord with Canada; updates will follow Quebec’s future immigration plan.
- Regularization Programs: Permanent residency for essential service workers through a regularization initiative.
- Human Rights Protection: Admissions for human rights defenders and LGBTQI+ individuals needing protection.
- Humanitarian Programs: Includes humanitarian and compassionate admissions, as well as responses to crises in Ukraine, Sudan, and Hong Kong.
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