On November 5, 2026, the Government of Canada released its Immigration Levels Plan for 2027 to 2029. The plan sets how many new permanent residents Canada aims to welcome each year, and how many new temporary workers and international students it expects to arrive. If you are waiting in the Express Entry pool, hoping for a provincial nomination, sponsoring someone you love, or studying or working here on a permit, it is natural to read these numbers and wonder what they mean for you. The short answer: the plan keeps the big totals steady, with a few shifts inside them that are worth understanding.
Permanent resident targets by year
A target is a planning number, not a promise to any one person. Each target comes with a range, and IRCC can admit anywhere within it. This plan uses the same targets in all three years. IRCC calls the 2028 and 2029 figures notional, which means it will confirm or adjust them in later plans.
| Class | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | Range each year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic | 244,700 | 244,700 | 244,700 | 230,000 to 270,000 |
| Family | 81,000 | 81,000 | 81,000 | 76,000 to 89,000 |
| Refugees and protected persons | 49,300 | 49,300 | 49,300 | 42,000 to 55,000 |
| Humanitarian, compassionate and other | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 4,500 to 8,000 |
| Total permanent residents | 380,000 | 380,000 | 380,000 | 352,500 to 422,000 |
Inside the family class, IRCC plans 66,000 spouses, partners and children (range 61,000 to 75,000) and 15,000 parents and grandparents (range 12,000 to 18,000) each year. Inside the refugee class, it plans 20,000 protected persons in Canada and their dependants abroad, 11,750 government-assisted refugees and 17,550 privately sponsored refugees each year.
Inside the economic class
Express Entry manages applications for three federal programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class. In the levels plan they appear together as Federal High Skilled. Provincial nominees, including people nominated through an Express Entry-linked provincial stream, are counted under the Provincial Nominee Program.
| Program | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal High Skilled (Express Entry: FSW, FST, CEC) | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 95,000 | 95,000 | 95,000 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Rural Community Immigration Program | 5,500 | 6,000 | 6,500 |
| Federal economic pilots (home care workers, agri-food and others) | 7,900 | 6,175 | 7,400 |
| Federal Business | 1,500 | 2,725 | 1,000 |
| Quebec skilled workers and business | Set by Quebec | Set by Quebec | Set by Quebec |
The Federal High Skilled range is 87,000 to 123,000 each year, and the Provincial Nominee Program range is 83,000 to 106,000. The plan has no separate in-Canada focus line. Quebec chooses its own economic immigrants under the Canada-Quebec Accord and publishes its own targets, so the federal tables leave that line open.
Temporary residents and population goals
The targets for temporary residents count only new arrivals. Work and study permit extensions, changes of status inside Canada, asylum claimants, visitors, and seasonal workers who arrive and leave in the same year are not part of these numbers. The targets stay the same for all three years.
| Group | Target each year |
|---|---|
| All new temporary residents | 370,000 (range 355,000 to 385,000) |
| Workers, total | 220,000 (about 60%) |
| International Mobility Program | 170,000 |
| Temporary Foreign Worker Program | 50,000 |
| International students | 150,000 (about 40%) |
- Keep new permanent resident admissions below 1% of Canada’s population beyond 2027.
- Reduce the share of temporary residents to less than 5% of the population. The previous plan set the end of 2027 for this goal.
- Raise French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec to 9.5% of admissions in 2027, 10.5% in 2028 and 12% in 2029.
A one-time measure for people already in Canada
IRCC is adding extra space in 2027 to process permanent residence for up to 200,000 people who already live in Canada, in two groups. A workers cohort of up to 100,000 people and their families will use extra Provincial Nominee Program allocations and applications under select federal programs, with provinces and territories identifying eligible workers. A humanitarian cohort of up to 100,000 people aims to finish applications such as the Hong Kong pathway and the Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway, and to process spouse, common-law partner and dependent child applications. This builds on one-time measures from Budget 2025 for up to 115,000 protected persons and 33,000 work permit holders in 2026 and 2027. IRCC has not yet published how individuals would take part, so please be careful with anyone who claims to offer a way in.
What changed from the previous plan
The previous plan, for 2026 to 2028, was announced in Budget 2025. It already set 380,000 permanent residents and 370,000 new temporary arrivals for 2027, so the headline numbers are the ones IRCC said to expect. The changes are inside the totals. For context, the 2026 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration says Canada welcomed 393,770 permanent residents in 2025, close to that year’s target of 395,000.
| 2027 target | Previous plan (2026 to 2028) | New plan (2027 to 2029) |
|---|---|---|
| Total permanent residents | 380,000 | 380,000 |
| Economic class | 244,700 | 244,700 |
| Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) | 111,000 | 100,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 92,500 | 95,000 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 4,000 | 6,000 |
| Rural Community Immigration | Counted within pilots | 5,500 |
| Federal economic pilots | 8,775 | 7,900 |
| Federal Business | 500 | 1,500 |
| Family class | 81,000 | 81,000 |
| Humanitarian, compassionate and other | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| New temporary arrivals | 370,000 | 370,000 |
What this could mean for you
No levels plan can tell you exactly when you will be invited or approved, and it is okay to feel uncertain about that. What the plan does show is where IRCC expects to make room. Here is how we read it for different situations, and what you can do now.
- 01
If you are in the Express Entry pool
The 2027 Federal High Skilled target of 100,000 is lower than the 109,000 planned for 2026 and the 111,000 the previous plan projected for 2027. Together with the November 2026 CRS changes, this may keep competition strong, but it does not mean draws stop. Keep your profile up to date, retake a language test if you can improve, and look at whether a provincial nomination could suit you.
- 02
If you are hoping for a provincial nomination
The Provincial Nominee Program rises to 95,000 a year, and the Atlantic and rural programs grow too. Provinces also get extra allocations for the 2027 workers cohort. Each province runs its own streams and draws, so follow the province where you live or work, and have your documents ready before a stream opens.
- 03
If you are sponsoring family
Spouses, partners and children stay at 66,000 a year and parents and grandparents at 15,000, with slightly different ranges than before. The 2027 humanitarian cohort also aims to process spouse, partner and dependent child applications. If you are sponsoring a partner, keep your file complete and answer requests quickly. For parents, invitations stay limited, so watch IRCC’s announcements.
- 04
If you are an international student
The target for new students stays at 150,000 a year, the same as the previous plan set for 2027. Extensions and changes of status inside Canada are not part of this number. If you hope to stay after graduating, start learning now about the permanent residence routes that fit your field, including Express Entry and provincial streams.
- 05
If you are working in Canada on a permit
New worker arrivals are planned at 220,000 a year. If you are already here, the most important news may be the 2027 workers cohort, where provinces and territories will identify eligible workers. IRCC has not published the details yet. Keep your status valid, keep records of your work, and check your province’s official immigration site.
To go deeper, read our guides to Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program, the Parents and Grandparents Program, study permits and the November 2026 CRS changes.
Frequently asked questions
Does a lower Federal High Skilled target mean fewer Express Entry draws?
Not necessarily in any given month. The target is a yearly plan with a range of 87,000 to 123,000, and IRCC decides the size and timing of each draw separately. It may mean fewer federal admissions over the year than the previous plan projected, but it does not predict cut-off scores.
Are the 2028 and 2029 numbers final?
No. IRCC calls them notional. It will confirm or adjust them in future levels plans, so treat them as a direction rather than a fixed number.
Can I apply for the 2027 one-time measure now?
Not yet. IRCC has described two cohorts but has not published eligibility rules or an application process for individuals. Provinces and territories will help identify workers. Watch canada.ca and your province’s official site, and be wary of anyone selling early access.
Is 380,000 a hard limit?
It is a target with a range of 352,500 to 422,000. Actual admissions can differ: in 2025, Canada admitted 393,770 permanent residents against a target of 395,000. The target is not a guarantee for any group or person.
Why does Quebec have no number?
Quebec selects its own economic immigrants under the Canada-Quebec Accord and sets its targets in its own plan, so the federal tables leave the Quebec line to be set by Quebec.
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Key takeaways
- Canada plans 380,000 new permanent residents and 370,000 new temporary arrivals each year from 2027 to 2029.
- The 2027 Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) target drops to 100,000, while the PNP, Atlantic and rural programs grow.
- A one-time 2027 measure adds space for up to 200,000 people already in Canada, but IRCC has not yet published how to take part.
- IRCC: Canada’s immigration levels (2027 to 2029 plan) (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Supplementary information for the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC backgrounder (November 5, 2026): Building a stronger Canada through a well-managed, predictable immigration system (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: 2026 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration (opens in a new tab)
- IRCC: Supplementary information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan (previous plan) (opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed: Nov 7, 2026