Over the past year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has consistently highlighted its focus on prioritizing individuals already in Canada for permanent residence (PR).

The latest Immigration Levels Plan (2026-2028) clearly states that the targets for temporary residents (TR) and PR for the year are set with an emphasis on transitioning those with needed skills and experience to permanent residence within Canada.

This approach has led to the introduction of various initiatives by the immigration department, including the creation of a new Express Entry category based on Canadian work experience and the facilitation of PR status for 33,000 in-Canada workers over 2026/2027.

66% Increase in PR Admissions Target for Provincial Nominee Programs

The 2026-2028 ILP, released in November 2025, reveals an increased PR admissions target for the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) in 2026 compared to the previous year, rising from 55,000 to 91,500 admissions.

This increase has resulted in higher initial nomination allocations per province/territory, indicating that more candidates will have the opportunity to be nominated for PR.

Given that most PNP streams favor candidates with work or study experience in the province, this change benefits in-Canada candidates seeking PR status.

While last year saw 75% of nominations allocated to temporary residents in Canada, this emphasis on individuals already in the country is still evident, although not explicitly mandated this year.

The Plan also outlines a further increase to 92,500 PR spaces for 2027 to 2028, reflecting the continued focus on in-Canada candidates.

Maintenance of Express Entry-based PR Admissions, Focus on CEC

Under the latest ILP, PR admissions targets for immigration through Express Entry (Federal High Skilled Worker) remain substantial at 109,000 spaces, slightly lower than the previous year’s 124,680.

With 109,000 admissions spaces, the Express Entry category accounts for the largest share among all economic immigration categories, representing approximately 45% of all PR spaces.