Canada’s Immigration Plan Overview
Canada is set to introduce a new immigration plan for 2026-2028, focusing on granting permanent residence to temporary workers. The plan aims to stabilize permanent immigration while reducing temporary admissions significantly.
Key Targets for 2026
- Temporary residents: 385,000 (down from 673,650 in 2025)
- International students: 155,000 (down from 305,900 in 2025)
- Temporary foreign workers: 230,000 (down from 367,750 in 2025, but up from the previous year)
- Permanent residents: 380,000 (unchanged)
- Protected Persons in Canada: to receive permanent residence over the next two years
The plan will increase the share of economic immigration to 64% of total permanent resident admissions, up from 59%. It also aims to address labor shortages in rural areas and support sectors impacted by tariffs.
The government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, presented Budget 2025 on November 4, highlighting that more details will be provided in the upcoming Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration.
Temporary Program Adjustments
Although the targets for 2026 are lower, actual admissions may align closely with 2025 levels due to the shortfall in this year’s numbers. By August 2025, Canada had admitted only 154,515 temporary foreign workers (42% of the target) and 89,430 international students (29% of the target).
Carney emphasized the need for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to focus on specific sectors and regions, indicating a more targeted labor approach going forward.
Program Breakdown and Permanent Residence Goals
Budget 2025 does not differentiate between targets for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP), with the IMP historically issuing most work permits. In 2025, the targets were 285,750 IMP and 82,000 TFWP. The combined total for 2026 surpasses the previous projection from last year.
- Total permanent residence admissions: 380,000
- Economic category: 239,800 (up from 229,750)
- Family category: 84,000 (down from 88,000)
- Refugee & Humanitarian category: 56,200 (down from 62,250)
The new plan reflects Ottawa’s commitment to rebalancing immigration by reducing short-term inflows and creating new pathways for permanent residency for existing workers in Canada.