Canada is set to launch a new initiative to convert up to 33,000 work permit holders into permanent residents between 2026 and 2027 as part of the upcoming Immigration Levels Plan outlined in Budget 2025.

The plan encompasses several significant changes:

• Reducing the target for temporary resident admissions in 2026 to 385,000, marking a 43% decrease from the 2025 figure of 673,650. The target for international student admissions in 2026 will be 155,000, down 49% from 2025. Additionally, the target for temporary foreign worker admissions will be 230,000, a 37% decrease from the 2025 target of 367,750 but an 8% increase from the 2026 target set in the previous year’s Immigration Levels Plan.
• Providing permanent resident status to eligible Protected Persons in Canada over the next two years.