- IRCC set 2027 processing space for up to 100,000 workers in Canada and their families, subject to eligibility.
- A separate humanitarian group includes up to 100,000 people across several pathways and family categories.
- Canada plans 370,000 temporary arrivals annually and 380,000 permanent-resident admissions each year from 2027 through 2029.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) set a one-year measure to process applications from people already in Canada as it released its 2027–2029 immigration plan on November 5, 2026. The measure covers up to 100,000 workers and their families, plus an equally sized humanitarian group.
Processing space under the measure is for 2027. The ceilings describe places for processing, not guaranteed approvals or automatic eligibility.
The 2027 measure splits between workers and humanitarian cases
The worker group is limited to people already in Canada outside Quebec, along with their families. Applicants must either have an application pending under a closed program or qualify for a Provincial Nominee Program nomination. The closed programs named are:
- Start-Up Visa
- Self-Employed Persons
- Agri-Food Pilot
- Caregivers
The government says it will work with provinces and territories on the worker cohort.
The humanitarian group includes people with applications under the Hong Kong and Ukraine pathways, some humanitarian-and-compassionate cases, and family members of Canadians and permanent residents. Hong Kong’s pathway closed in August 2026; the remaining applications are expected to account for up to 32,000 admissions. The Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway closed in October 2024, with up to 18,800 admissions expected from its remaining applications.
The group also includes up to 12,600 people already found eligible on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of citizens or permanent residents in Canada.
Temporary arrivals stay at 370,000 a year
The plan sets 370,000 new temporary-resident arrivals each year. That is an arrivals target, not a count of everyone in Canada with temporary status. Its annual categories are:
| Category | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent-resident admissions | 380,000 | 380,000 | 380,000 |
| Economic | 244,700 | 244,700 | 244,700 |
| Federal High Skilled, included in economic | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Family | 81,000 | 81,000 | 81,000 |
| Refugees and Protected Persons | 49,300 | 49,300 | 49,300 |
| Humanitarian and Compassionate and Other | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Francophone admissions outside Quebec | 31,825 (9.5%) | 35,175 (10.5%) | 40,200 (12%) |
| Temporary arrivals | 370,000 | 370,000 | 370,000 |
| Workers | 220,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
| Students | 150,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
The worker arrival target comprises 170,000 through the International Mobility Program and 50,000 through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The student figure continues through 2029.
The permanent-resident target is 380,000 admissions per year, within a range of 352,500 to 422,000. The economic category has a range of 230,000–270,000, and Federal High Skilled has a range of 87,000–123,000. The 2028 and 2029 permanent-resident targets are notional and may be adjusted each year. The temporary-arrival target is within a range of 355,000–385,000; the targets for 2028 and 2029 are subject to confirmation or adjustment by November 1, 2027.
Program changes remain proposals, not dated rules
The plan shrinks Express Entry allocations while growing provincial shares. It has not provided implementation dates for these program changes.
The 14-community Rural Community Immigration Pilot is slated to become permanent. Its targets are 5,500 in 2027, 6,000 in 2028 and 6,500 in 2029. The government also plans modest increases for the Provincial Nominee Program and Atlantic Immigration Program.
The 2026 federal budget allocates $151.5 million to reform the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The stated aims include matching regional labour needs, speeding up processing and tightening employer compliance. The government plans to develop the changes with provinces and territories; it has not set a start date.
A separate target aims to shrink the temporary population
The new measure is distinct from two existing one-time initiatives that continue through 2027: the In-Canada Workers Initiative, covering 33,000 workers, and a two-year protected persons initiative for up to 115,000 applicants and dependants.
The government aims to bring temporary residents to 5% of the population by the end of 2027, while keeping permanent-resident admissions below 1% of the population beyond 2027. It has cited infrastructure pressures in explaining its approach. Conservatives criticized the plan.
Applicants should watch existing pathway rules
Workers considering a provincial nomination should check the relevant province or territory’s program and the status of any application already filed. Other applicants can review the immigration levels plan and the government’s update on the Hong Kong and Ukraine applications.
Applicants will need to follow existing program rules while IRCC provides details on how it will process the eligible cases.
