Canada to Maintain Annual Target of 380,000 Permanent Residents Through 2029, Add 200,000 Spots in 2027
Canada will maintain its annual target of 380,000 permanent residents through 2029 while providing up to 200,000 additional permanent residence admissions in 2027 for eligible people already living in the country, according to a new federal immigration plan announced Nov. 13.
The 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan, released as part of the federal budget, outlines the government’s targets for permanent and temporary residents over the next three years. It maintains the overall targets established for 2027 and 2028 under last year’s plan while extending them through 2029 and adjusting allocations among economic immigration programs.
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Click hereThe additional 200,000 admissions in 2027 will be available beyond the regular annual target of 380,000. Up to 100,000 spaces will be allocated to eligible workers and their families, while another 100,000 will be reserved for certain family and humanitarian applicants through existing immigration pathways.
Permanent Resident Targets Remain Unchanged
Under the new plan, Canada will admit 380,000 permanent residents annually in 2027, 2028 and 2029.
Economic immigration will account for 244,700 admissions each year, representing 64.4% of the total. The annual targets also include 81,000 admissions through family immigration programs, 49,300 for refugees and protected persons, and 5,000 for humanitarian and compassionate cases.
The figures match the projections announced last year for 2027 and 2028.
Provincial Immigration Allocations Increase as Express Entry Target Falls
The government has revised the targets for several economic immigration programs, shifting some admissions toward provincial and regional pathways.
The Provincial Nominee Program, or PNP, will receive 95,000 admissions annually, up from the 92,500 projected for 2027 under last year’s plan. The Atlantic Immigration Program target will increase from 4,000 to 6,000.
By contrast, the Federal High Skilled category, which includes programs managed through Express Entry, will see its annual target fall from 111,000 to 100,000.
The revised allocations will remain the same throughout the three-year period.
The changes could create additional opportunities for applicants pursuing provincial and regional immigration pathways. However, their practical impact will depend on how provinces allocate nominations and how federal authorities set selection and processing priorities.
Canada Offers Additional Permanent Residence Pathways for People Already in the Country
The additional 200,000 admissions planned for 2027 are intended to help eligible people already living in Canada transition to permanent residence without increasing the country’s regular annual immigration target.
The measure includes up to 100,000 spaces for eligible workers and their families and up to 100,000 for certain family and humanitarian applicants through existing immigration programs.
The government will also continue initiatives announced last year to accelerate permanent residence for 33,000 work permit holders and up to 115,000 eligible protected persons during 2026 and 2027.
In an update issued Nov. 13, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said provinces and territories would be offered optional additional Provincial Nominee Program allocations. The additional spaces are intended to help nominate foreign workers already in Canada who meet local labor market needs.
Provinces and territories will be able to use the allocations through March 31, 2027, with the goal of transitioning the selected workers and their families to permanent residence by the end of that year.
The provinces and territories may also identify workers awaiting permanent residence decisions under the Atlantic Immigration Program and certain other programs that are closed to new applications.
Those programs include the Start-up Visa Program, the Self-Employed Persons Program, the Agri-Food Pilot and home care worker programs.
Applicants do not need to submit additional applications or take further action to be considered under the measure, according to the department. Details about participating provinces and territories and the distribution of additional allocations have not yet been announced.
Temporary Resident Target Set at 370,000 Annually
Canada will maintain its target of 370,000 new temporary residents annually from 2027 through 2029.
The target includes 220,000 foreign workers and 150,000 international students, representing approximately 60% and 40% of new arrivals, respectively.
Of the worker admissions, 170,000 will be allocated through the International Mobility Program and 50,000 through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
The figures extend the targets established for 2027 and 2028 under last year’s plan.
For 2026, Canada set a target of 385,000 new temporary residents, including 230,000 workers and 155,000 students.
The new targets apply to new arrivals and do not include extensions of existing permits or applications for work and study permits submitted by people already in Canada.
Francophone Immigration Targets Rise Outside Quebec
The plan also maintains the government’s goal of increasing the number of French-speaking immigrants settling outside Quebec.
Francophone admissions outside Quebec are expected to account for 9.5% of permanent resident admissions in 2027, 10.5% in 2028 and 12% in 2029.
The targets for 2027 and 2028 remain unchanged from last year’s projections, while the 2029 target reflects the government’s broader goal of expanding Francophone communities outside Quebec.
The policy is intended to support French-speaking communities and employers seeking to recruit and retain French-speaking workers in other parts of the country.
Processing Delays Remain a Concern
The Canadian government says maintaining stable immigration targets will provide greater predictability for employers, provinces, territories and educational institutions.
The additional permanent residence admissions are also intended to help address labor market needs by transitioning people already living in Canada rather than bringing in an equivalent number of new arrivals.
However, prioritizing applications under the new measures could affect processing times for other immigration applicants. The extent of any delays will depend on how Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada allocates its processing resources.
Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan is presented annually to Parliament by the minister of immigration. It establishes targets and ranges for permanent and temporary residents across economic, family and humanitarian immigration categories, as well as projected admissions for international students and temporary foreign workers.
The government said the targets for 2028 and 2029 remain subject to annual review and possible adjustments.