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Get your free Roadmap SnapshotCanada will target 380,000 permanent resident admissions and 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals in each of 2027, 2028 and 2029. Separately, IRCC is creating time-limited additional permanent residence space outside the regular Levels Plan targets for up to 200,000 people already in Canada in 2027.
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On November 5, 2026, IRCC released Canada’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan. The headline targets remain unchanged: 380,000 permanent resident admissions and 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals per year. They are the same figures previously planned for 2027 and 2028, now extended to 2029. But the allocation within the permanent residence target has changed, including fewer Federal High Skilled spaces and more Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Atlantic Immigration Program spaces.
The other major development is a time-limited 2027 measure creating additional permanent residence space outside the regular Levels Plan targets for up to 200,000 people already in Canada. It is not a new immigration pathway, and IRCC says applicants do not need to submit a separate application to be considered.
2027–2029 targets at a glance
IRCC sets the same headline target for each of the three years. These are planning targets, each with a low-to-high range: 352,500 to 422,000 for permanent residents and 355,000 to 385,000 for new temporary residents.
| Measure | Each year, 2027–2029 |
|---|---|
| Permanent resident admissions | 380,000 |
| …Economic class | 244,700 (64.4%) |
| …Family class | 81,000 (21.3%) |
| …Refugees and protected persons | 49,300 (13%) |
| …Humanitarian, compassionate and other | 5,000 (1.3%) |
| New temporary resident arrivals | 370,000 |
| …Workers | 220,000 |
| …Students | 150,000 |
The 2028 and 2029 figures are notional and can be confirmed or adjusted in future annual Levels Plans.
Important: the 200,000 spaces are additional. The regular permanent resident target remains 380,000. IRCC says the time-limited 2027 measure creates additional space outside the Levels Plan targets for up to 200,000 people already in Canada. It is not a new immigration pathway, and there is no separate application to submit for this measure.
How the 380,000 PR spaces are allocated
These are the categories readers ask about most. “Federal High Skilled” is the group of federal programs managed through Express Entry: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
| Category | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 95,000 | 95,000 | 95,000 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Federal Economic Pilots (see note below) | 7,900 | 6,175 | 7,400 |
| Rural Community Immigration Program | 5,500 | 6,000 | 6,500 |
| Federal Business | 1,500 | 2,725 | 1,000 |
| Spouses, partners and children | 66,000 | 66,000 | 66,000 |
| Parents and grandparents | 15,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
Federal Economic Pilots is a grouped row, not a caregiver line. IRCC lists these programs under it:
IRCC regrouped some programs in the new table, so we do not compare the pilots row with the previous plan.
- Home Care Worker programs, including legacy caregiver applications still being processed to completion
- Agri-Food Pilot
- Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot
- Francophone Community Immigration Pilot
- Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot
What changed from the previous plan?
The overall target did not move: 380,000 in 2027 and 2028 last year, 380,000 now. Underneath it, the economic allocation shifted.
| Category | Previous 2027 target | New 2027 target | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall PR admissions | 380,000 | 380,000 | No change |
| Federal High Skilled | 111,000 | 100,000 | −11,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 92,500 | 95,000 | +2,500 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 4,000 | 6,000 | +2,000 |
| Federal Business | 500 | 1,500 | +1,000 |
| French-speaking admissions outside Quebec | 9.5% | 9.5% | No change |
So while Canada’s overall permanent resident target is flat, the mix is not. Federal High Skilled admissions have been reduced, while provinces and the Atlantic Immigration Program receive more space. Federal Business also rises, to 1,500 in 2027 and 2,725 in 2028, even though neither federal business program is accepting new applications, so any extra room can only serve applications already in inventory. The planning ranges moved slightly as well: the overall permanent resident range is now 352,500 to 422,000, up from 350,000 to 420,000. The previous plan’s 2027 and 2028 figures in this table were identical, so the same comparison applies to 2028; the French-speaking share was 10.5% in 2028 then, and still is.
The new 2027 in-Canada measure
IRCC calls this a time-limited measure. It adds admissions space in 2027, outside the regular Levels Plan targets, so that applications from people already living in Canada can be processed in two cohorts. It is separate from the one-time initiatives announced earlier for up to 115,000 protected persons and 33,000 work permit holders.
- Workers cohort: up to 100,000 additional permanent residence spaces for workers already in Canada outside Quebec and their families.
- Humanitarian/family cohort: up to 100,000 additional spaces for specified applicants already in Canada.
Who the workers cohort covers. IRCC says it will work with provinces and territories on this cohort. Its measures page names workers waiting for a decision under programs now closed to new applications (the Start-Up Visa Program, the Self-Employed Persons Program, the Agri-Food Pilot and home care worker programs) and workers eligible to apply for permanent residence through the Provincial Nominee Program. The November 5 backgrounder also names the Atlantic Immigration Program. Quebec selects its own economic immigrants, which is why the cohort is focused on people outside Quebec.
Who the humanitarian/family cohort covers. IRCC says it includes pending applications from spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadians and permanent residents who are already in Canada; remaining applications under the Hong Kong permanent residence pathways; remaining applications under the Ukraine family pathway; and in-Canada humanitarian and compassionate applicants who have already been approved in principle.
IRCC has now identified the main groups and programs that may benefit, but complete operational selection details and provincial allocation mechanics have not yet been published. This is not a new application stream: IRCC says applicants do not need to apply separately or take additional steps to be considered under the measure. Being in one of these groups is not a guarantee of permanent residence, because each application is still assessed under its own rules.
There is no separate “200,000 PR program” that someone can sell you access to. Be cautious of anyone claiming otherwise.
Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed: no reopening
Neither federal business program is currently accepting new applications. IRCC lists the Start-Up Visa Program as paused, with the last window for applicants holding 2025 commitment certificates having closed on June 30, 2026, and the Self-Employed Persons Program as paused with no reopening date given. Applications already submitted remain in processing. The plan’s Federal Business line, which IRCC says covers admissions from both programs, is 1,500 in 2027, 2,725 in 2028 and 1,000 in 2029. Those admissions therefore relate to existing applications rather than a reopening of the programs.
- If you already have a pending application and live in Canada: IRCC names Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed applications among those waiting for a decision that the 2027 workers cohort can include. It has not said how files will be chosen or when.
- If your file is linked to a suspended designated organization: IRCC has not said whether this measure reaches those files. Our Zheng v. Canada case review explains why they are on hold.
- If you have not applied: neither program is an option. Business owners can assess currently available provincial entrepreneur pathways, subject to each province’s current program status and eligibility rules. See our PNP entrepreneur overview.
What the 370,000 temporary figure covers
The 370,000 target counts new arrivals under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the International Mobility Program and the International Student Program. It is not a count of every temporary resident in Canada. IRCC says no targets are set for visitors, permit extensions, in-Canada study or work permit applications or asylum claimants, and seasonal and short-duration streams are excluded. Post-graduation work permits are not counted either, because IRCC treats them as an extension or change of status rather than a new arrival.
French-speaking immigration continues to grow
The targets for French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec rise each year: 9.5% in 2027, 10.5% in 2028 and 12% in 2029. If you speak French, or can reach a good level, that is the clearest growth signal in the plan. Our French-language Express Entry guide explains how it is used in selection.
Why Ottawa is keeping the headline targets flat
The government says the targets support its effort to slow population growth so housing and services can catch up, and it commits to keeping permanent resident admissions below 1% of Canada’s total population beyond 2027. The economic class stays above 64% of admissions in every year of the plan. For the debate leading up to it, see our posts on the prime minister’s “controlled increase” remark and where the federal parties stand.
What the plan means for applicants
Immigration Levels Plan figures are national planning targets, accompanied by low and high ranges. They guide IRCC’s admissions planning but do not determine the outcome of any individual application or guarantee invitations, nominations or approvals.
- Express Entry candidates: Federal High Skilled has an annual admissions target of 100,000 and includes the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program. The previous plan had allocated 111,000 for 2027 and 2028, so the new figure is lower. This admissions target influences IRCC’s management of Express Entry invitations and inventory, but it is not an ITA quota. The selection rules changed on November 3; see what is now in force.
- Provincial nominee applicants: the 95,000 PNP admissions target is distributed among participating provinces and territories (Quebec selects its own economic immigrants, and Nunavut has no nominee program). It is up from 92,500 in the previous plan, and each province still sets its own streams and draws. See our PNP overview.
- Workers and humanitarian applicants already in Canada: keep your status valid and your documents current, and watch for IRCC’s operational details on the 2027 measure. Do not let a permit lapse waiting for it, and do not pay anyone for a “place” in it.
- Future students and workers abroad: IRCC is targeting 150,000 new international student arrivals and 220,000 new temporary worker arrivals per year. These controlled intake targets signal continued restraint in new temporary resident arrivals, although actual study permit and work permit outcomes will also depend on program rules, application volumes and processing decisions.
- Sponsors: the family class keeps 81,000 spaces a year, including 66,000 for spouses, partners and children and 15,000 for parents and grandparents.
Not sure which pathway fits your profile? The free eligibility checker is a quick first look.
Sources: IRCC’s Supplementary Information for the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, its “Managing a responsive and predictable immigration system” page and its November 5, 2026 news release, plus IRCC’s Start-up Visa and Self-Employed Persons program pages and the 2026–2028 plan for the comparison. All read November 5, 2026. Processing times are estimates and nothing here predicts the outcome of an application. General information, not legal advice.
