On 5 November 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan alongside Budget 2026. The headline numbers hold steady: 380,000 new permanent residents and 370,000 new temporary residents a year. Underneath, the mix shifts. Express Entry's federal allocation falls, the Provincial Nominee Program grows, and a one-time pathway will move up to 200,000 people who are already in Canada to permanent residence in 2027. This guide sets out every target, what changed from last year's plan, and what it means for applicants from India.
Key Takeaways
- Permanent residents: 380,000 a year in 2027, 2028 and 2029, the same as the 2026 target.
- Temporary residents: 370,000 new arrivals a year, made up of 220,000 workers and 150,000 international students.
- Express Entry (Federal High Skilled): 100,000 a year, down from 109,000 in 2026 and from 111,000 planned for 2027 last year.
- Provincial Nominee Program: 95,000 a year, up from 91,500 in 2026.
- One-time measure: up to 200,000 people already in Canada will be admitted in 2027, half of them workers nominated by provinces and territories.
- Economic immigration: 64.4% of all permanent resident admissions in each year.
What IRCC Announced on 5 November 2026
Canada publishes a rolling three-year immigration plan every year, normally by 1 November. This year the plan was folded into the federal budget, tabled on 5 November 2026. IRCC described the goal as providing greater certainty for applicants and Canadian businesses after two years of cuts.
The plan keeps two population goals in place: bringing temporary residents below 5% of Canada's population by the end of 2027, and keeping permanent resident admissions below 1% of the population beyond 2027. Statistics Canada estimates reported in the press put non-permanent residents at about 6.7% of the population on 1 July 2026, down from a peak of 7.4% in October 2024.
Permanent Resident Targets 2027-2029
| Immigration category | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total permanent residents | 380,000 | 380,000 | 380,000 |
| Economic class | 244,700 | 244,700 | 244,700 |
| 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 |
| Rural Community Immigration Program | 5,500 | 6,000 | 6,500 |
| Federal Economic Pilots (home care, agri-food, francophone) | 7,900 | 6,175 | 7,400 |
| Federal Business (Start-up Visa, Self-employed) | 1,500 | 2,725 | 1,000 |
| Quebec Skilled Workers and Business | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Family class | 81,000 | 81,000 | 81,000 |
| Spouses, partners and children | 66,000 | 66,000 | 66,000 |
| Parents and grandparents | 15,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Refugees and protected persons | 49,300 | 49,300 | 49,300 |
| Humanitarian, compassionate and other | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
Quebec sets its own economic immigration levels. As in every plan, the 2028 and 2029 figures are notional and IRCC confirms or adjusts them each November. French-speaking admissions outside Quebec are targeted at 9.5% in 2027, 10.5% in 2028 and 12% in 2029.
What Changed From Last Year's Plan
Last year's 2026-2028 plan already set notional targets for 2027. Comparing those with the new 2027 targets shows where IRCC moved places between programs while keeping the total at 380,000.
| Category | 2026 target | 2027 (old plan) | 2027 (new plan) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal High Skilled (Express Entry) | 109,000 | 111,000 | 100,000 | -11,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 91,500 | 92,500 | 95,000 | +2,500 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 4,000 | 4,000 | 6,000 | +2,000 |
| Rural Community Immigration Program | Within pilots | Within pilots | 5,500 | New line |
| Federal Business | 500 | 500 | 1,500 | +1,000 |
| Total economic class | 239,800 | 244,700 | 244,700 | No change |
| Spouses, partners and children | 69,000 | 66,000 | 66,000 | No change |
| Parents and grandparents | 15,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 | No change |
| Refugees and protected persons | 49,300 | 49,300 | 49,300 | No change |
| New temporary resident arrivals | 385,000 | 370,000 | 370,000 | No change |
The clearest signal is the 11,000-place cut to the federal Express Entry stream for 2027, balanced by more room for provinces, the Atlantic program and the rural program, which the government says will become permanent. Within the refugee total, government-assisted refugee places fall and privately sponsored places rise.
Temporary Resident Targets 2027-2029
| New arrivals | 2026 (old plan) | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total temporary residents | 385,000 | 370,000 | 370,000 | 370,000 |
| Workers, total | 230,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
| International Mobility Program | 170,000 | 170,000 | 170,000 | 170,000 |
| Temporary Foreign Worker Program | 60,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| International students | 155,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
Workers make up about 60% of new temporary arrivals and students about 40%. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which covers LMIA-based work permits, keeps its lower ceiling of 50,000 new arrivals a year, and Budget 2026 sets aside $151.5 million to reform the program. Open work permits and employer-specific permits that are LMIA-exempt fall under the International Mobility Program, which stays at 170,000.
The One-Time Pathway for 200,000 People Already in Canada
The most important new measure for people already living in Canada is a time-limited program that will admit up to 200,000 people to permanent residence in 2027. IRCC splits it into two groups.
1. Workers cohort: up to 100,000, plus families
- Provinces and territories will nominate workers through increased PNP allocations.
- The government says it will work with provinces to identify temporary workers who are eligible for Express Entry or the PNP.
- The cohort also covers people who applied under the Atlantic Immigration Program, or under closed programs: the Start-up Visa, Self-Employed Persons, the Agri-Food Pilot and the home care worker programs.
2. Humanitarian cohort: up to 100,000
- Remaining applications under the Hong Kong pathway and the Ukraine Family Reunification pathway.
- Humanitarian and compassionate cases that have already been approved in principle.
- Spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadians and permanent residents who are already in Canada. IRCC wants to bring spousal sponsorship wait times outside Quebec closer to 12 months.
Budget 2026 sets aside $302.3 million over four years, starting in 2027-28, for this pathway. IRCC has not said clearly whether these 200,000 admissions count inside the 380,000 target. Last year's one-time initiatives sat outside the target, and some reporting suggests Canada could admit more than 600,000 new permanent residents in 2027 if this measure is added on top. We will update this article when IRCC publishes the eligibility rules.
Existing one-time measures continue
Measures announced with Budget 2025 continue through 2026 and 2027: up to 115,000 protected persons in Canada and their in-Canada dependants, and up to 33,000 work permit holders, are being moved to permanent residence. The In-Canada Workers Initiative announced in May 2026 completes in 2027.
What the Plan Means for Applicants From India
Express Entry candidates applying from India
With 100,000 federal places a year instead of the 111,000 previously planned for 2027, and with the 3 November 2026 CRS changes rewarding Canadian experience and high-wage job offers, competition for candidates outside Canada is likely to stay tight. Strong language scores, French, category-based draws and a provincial nomination remain the main levers. See our guide to the Express Entry CRS changes from 3 November 2026.
Workers already in Canada
This group gains the most. Higher PNP allocations, the 200,000 one-time pathway and the new high-wage CRS points all favour people already working in Canada. Keep your work permit valid, your NOC accurate and your employment records consistent, because provinces will select from people who can show genuine, continuing employment.
International students
New student arrivals are capped at 150,000 a year, so admission will stay competitive and Provincial Attestation Letters remain essential for most programs. For graduates, the pathway to PR runs mainly through Canadian work experience, the PNP and Express Entry categories.
Families
Spousal and child sponsorship stays at 66,000 a year, and spouses already in Canada are part of the 2027 humanitarian cohort, which should shorten waits. Parents and grandparents remain at 15,000 a year, so the Super Visa continues to be the practical option for most families.
LMIA-based workers
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program stays at 50,000 new arrivals a year, so LMIA work permits remain scarce. Since 3 November 2026, an LMIA no longer earns CRS points, so employer support now matters more for provincial streams than for Express Entry.
Beware of "guaranteed PR" offers
Large one-time pathways attract fraud. Provinces and IRCC will run the 200,000 measure through official nomination and application systems. No agent can reserve a place for you, and paying for a job offer or nomination can lead to refusal and a five-year ban for misrepresentation.
Our Reading of the 2027-2029 Plan
The plan confirms that Canada's era of rapid growth in immigration targets is over, but it is not a further cut. Permanent resident numbers stay flat while temporary arrivals stay low, which means more permanent residence places go to people already in Canada. For applicants abroad, the direct federal route through Express Entry narrows slightly, and provinces gain influence. Applicants who plan early, target a province, and improve the factors they can control (language, French, Canadian experience or a genuine high-wage job offer) are best placed.
Your Action Checklist
Recalculate your CRS score
Use our updated calculator, which includes the November 2026 high-wage and job offer points.
Shortlist provincial streams
With PNP rising to 95,000 a year and extra allocations in 2027, match your occupation to two or three provinces that draw from it.
If you are in Canada, prepare your records
Reference letters, payslips, tax records and a valid permit will be needed quickly once the 2027 pathway opens.
Improve the factors you control
Retake IELTS, CELPIP or PTE for CLB 9, consider French, and get your Educational Credential Assessment done in advance.
Check Where You Stand Under the New Plan
Our free CRS calculator is updated for the November 2026 rules. For a personal assessment of your PR options, speak to our team in Vadodara.
Free CRS CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
How many permanent residents will Canada admit in 2027?
The 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan targets 380,000 permanent residents in 2027, with a range of 352,500 to 422,000. A separate one-time measure will admit up to 200,000 people already in Canada in 2027, and IRCC has not confirmed whether those admissions count inside the 380,000 target.
What is the Express Entry target for 2027?
The Federal High Skilled category, which is managed through Express Entry, is targeted at 100,000 admissions a year in 2027, 2028 and 2029, with a range of 87,000 to 123,000. That is lower than the 109,000 target for 2026 and the 111,000 previously planned for 2027.
What is the PNP target for 2027 to 2029?
The Provincial Nominee Program target is 95,000 a year from 2027 to 2029, up from 91,500 in 2026. Provinces will also receive extra allocations in 2027 for the one-time workers cohort.
How many international students can come to Canada in 2027?
The plan targets 150,000 new international student arrivals a year from 2027 to 2029, down from 155,000 in 2026.
Who is eligible for the 200,000 one-time pathway?
It covers up to 100,000 workers already in Canada, plus their families, nominated by provinces and territories through extra PNP allocations, and up to 100,000 humanitarian cases, including spouses and children of Canadians and permanent residents who are already in Canada. Detailed eligibility rules have not yet been published.
Is the Parents and Grandparents Program increasing?
No. The target stays at 15,000 parents and grandparents a year from 2027 to 2029.
Will LMIA work permits become easier to get?
No. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which covers LMIA-based permits, stays at 50,000 new arrivals a year, down from 60,000 in 2026, and Budget 2026 funds a review of the program.
Are these numbers final?
The 2027 targets are firm. The 2028 and 2029 figures are notional and will be confirmed or adjusted in the next plans, due by November each year.
Official sources
This article is based on IRCC's Supplementary Information for the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan, the IRCC news release of 5 November 2026, Building a stronger Canada through a well-managed, predictable immigration system, the 2026-2028 plan for comparison, and Budget 2026 reporting. It is general information, not legal advice.