The Government of Canada has released its new Immigration Levels Plan (2026–2028), outlining the country’s targets for both permanent and temporary residents over the next three years.
In this plan, Canada will significantly expand the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) which allow provinces to nominate candidates for permanent residence while reducing the number of work and study permits, particularly those issued through LMIA-based programs.

In 2026, Canada plans to admit 91,500 new permanent residents through PNPs, up from 55,000 the previous year an increase of approximately 66%.

The Immigration Levels Plan is a legally required policy document that must be tabled in Parliament every year by November 1.
It sets immigration targets for the upcoming year and projections for the following two years.
For the first time last year, the plan also included targets for temporary residents such as international students and foreign workers.

The Government of Canada has presented its immigration targets for 2026 and 2027, covering permanent residents, work permits, and study permits.
While the number of economic immigrants will remain stable or slightly increase, the targets for temporary programs such as work and study permits will decline.

Category	2026	2027
Express Entry (CEC, FSW, FST)	109,000	111,000
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)	91,500	92,500
Atlantic Immigration Program	4,000	4,000
Other Skills-Based Programs	8,175	8,775
Start-Up and Entrepreneur Programs	500	500

In the new Immigration Levels Plan for 2026–2028, the total number of temporary residents, including foreign workers and international students, will be significantly reduced.

Work Permits

Type	2026	2027	2028
LMIA-Exempt Work Permits (IMP)	170,000	170,000	170,000
LMIA-Required Work Permits (TFWP)	60,000	50,000	50,000
Total Work Permits	230,000	220,000	220,000

Study Permits

Type	2026	2027	2028
Study Permits	155,000	150,000	150,000

Total Temporary Residents (Work and Study Combined)

Category	2026	2027	2028
Temporary Residents	385,000	370,000	370,000

Comparison with 2025 Targets

Category	2025	2026	Change	Percent Change
LMIA-Exempt Work Permits	128,700	170,000	+41,300	+24.3%
LMIA-Required Work Permits	82,000	60,000	-22,000	-26.8%
Study Permits	305,900	155,000	-150,900	-49.3%

In practice, these reductions are already being seen.
By 2025, the number of new international students entering Canada had dropped by 70 percent year-over-year, while the number of work permit holders had decreased by about 50 percent.

The total number of new permanent residents will remain nearly unchanged from 2026 onward.
While the economic immigration category will slightly increase, the family and refugee categories will decline.
Overall, the total annual target will stay at 380,000 new permanent residents from 2026 to 2028.
In addition, the Government of Canada aims to gradually raise the proportion of French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec.

Permanent Resident Targets (2026–2028)

Category	2026	2027	2028
Economic Class (Skills and Education)	239,800	244,700	244,700
Family Class (Spouses and Relatives)	84,000	81,000	81,000
Refugees and Others	56,200	54,300	54,300
Total Permanent Residents	380,000	380,000	380,000

Comparison with 2025

Category	2025	2026	Change	Percent Change
Economic Class	232,150	239,800	+7,650	+3.3%
Family Class	94,500	84,000	-10,500	-11.1%
Refugees and Others	68,350	56,200	-12,150	-17.8%
Total	395,000	380,000	-15,000	-3.8%

French-Speaking Immigrants Outside Quebec

Year	Target	Share of Total
2026	30,267	9%
2027	31,825	9.5%
2028	35,175	10.5%

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows provinces and territories to nominate candidates for permanent residence based on local labor market needs.
With the latest expansion, new opportunities will open for the following groups:

• Individuals already registered in a PNP who have not yet received an Invitation to Apply (ITA)
• Applicants with CRS scores below the usual Express Entry cut-off
• Those who do not meet the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) requirements
• Workers in lower-skilled occupations (TEER 4 and 5)
• Business owners and investors seeking permanent residence through entrepreneurship streams

Although PNP quotas were temporarily cut by 50 percent in early 2025, the government later reversed course and increased allocations for all provinces except Ontario and Prince Edward Island.
This policy change, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Immigration Minister Lena Diab, represents a major shift from the approach taken under the previous Trudeau and Miller administration.

The LMIA-based work permit (TFWP) allows employers to hire foreign workers when no Canadians or permanent residents are available.
Each application requires an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
This is a closed work permit tied to a specific employer and occupation.

The LMIA-exempt work permit (IMP) facilitates employment that brings cultural, social, or economic benefits to Canada.
This includes the following categories:

• Working Holiday Visa (IEC)
• Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
• Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)
• Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
• CPTPP Work Permit
• Intra-Company Transfer (ICT)

Many IMP permits are open work permits that allow the holder to work for any employer.
This flexibility enables the government to adjust eligibility and maintain greater control over the composition of temporary workers.

The Canadian government aims to reduce the proportion of temporary residents to 5 percent of the total population by the end of 2027.
By 2025, the number of international students and temporary workers had already declined significantly.

Key Policy Changes Introduced Since 2024

• Cap on the number of study permit applications
• Elimination of PGWP eligibility for certain college graduates
• Stricter language and program requirements for PGWP applicants
• Limiting spousal work permits for international students to PhD, master’s, and specialized programs
• Restricting spousal work permits for foreign workers to specific occupations
• Suspension of low-wage LMIA processing in regions with unemployment above 6 percent

The effects of these changes will take time to be fully reflected in population figures.
For example, the reduction in study permits is expected to lead to fewer PGWP holders starting around 2029, once current students complete multi-year programs.
By contrast, restrictions on low-wage LMIA processing are expected to have an immediate impact within one to two years because of the short validity of these permits.

The new Immigration Levels Plan clearly demonstrates the government’s policy goal of stabilizing immigration through permanent pathways while limiting temporary stays.
The expansion of PNPs will create new opportunities for foreign workers and international students aiming for permanent residence, while the environment for short-term stays through study and LMIA-based work permits is expected to become increasingly competitive.