On October 24, Canada revealed its Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027, introducing targets for temporary residents for the first time, including international students.
Each year, Canada releases its Immigration Levels Plan to establish the number of permanent residents it intends to welcome, supporting economic growth, family reunification, and humanitarian obligations.
The Immigration Levels Plan also included projected targets for 2026 and 2027, though these are tentative. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) finalizes targets for the upcoming year by November 1 annually.
Here are some key points from the latest announcement that international students should be aware of:
Canada aims to welcome more new international students than individuals on work permits
The plan for this year sets a steady goal of 305,900 new international students coming to Canada each year for 2025, 2026, and 2027.
This number only counts new students arriving in Canada and does not include those who will renew their study permits.
Meanwhile, the number of temporary workers — people coming through the International Mobility Program and Temporary Foreign Worker Program — will gradually decrease over these three years (from 367,750 in 2025 to 210,700 in 2026 and 237,700 in 2027).
This means that, by 2026 and 2027, a larger share of temporary residents coming to Canada will be international students.
Canada intends to welcome more new permanent residents from within the country
The plan for this year sets a consistent goal of 305,900 new international student arrivals each year for 2025, 2026, and 2027.
These numbers apply only to new arrivals and do not include expected study permit renewals for students already in Canada.
In contrast, the number of temporary resident workers—covering those in the International Mobility Program and Temporary Foreign Worker Program—gradually decreases over the three years (from 367,750 in 2025 to 210,700 in 2026 and 237,700 in 2027).
This shift means that by 2026 and 2027, a larger percentage of temporary residents arriving in Canada will be international students.
Canada aims to bring in more new permanent residents from within its borders
The Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027 highlights the goal of making it easier for those already in Canada—whether as students or workers—to transition to permanent residency under the “in-Canada focus” category.
In 2025, IRCC expects that more than 40% of total permanent resident admissions will come from students or workers already residing in Canada.
The plan also indicates that the Federal High Skilled (FHS) category has been divided into two sections: Federal Economic Priorities and In-Canada Focus, with the latter receiving a larger share of admissions over the next three years.
For instance, in 2025, the target for Federal Economic Priorities is 41,700, while the target for In-Canada Focus is 82,980—almost double.
This suggests that IRCC may explore more opportunities to help temporary residents in Canada transition to permanent residency, potentially through increased Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Express Entry draws or new policies that favor individuals already in the country.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are set to be reduced
The Plan also revealed significant reductions in the targets for PNP admissions in the coming years.
In 2025, the government has set a target of only 55,000 PNP admissions, a sharp decrease from last year’s target of 110,000 for 2024 and 120,000 for 2025.
Students who were considering provincial nominations as a route to permanent residence may now face increased competition in the PNP streams.
Increased emphasis on French language proficiency
Aligned with IRCC’s previous approach to francophone immigration, the Levels Plan aims to increase the share of French-speaking permanent resident targets outside of Quebec.
In 2025, 8.5% of the total planned permanent resident admissions will be French speakers (outside Quebec), rising to 9.5% in 2026 and 10% in 2027.
This marks an increase from the targets set in the 2024-2026 plan, which aimed for 7% in 2025 and 8% in 2026.
Students with limited or no French proficiency may want to consider learning French to boost their chances of receiving an invitation to apply for permanent residence.
Increased emphasis on high-demand occupations
In 2023, Canada introduced category-based selection draws to issue ITAs to skilled workers in high-demand fields such as healthcare, STEM, trades, and transportation, aiming to address labor shortages across the country.
These categories are designed to evolve over time based on changing labor market and demographic needs.
For 2025, priority categories include healthcare and trade occupations.
The government has not indicated plans to remove any of the other priority categories like STEM, transportation, agriculture, or agri-food.
To qualify for a category-based selection draw, candidates must have at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience (or the equivalent part-time experience) in an in-demand occupation within the last three years.
Students expecting to graduate with Post Graduate Work Permits (PGWPs) and planning to pursue Canadian PR may want to target jobs that align with these category-based draws.
