Canada is approaching another major immigration planning milestone. The federal government is preparing the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, which will determine how many permanent residents and new temporary residents Canada plans to welcome in the coming years. The plan is expected to be tabled in Parliament around early November 2026.
For people following Canada immigration targets 2027, the key point is that the numbers currently published for 2027 and 2028 are not necessarily final. IRCC has described them as notional targets, meaning the new plan can confirm, change or redistribute those spaces.
When Will Canada Announce the New Immigration Levels Plan?
The upcoming 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan is being developed during 2026, following consultations with Canadians, provinces, territories and other stakeholders. IRCC’s public consultation ran from May 12 to June 30, 2026, and the department said the feedback would help inform the plan that is expected to be announced in fall 2026.
There is also a legal timetable behind the annual immigration levels process. Under section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the immigration minister must table the annual report to Parliament on or before November 1, unless a House of Parliament is not sitting on that date. If Parliament is not sitting, the report must be tabled within the next 30 days on which that House is sitting.
November 1, 2026 falls on a Sunday, so the exact publication date does not have to be November 1 itself. The previous 2026–2028 plan was released on November 5, 2025, which is why early November is a reasonable period to watch, although IRCC has not announced a specific release date for the new plan.
What Immigration Targets Are Currently Set For 2027?
Before looking at what could change, it helps to understand the numbers already on the table. Under Canada’s current 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the overall permanent resident target is 380,000 for 2027, with an official planning range of 350,000 to 420,000. The same 380,000 target is currently listed for 2028, but both years can be confirmed or adjusted through the next levels plan.
The current temporary resident planning figure is 370,000 new arrivals in 2027 and 370,000 in 2028. These figures cover new temporary workers and international students rather than every person who may temporarily enter or remain in Canada, and the planning range for each year is 360,000 to 380,000.
Here is how the major current targets compare:
| Immigration Category | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Permanent Residents | 380,000 | 380,000 | 380,000 |
| Economic Immigration | 239,800 | 244,700 | 244,700 |
| Federal High Skilled | 109,000 | 111,000 | 111,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 91,500 | 92,500 | 92,500 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 4,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Federal Business | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Federal Economic Pilots | 8,175 | 8,775 | 8,775 |
| Family Class | 84,000 | 81,000 | 81,000 |
| Refugees & Protected Persons | 49,300 | 49,300 | 49,300 |
| Humanitarian & Other | 6,900 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| New Temporary Resident Arrivals | 385,000 | 370,000 | 370,000 |
| Temporary Workers | 230,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
| International Students | 155,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
Why The 2027–2029 Plan Could Be Important
The next plan is not simply about announcing one large immigration number. The allocation of that number between economic immigration, family reunification, provincial nominees, federal skilled programs, refugees and other categories can have a much more direct effect on applicants.
For example, a person in the Express Entry pool is affected not only by the total number of permanent residents Canada admits, but also by how many spaces are allocated to federal high-skilled immigration and how IRCC uses category-based selection. Similarly, someone pursuing a provincial nomination needs to pay attention to provincial allocations rather than looking only at the national permanent resident target.
This is one area where applicants often make the mistake of watching only the headline immigration number. A 380,000 overall target can produce very different outcomes depending on how many spaces are assigned to each program, so the detailed tables released with the new plan will be worth examining carefully.
Economic Immigration Already Has A Larger Role
The current levels plan gives economic immigration the largest share of Canada’s permanent resident admissions in more than a decade. Economic immigration is planned to account for about 64% of permanent resident admissions in 2027 and 2028, compared with approximately 63% in 2026.
Within the economic category, the current plan provides 111,000 spaces for Federal High Skilled immigration in 2027 and 2028. The Federal High Skilled category includes programs connected to Canada’s federal skilled immigration system, making this figure particularly relevant to people watching Express Entry and related selection activity.
The Provincial Nominee Program is currently allocated 92,500 permanent resident admissions for both 2027 and 2028. That is substantially higher than the 55,000 target that appeared for the PNP in the earlier 2025–2027 plan, although applicants should remember that provincial allocations and individual provincial programs are separate matters.
Temporary Immigration Is Also Being Planned
The next levels plan will matter to international students and temporary foreign workers as well because Canada’s current immigration planning model includes targets for new temporary resident arrivals.
Under the current plan, Canada has set a target of 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals in 2027, including 220,000 workers and 150,000 international students. Within the worker figure, the current planning numbers include 170,000 under the International Mobility Program and 50,000 under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
These figures are part of Canada’s broader effort to reduce the share of non-permanent residents in the population to below 5% by the end of 2027. IRCC has also said that permanent resident admissions are intended to remain below 1% of Canada’s population after 2027.
That distinction matters for anyone planning to study or work in Canada. A possible adjustment to permanent resident admissions does not automatically mean that international student or temporary worker numbers will rise by the same amount, because the federal government is managing permanent and temporary immigration through separate targets and policy objectives.
Canada’s Population Growth Has Slowed Sharply
The demographic situation has also changed considerably since the government began reducing immigration levels. Statistics Canada reported that Canada’s population reached 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, representing annual growth of approximately 0.5% compared with July 1, 2025. Statistics Canada described this as the lowest annual percentage growth since 1915–1916.
The number of non-permanent residents was estimated at 2,779,774 on July 1, 2026, down by 154,614 from a year earlier. Non-permanent residents represented approximately 6.7% of Canada’s total population at that point, which remains above the government’s longer-term objective of reducing the share below 5%.
These figures provide important context for the next immigration plan. Canada is simultaneously dealing with slower population growth and a government commitment to bring the temporary resident share down, so the 2027–2029 plan will have to balance labour-market requirements, population growth and temporary resident levels rather than simply increasing every immigration category.
What Has The Government Said About Future Immigration Growth?
Another development attracting attention is a recent statement from Prime Minister Mark Carney. In an interview with The New York Times, Carney said that once Canada’s immigration system is under control, the question becomes when the country should resume a “controlled increase” in population. A government spokesperson subsequently pointed to the sharp reduction in new international student and temporary worker arrivals and said the upcoming 2027–2029 plan would focus on sustainable immigration levels.
That statement should not be treated as confirmation that Canada’s 2027 permanent resident target will increase. The actual numbers will only become official when the government tables the new Immigration Levels Plan, and the current 380,000 figure remains the published target until then.
There are also outside policy recommendations pointing in different directions. For example, the C.D. Howe Institute’s Immigration Targets Council recommended permanent resident admissions of 380,000 in 2027, 350,000 in 2028 and 340,000 in 2029. Those figures are recommendations from the council, not Government of Canada immigration targets.
2029 Will Be A New Part Of The Immigration Levels Plan
One of the clearest changes in the upcoming plan is that 2029 will be added as a new target year. The existing 2026–2028 plan covers 2026, 2027 and 2028, so the next plan will provide the first official three-year planning figures that extend through 2029.
This will include permanent resident admissions as well as new temporary resident arrival targets. The plan will also provide another important milestone for Francophone immigration outside Quebec, because the federal government has committed to increasing the Francophone permanent resident target to 12% by 2029.
The current trajectory is 9% in 2026, 9.5% in 2027 and 10.5% in 2028 for French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec. The 2029 plan is therefore expected to show how the government intends to reach the longer-term 12% commitment.
What Could The New Plan Mean For Express Entry Applicants?
Express Entry applicants should pay close attention to the Federal High Skilled allocation once the new plan is published. The current target is 111,000 admissions for 2027 and 2028, but the new levels plan can change that number and may also provide clues about how economic immigration will be structured going forward.
Category-based selection is another area worth watching. IRCC has increasingly used category-based selection as part of its approach to economic immigration, so the broader allocation for federal skilled immigration is only one part of the picture. Applicants should avoid assuming that a larger overall immigration target automatically means a lower CRS score or more invitations, because draw size, category eligibility, candidate composition and IRCC instructions can all affect individual outcomes.
From a practical standpoint, Express Entry candidates should continue preparing their profiles based on their own eligibility rather than waiting for the levels plan to solve their immigration strategy. Keep language test results, education documents, work-experience evidence and other supporting records current so that a change in program allocation does not leave you scrambling to prepare a file.
What Could The Plan Mean For PNP Applicants?
Provincial Nominee Program applicants should watch both the national PNP allocation and the individual provinces. The current federal plan lists 92,500 PNP admissions for 2027 and 2028, but this national number does not mean every province will receive the same allocation or that every provincial stream will operate under identical rules.
The PNP remains closely connected to regional labour-market requirements, which means provincial priorities can differ significantly. A province may focus on healthcare, skilled trades, rural workers, international graduates or other groups depending on its labour-market needs and program design.
For applicants, the useful takeaway is simple: do not plan around the national PNP number alone. Once the 2027 allocations are announced, check the province and stream that actually match your profile, because that is where the practical eligibility rules and available pathways will matter.
What About International Students And Temporary Workers?
International students will also be watching the new plan closely. The current target is 150,000 new international student arrivals in 2027, compared with 155,000 in 2026, while the total temporary resident target is 370,000 in 2027.
A change in the student target would not, by itself, guarantee easier study permit approval. Study permits are affected by eligibility requirements, financial capacity, the credibility of the study plan, institutional requirements and other immigration rules that operate separately from the annual levels target.
Temporary workers should similarly distinguish between the number of new arrivals and pathways to permanent residence. Canada’s current plan includes a one-time initiative intended to accelerate the transition of up to 33,000 skilled temporary workers to permanent residence during 2026 and 2027, particularly targeting workers already contributing to Canadian communities and working in specific in-demand sectors.
Francophone Immigration Could Remain A Major Focus
French-speaking immigration outside Quebec is another area with a clearly stated government direction. The current plan sets targets of 9% for 2026, 9.5% for 2027 and 10.5% for 2028, with the broader government commitment calling for 12% by 2029.
This means applicants with strong French-language abilities should continue watching Express Entry category-based selection, provincial programs and other Francophone pathways. The immigration levels plan itself does not guarantee an invitation to any individual applicant, but it does establish the government’s broader admissions framework.
For someone already considering French-language immigration, this is also a good example of why applicants should look beyond the headline PR number. A policy direction that increases the proportion of admissions for a particular group can matter even if Canada’s total permanent resident target remains relatively stable.
What Should Applicants Do Before The New Plan Is Released?
The safest approach is not to put an immigration application on hold simply because the new levels plan is coming. The plan determines admission targets and broad allocations, but most applicants still need to satisfy the eligibility rules of their specific program.
If you are preparing for Express Entry, keep your language tests and education documents organized and make sure your work-history evidence is consistent. If you are looking at a PNP, monitor the province directly rather than relying only on national immigration news. Students and temporary workers should also keep watching program-specific IRCC announcements because levels planning and individual permit rules are not the same thing.
One practical mistake to avoid is treating projected numbers as confirmed policy. Until the 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan is officially tabled, figures such as a possible increase or decrease in individual programs should be treated as analysis rather than promises. The official IRCC announcement will be the document to rely on when making decisions based on the new targets.
What We Know Right Now
As of October 1, 2026, the confirmed framework is that Canada is developing its 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, with the plan expected to be tabled in fall 2026. The current 2027 planning figures remain 380,000 permanent resident admissions and 370,000 new temporary resident arrivals, but IRCC can confirm or adjust those numbers in the next plan.
The federal government is also working toward reducing the non-permanent resident share of the population below 5% by the end of 2027 while keeping permanent resident admissions below 1% of the population after 2027. At the same time, economic immigration is being given a larger share of the overall permanent resident plan, and Francophone immigration outside Quebec is on a path toward 12% by 2029.
The most important information for applicants will therefore come from the detailed tables released with the new plan. Watch not only the total PR number, but also Federal High Skilled, PNP, family, temporary worker, international student and Francophone allocations, because those category-level decisions can have a more direct impact on individual immigration pathways.
Frequently Asked Questions
The new plan is expected to be tabled in fall 2026, with early November being the key period to watch. Under section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the annual report must generally be tabled by November 1, or within the next 30 sitting days when a House is not sitting on that date.
The current 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan lists 380,000 permanent resident admissions for 2027, with a planning range of 350,000 to 420,000. This is a current planning target and can be confirmed or adjusted through the 2027–2029 plan.
An increase has been discussed in public commentary, including Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent reference to a future “controlled increase” in population. However, this does not confirm an increase in the 2027 immigration target, and applicants should wait for the official Immigration Levels Plan for confirmed numbers.
Yes. The overall permanent resident target can remain stable while the government changes how admissions are distributed between economic, family, refugee and other categories. The current plan, for example, allocates 111,000 admissions to Federal High Skilled and 92,500 to the PNP for 2027.
The biggest structural addition will be 2029, which will receive its own official planning targets for permanent resident admissions and new temporary resident arrivals. The plan will also provide updated figures for 2027 and 2028 and show how Canada intends to progress toward its longer-term immigration commitments, including the 12% Francophone target outside Quebec by 2029.
Fact Check: This article is based on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada information on the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC's 2026 consultations for the 2027–2029 plan, Statistics Canada population estimates released September 23, 2026, section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and publicly reported September 2026 statements and policy recommendations. Information checked as of October 1, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal or immigration advice. Immigration targets and program rules can change, so readers should verify the latest information through official Government of Canada sources or consult a qualified immigration professional before making immigration decisions.
