Today, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) unveiled the updated immigration levels plan for 2025-2027.
Official statement from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Immigration Minister Marc Miller:
Goals for Permanent Residency
The targets for permanent residents are centered on strategies outlined in the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, which include the following:
Facilitating the transition of temporary residents currently in Canada, including students and workers, to permanent resident status
Comprising over 40% of total permanent resident admissions in 2025, these individuals are skilled, educated, and well-integrated into Canadian society. They will continue to contribute to the workforce and economy without imposing further pressure on social services, as they are already settled with housing and jobs.
Emphasizing sustainable economic growth and critical labor market sectors, including healthcare and trades
By 2027, admissions of permanent residents in the economic class are projected to account for 61.7% of all admissions.
Enhancing the vitality of Francophone communities outside Quebec and promoting their economic well-being
Francophone immigration is expected to account for 8.5% of the total permanent resident admission targets in 2025 and 9.5% in 2026.
Targets for Temporary Residents
The targets for temporary residents will include the influx of new workers and students coming to Canada:
- Student arrivals are in line with prior announcements.
- Worker arrivals pertain to those entering under the International Mobility Program and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Therefore, the following categories are excluded from the temporary resident targets but are included in the total number of temporary residents:
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | |
| Overall Arrival | 673,650 (604,900 – 742,400) | 516,600 (435,250 – 597,950) | 543,600 (472,900 – 614,250) |
| Workers (Total) | 367,750 | 210,700 | 237,700 |
| International Mobility Program | 285,750 | 128,700 | 155,700 |
| Temporary Foreign Worker Program | 82,000 | 82,000 | 82,000 |
| Students | 305,900 | 305,900 | 305,900 |
Overall, these targets are projected to lead to a net reduction in temporary residents over the next two years. Specifically, compared to each prior year, we anticipate:
- A decrease of 445,901 temporary residents in 2025
- A decrease of 445,662 temporary residents in 2026
- A slight increase of 17,439 temporary residents in 2027
What makes Canada’s immigration levels plan for 2025-2027 unique?
The immigration levels plan details the annual number of new immigrants, both inside and outside Canada, who will receive permanent resident status over the next three years across various categories.
Typically, these targets are announced on November 1st each year; however, this year’s immigration goals will be revealed a week earlier.
Additionally, this marks the first time in Canadian history that annual targets for temporary residents will also be disclosed.
In 2023, Canada had approximately 2.5 million temporary residents, representing 6.2% of the total population.
Minister Miller indicated that the upcoming plan will focus on decreasing the number of temporary immigrants admitted in the coming years, aiming to reduce this figure to 5% within the next three years.
