OTTAWA — Canada’s new immigration plan will maintain current admission targets while offering permanent residency to as many as 200,000 temporary residents already living in the country.
Under the 2027-2029 immigration plan, the federal government plans to welcome 380,000 permanent residents and 370,000 temporary residents each year.
The temporary resident target includes 220,000 foreign workers and 150,000 international students annually. More than 64 per cent of new permanent residents are expected to be economic immigrants.
The plan was outlined in the federal budget released Thursday. It also includes changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to better match workers with local job needs, speed up applications and improve employer oversight.
The government has set aside $151.5 million to support the program changes and will work with provincial and territorial governments.
Of the 200,000 temporary residents expected to receive permanent status, 100,000 will be workers who qualify through Express Entry or the Provincial Nominee Program.
The other 100,000 will come through humanitarian programs, including pathways for people from Hong Kong and Ukraine.
Ottawa also plans to increase the number of permanent residency spaces available through the Provincial Nominee Program. This would give provinces and territories more opportunities to select workers based on local labour needs.
The Rural Community Immigration Pilot, which connects employers in smaller communities with skilled foreign workers, will also become permanent.
The government wants to reduce temporary residents to five per cent of Canada’s population by the end of 2027. Temporary residents made up 7.4 per cent of the population in October 2024, before falling to 6.7 per cent.
Immigration has become a major political issue, with concerns about housing costs, affordability and pressure on public services.
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner criticized the plan, saying the government was setting immigration targets to benefit businesses rather than Canadian workers and newcomers.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has said immigration is becoming more controlled, pointing to fewer temporary workers and international students arriving since 2024.
The federal immigration report released Thursday shows Canada welcomed about 393,000 permanent residents in 2025, close to its target of 395,000.
More than 3.3 million people held work or study permits in Canada during 2025, including new arrivals and people who extended their permits.
