Overview
- The federal plan freezes permanent resident admissions at 380,000 a year from 2026 to 2028, with IRCC adding an estimated 148,000 one‑off permanent residents over two years, including about 115,000 refugees.
- Targets for temporary residents drop from 673,650 in 2025 to 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027–2028, with planned reductions of roughly 49% for international students and 37% for temporary foreign workers.
- Ottawa will prioritize permanent residency for people already living in Canada and will run a one‑time acceleration for up to 33,000 work‑permit holders in 2026–2027.
- Provinces gain more selection power as the Provincial Nominee Program allocation rises from 55,000 to 91,500 next year to address regional labour needs.
- Quebec set a 2025 target of 45,000 new permanent residents, up to 54% from current temporary residents, while its immigration minister warned federal cuts to temporary workers and students are creating an emergency for businesses.