Canada’s next immigration levels plan is expected around early November 2026, when Ottawa is scheduled to set the next three-year framework for permanent resident admissions and new temporary resident arrivals.
The 2027-2029 plan will be important because it is expected to introduce the first official targets for 2029 while confirming or changing the notional figures already published for 2027 and 2028.
No release date has been announced.
Under Section 94(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the immigration minister must table the annual report on or before November 1, or within the next 30 sitting days if a House of Parliament is not sitting on that date.
November 1, 2026, falls on a Sunday.
Table of Contents
What the current immigration levels plan sets out
IRCC’s current 2026-2028 framework stabilizes planned permanent resident admissions at 380,000 in each year.
The economic category represents 64% of planned admissions in both 2027 and 2028, while the plan also increases space for the Federal High Skilled programs and the Provincial Nominee Program.
The current figures for 2027 and 2028 are notional, meaning they can be confirmed or adjusted in the next annual plan.
The existing framework lists 92,500 Provincial Nominee Program admissions for each of those years and a total economic immigration target of 244,700.
For temporary residents, the current plan sets a target of 370,000 new arrivals in both 2027 and 2028.
That total includes new temporary workers and international students, but does not include visitors, permit extensions or certain in-Canada applications.
| Category | 2027 notional target | 2028 notional target |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent resident admissions | 380,000 | 380,000 |
| New temporary resident arrivals | 370,000 | 370,000 |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 92,500 | 92,500 |
| International students | 150,000 | 150,000 |
| Total workers | 220,000 | 220,000 |
IRCC says the temporary resident targets are part of a plan to reduce the temporary population to less than 5% of Canada’s total population by the end of 2027.
Why the 2027 immigration targets could become a focus
The policy backdrop has changed since Ottawa announced its recent reductions.
Statistics Canada estimated that the country had 41,798,407 residents on July 1, 2026, up 189,425 people from a year earlier.
That represented annual growth of 0.5%, the lowest percentage increase since 1915-1916, according to the agency.
The number of non-permanent residents also declined by 154,614 over the year to 2,779,774, or 6.7% of the population.
The figures indicate that temporary resident numbers have begun moving downward, although the total remains above the federal objective of less than 5% by the end of 2027.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has also been reported as saying that Canada could eventually resume a controlled increase in population once the immigration system is under control.
Those remarks do not amount to a government decision to raise immigration targets, but they have added to speculation about whether the next plan could mark a shift from reductions towards gradual growth.
One possible outcome is that the overall permanent resident target remains close to 380,000 while Ottawa adjusts the distribution between economic programs.
Another possibility is a modest increase, although any change would have to be balanced against housing, infrastructure, labour-market and public-service pressures.
Program allocations may matter more than the headline number
For applicants, the most important details may be found inside the overall target rather than in the total number of permanent resident admissions.
- Express Entry: Applicants will be watching for changes to Federal High Skilled allocations and the occupations or language groups prioritized through category-based selection.
- Provincial nominees: Provinces and territories could receive different allocations even if the national permanent resident target stays unchanged.
- International students: The current plan sets a 150,000 annual target for new international student arrivals in 2027 and 2028, making any revision significant for study permit applicants and designated learning institutions.
- Temporary workers: The next plan could clarify whether Ottawa continues reducing arrivals while reserving workers for sectors facing specific labour shortages.
- Francophone immigration: The current framework targets French-speaking permanent resident admissions outside Quebec at 10.5% in 2028 and supports a broader goal of reaching 12% by 2029.
These figures are planning targets rather than guarantees of approval.
Individual applications will continue to depend on the requirements of the relevant program, available spaces, admissibility rules and IRCC processing decisions.
What to watch when the plan is released
The 2027-2029 immigration levels plan will show whether Ottawa keeps the current course or begins a controlled adjustment.
Readers should look for three details: the revised 2027 permanent resident target, the first official 2029 figures and the allocation of spaces among economic, family, refugee and humanitarian categories.
The treatment of temporary residents will be equally important.
A plan that raises permanent resident admissions while maintaining restraint on new students and temporary workers would signal a different approach from a broad increase across all categories.
Until the government tables the report, projections about a 390,000-to-400,000 permanent resident target remain analysis rather than confirmed policy.
The current official figures remain those published in the 2026-2028 plan.
The latest Immigration News Canada analysis expects the next plan around early November 2026, while noting that the precise release date has not been announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Canada expected to release the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan?
The plan is expected around early November 2026, but IRCC has not announced a specific release date. Section 94(1) requires the annual report to be tabled by November 1 or within the next 30 sitting days if Parliament is not sitting.
What are the current permanent resident targets for 2027 and 2028?
The current notional target is 380,000 permanent resident admissions in each year. These figures may be confirmed or adjusted in the next plan.
Could Canada increase permanent resident admissions in 2027?
A modest increase is possible, but no increase has been confirmed. The government could also keep the overall target near 380,000 while changing allocations among immigration categories.
Will international student and temporary worker targets change?
The current plan sets 150,000 new international student arrivals and 220,000 total worker arrivals for each of 2027 and 2028. The next plan may confirm or revise those figures.
What will be new in the 2027-2029 plan?
The main new element will be the first official 2029 targets for permanent resident admissions and new temporary resident arrivals, along with any revisions to the 2027 and 2028 notional targets.
Fact-Checked: Key figures, the current IRCC planning targets, Statistics Canada population estimates and the Section 94(1) parliamentary timetable were checked against official government and primary sources.
Disclaimer: This article discusses expected policy developments and does not provide legal or immigration advice; applicants should rely on official IRCC instructions when making decisions.