Ottawa plans to hold immigration levels mostly steady over the next three years, according to Budget 2026.
The new federal immigration targets were revealed Thursday and will maintain the number of temporary resident arrivals at 370,000 per year in each of 2027, 2028 and 2029, while the target for the number of permanent resident admissions would stay at the current level of 380,000 in each of those years.
The budget says it will provide $56.9 million over four years, starting next year, for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to help implement this plan.
Up to 200,000 temporary residents will be given the opportunity to become permanent residents by the end of 2027, and half of them will be considered for the Express Entry or the Provincial Nominee Program. This, the budget says, will allow for more flexibility for provinces and territories and respond to regional labour market needs.
Another $302.3 million will be provided to help make this happen.
The budget, released Thursday afternoon, says the updated immigration plan aims to strike “a balance” that favours the needs of both the economy, as well as housing, health care and social services.
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“The 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan will continue to seek a balance between the needs of Canada’s employers, industries, and communities and our ability to meet the needs of newcomers, while avoiding undue pressures on housing, health care, and social services,” the budget said.
“The Plan will also support pathways for people already living and working in Canada to continue contributing to our shared economic future.”
There will also be reforms to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), with an injection of $151.5 million over five years, starting this year, and funnelled through Employment and Social Development Canada.
Budget 2026 does not mention specifics about reforms to the TFWP, but the federal government says it will aim to “better align with regional labour market needs, in collaboration with provinces and territories, while improving processing time and strengthening employer compliance.”
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