Canada has announced a new initiative to transition up to 200,000 temporary residents already living in the country to permanent residence by the end of 2027, as part of measures outlined in its 2026 federal budget.
The announcement was made on November 5, alongside the release of the government’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan.
According to Budget 2026, the initiative will focus on two groups: workers and individuals with longstanding humanitarian cases who have been waiting for permanent residence.
Under the workers’ category, up to 100,000 workers and their accompanying family members will be considered through collaboration between the federal government and provincial and territorial authorities.
The initiative will prioritise workers eligible under the Express Entry system and Provincial Nominee Programmes (PNP), while provinces and territories will receive additional flexibility to nominate workers according to their labour market needs.
The second category will focus on up to 100,000 people already in Canada with longstanding humanitarian and family-related applications.
Meanwhile, Canada’s regular permanent residence admission target has been set at 380,000 annually between 2027 and 2029, with a possible upper range of 422,000 in each year.
The government also plans to maintain new temporary resident arrivals at 370,000 annually, comprising 220,000 workers and 150,000 international students.
However, the government has yet to publish the detailed eligibility requirements, application process or commencement date for the new transition measure.
Consequently, prospective beneficiaries are advised to follow official announcements from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rather than rely on unverified claims about the programme.
