15. Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028
episode
Welcome to Canada! Your Ultimate Guide to Moving to Canada: Immigration, Budgeting, Jobs, Housing, Healthcare, Studies & More.
11 min
1 speaker
8 chapters
transcribed 1 month ago
Transcript
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Welcome to Canada, the podcast that helps you prepare for your Canadian adventure with clarity and confidence.
Hello future newcomers and welcome to your Canadian PrepZone. You're listening to episode number 15 and it is recorded in November 2025. I'm Emma, your host and your international mobility coach. I'm here to help you prepare, plan and thrive in your move to Canada. Today we're diving into Canada's newly released immigration levels plan for 2026 to 2028.
What is Canadaβs Immigration Levels Plan and which years does it cover?
First things first, what is an immigration levels plan? It is a document published every year, usually at the end of October or the beginning of November, that sets the country's immigration targets for the next three years. For the current plan, those years are 2026, 2027, and 2028. The goal is simple, give clarity to future immigrants, show the government's intentions, and offer visibility on upcoming opportunities. Now, who exactly is included in these numbers? Primarily, temporary residents and permanent residents.
Who counts as a temporary resident and which temporary stays are excluded from the plan?
And just to keep the suspense alive, in the first part of this episode, I'll talk about temporary residence. In the second part, we'll move on to permanent residence. A highly original structure, I know. Let's start by defining what a temporary resident actually is. A temporary resident is someone who comes to Canada to study, work, or visit for a limited time. Their stay has a clear start and a clear end date. Who are the temporary residents not included in the plan? people renewing their study or work permit, people changing their immigration status, seasonal workers who enter and leave Canada within the same calendar year, asylum claimants, and visitors. All of these are temporary residents, but they do not count toward the plan.
So who is counted?
How many temporary resident admissions are targeted for 2026β2028 and how are worker vs student quotas allocated?
International students and temporary foreign workers. An international student is someone obtaining a new study permit for a program of six months or more at a designated learning institution. A temporary worker is someone obtaining a new work permit, mainly through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, TFWP, or the International Mobility Program, IMP. The TFWP is jointly administered by
Why did Canada reduce temporary resident targets and what does the rebalancing mean for housing and services?
IRCC, so Immigration in Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada. It responds to employers' needs when no Canadian or permanent resident is available, and it requires a Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA. For its part, the IMP covers a variety of streams that do not require any LMIA. Now that we know who is included in the plan, let's look at the targets. The new plan announces 385,000 admissions in 2026 and 370,000 admissions in 2027 and the same number in 2028. Of the 385,000 expected in 2026, 60% will be workers and 40% will be students. That is 230,000 admissions for workers and 155,000 admissions for students. Is this a decrease from the previous plan? Yes, and a significant one.
In the 2025 plan, the target for 2026 was a bit over than 516,000 temporary resident admissions. Now it's 385,000 admissions. That's a drop of a low over 25%.
What are the new permanent resident targets and how are admissions split between economic, family, and humanitarian categories?
Why? Because Canada aims to reduce temporary residents to below 5% of the population by the end of 2027 in order to ease pressure on housing, public services and infrastructures. Are these numbers alarming? No, it's more like a rebalancing. Let's use an analogy. Picture a tightrope walker who leaned too far left, then too far right, and is now trying to find balance again. Here is what I mean. In 2018, temporary residents made up 3.3% of the population. In 2024, it was 7.5%. The target for the end of 2027 is around To give you a sense of scale, as of August 2025, almost 2.3 million temporary residents were in a country of just under 42 million. It's a big number. So, should you give up your plans of coming to Canada as a temporary resident?
Absolutely not. There are still spots available. I'll just say it again.
Which profiles and sectors is Canada prioritizing for economic immigration in 2026β2028?
Yes, quotas have decreased. But yes, there are still possibilities. But your application will now need a solid strategy and a flawless file. Approximation won't cut it anymore. Now, time to move on to permanent immigration.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:10β0:58
2
What is Canadaβs Immigration Levels Plan and which years does it cover?
0:58β1:43
3
Who counts as a temporary resident and which temporary stays are excluded from the plan?
1:43β2:45
4
How many temporary resident admissions are targeted for 2026β2028 and how are worker vs student quotas allocated?
2:45β3:17
5
Why did Canada reduce temporary resident targets and what does the rebalancing mean for housing and services?
3:17β4:50
6
What are the new permanent resident targets and how are admissions split between economic, family, and humanitarian categories?
4:50β6:08
7
Which profiles and sectors is Canada prioritizing for economic immigration in 2026β2028?
6:08β6:42
8
What practical advice does the host give to applicants in light of the 2026β2028 plan?
6:42β11:03
Speakers
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