Canada has announced a new immigration plan for 2027 to 2029. The federal government aims to welcome 1.14 million permanent residents over the three years. Under this plan, Canada will welcome 380,000 new permanent residents each year in 2027, 2028, and 2029. The government published the plan along with Budget 2026.
The 380,000 number is a government target, not a promise for any single applicant. Canada has also set a aim of 352,500 to 422,000 permanent residency, giving the government room to adjust the number. The country first set the 380,000 target for 2026 and kept it for 2027 and 2028. The latest plan now extends the same target through 2029.
Canada will welcome 244,700 people each year through work-related immigration. Canada also plans to grant permanent residency to 81,000 people through family reunification programs, 49,300 for refugees and people seeking safety, and 5,000 for humanitarian cases. Workers may need to qualify through skilled worker programs or Provincial Nominee Programs.
Canada also aims to welcome more French-speaking immigrants. The government wants them to make up 9.5 percent of new permanent residents in 2027, 10.5 percent in 2028, and 12 percent in 2029. This means around 40,200 French-speaking people could get permanent residency in 2029.
Canada also plans to welcome 370,000 immigrants each year. This includes 220,000 foreign workers and 150,000 international students. The targets for 2027 and 2028 are the as last year. For 2026, Canada planed to welcome 155,000 new international students. These numbers is a big drop from the 437,000 study permits planned for 2025. The. The budget also says the government could reform the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Canada’s 2026 budget also includes a special plan for up to 200,000 people including 100,000 skilled workers and another 100,000 people with humanitarian cases who already live in the country. They could become permanent resident by the end of 2027. This plan is separate from the annual target of 380,000 permanent residents.
The opposition Conservative Party says the extra target could raise the number of new permanent residents in 2027 to a record level. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also questioned whether Canada has enough housing, jobs, and health care services to support new arrivals. Prime Minister Mark Carney says the plan is “sustainable” and that his government has “taken back control” of immigration.
PM Carney says the numbers of international students, temporary foreign workers and asylum seekers have fallen sharply since 2024. The government aims to reduce temporary residents to less than 5 percent of Canada’s population by the end of 2027. In July, they made up about 6.7 percent of the population.
According to the government’s annual reports, Canada welcomed about 393,000 new permanent residents in 2025, close to its target of 395,000. In 2024, the country welcomed 483,655 permanent residents. CBC reported, the target of 380,000 is equal to about 0.9 percent of Canada’s population. The government says it wants to keep the number of new permanent residents below 1 percent of the population each year after 2027.
The plan also highlights the importance of different factors, including skills, education, work experience and knowledge of English or French, for people applying for permanent residence. Applicants should check the rules for each category, prepare the required documents and get help from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant if needed. Prime Minister Carney also said that Canada may allow more permanent residents in the future.
