Canada’s 2025–2027 Immigration Plan
Every year, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) presents the Immigration Levels Plan—an in-depth forecast outlining the country’s immigration targets for the next three years. Newly appointed Immigration Minister, Lena Metlege Diab will oversee a plan that marks a significant shift in how Canada approaches immigration, focusing on sustainable population growth, stronger integration strategies, and balancing economic needs with social infrastructure through to the year 2027.
For the first time, this plan not only outlines permanent resident targets, but also includes specific goals for temporary residents such as international students and temporary foreign workers. Through careful collaboration with provinces, territories, and community stakeholders, this broader approach aims to reduce the temporary resident population to 5% of Canada’s total population by the end of 2026.
Permanent Resident Priorities:
The 2025 plan introduces a decrease in permanent resident admissions—105,000 fewer than originally projected. The intention is to pause short-term population growth to ensure Canada can effectively settle, integrate, and retain newcomers, particularly those already living and working in the country.
IRCC projects 395,000 overall planned Permanent Resident Admissions for this year and, subject to adjustments that will be confirmed by November 1st of each year, will aim to steadily decrease admissions for 2026-2027. Targeted programs include:
In-Canada Transitions: Over 40% of permanent residents in 2025 will be individuals already residing in Canada on temporary status. These applicants often have higher success rates in the long term, making them ideal candidates for permanent residency.
Economic Focus: By 2027, 62% of all permanent resident admissions will fall under economic class programs, with special attention to sectors like health care and skilled trades.
Family Reunification: 24% of admissions will go toward uniting families, including spouses, children, and grandparents.
Humanitarian Commitments: Canada remains committed to resettling the world’s most vulnerable populations, including LGBTQI+ refugees, religious and ethnic minorities, and women and children in crisis.
Francophone Growth: Immigration targets for Francophones outside Quebec will rise each year—8.5% in 2025, 9.5% in 2026, and 10% in 2027.
Temporary Resident Targets:
Similarly, Canada has also unveiled its first-ever temporary resident targets. The plan focuses on gradually decreasing the number of international students and temporary foreign workers entering the country. Between 2025 and 2026, the temporary resident population will shrink by nearly 900,000 individuals before seeing a slight increase in 2027.
Key measures include:
A cap on international student permits
Tighter eligibility for post-graduation work permits
New employer caps and wage increases in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Restrictions on spousal work permits
While Canada continues to be a global leader offering asylum and refugee protection to persons in need of resettlement, IRCC is also addressing asylum volumes, and employing measures to enhance fairness and detect fraud more effectively, thereby improving the Refugee claims process.
A New Approach to Measured Growth:
This restructured plan is designed to reduce strain on housing, social services, and infrastructure. The government anticipates a short-term population dip of 0.2% in 2025 and 2026, with a rebound of 0.8% growth in 2027. Housing affordability is expected to improve, with an estimated reduction of the housing supply gap by 670,000 units by the end of the plan.
In short, Canada’s 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan reflects a balanced, sustainable approach to growth—one that values economic resilience, integration success, and long-term prosperity for all.