Table of Contents

Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026–2028 – Key Highlights

Important Points (Summary)

Canada aims to stabilize permanent immigration at 380,000 per year (2026–2028).
Focus on sustainable immigration by reducing temporary residents and stabilizing permanent admissions.
Government goal: temporary residents under 5% of total population by end of 2027.
Temporary arrivals: 385,000 (2026), 370,000 (2027–2028), including workers and international students.
Temporary foreign workers (TFW + IMP): 230,000 (2026), 220,000 (2027–2028).
International students: 155,000 (2026), 150,000 (2027–2028).
Permanent residents:
- Economic immigrants make up ~64% of total (highest share).
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and Federal High Skilled programs to grow.
- Francophone immigration target: 9% (2026), 9.5% (2027), 10.5% (2028).
Family reunification remains strong (≈21–22% of admissions).
Refugees and protected persons: about 13% of total immigrants.
Humanitarian cases continue to be supported.
One-time initiatives:
- Transition 115,000 protected persons in Canada to permanent residents (2026–2027).
- Transition 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residents (2026–2027).
Plan emphasizes economic growth, family unity, humanitarian obligations, and Francophone vitality.

Takeaway from this:

– Improve your points (e.g. English proficiency etc.), and focused on priority NOCs.

– Learning French is not an option, it is a must if you would like to improve your chances to get PR or extend your work permit under Francophone mobility work permit.

H1 B visa holders

Canada will reopen its accelerated immigration route for U.S. H-1b visa holders, offering a quicker and more reliable path to permanent residence.
the initiative, referenced in the 2025 federal budget, supports Canada’s plan to attract skilled talent in tech, healthcare, construction, and research.
budget funding includes:

$97 million over five years to speed up credential recognition in health and construction.

$1.4 billion for a national research chairs program to recruit top global researchers.

$50 million for a digital jobs and training platform to improve reskilling and job matching.

targeted candidates include software engineers, ai and cybersecurity experts, healthcare professionals, construction specialists, and research leaders.

Canada Updates Visa, Study & Work Permit Cancellation Rules – Nov 2025

• IRCC introduced new rules effective Nov 4, 2025, allowing cancellation of visitor visas, eTAs, study permits, and work permits if holders become ineligible, inadmissible, or non-compliant.

• The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) now define discretionary and automatic cancellations, removing past ambiguity.

• Visitor visas and eTAs can be revoked for eligibility issues, administrative errors, or if issued incorrectly. Automatic cancellation occurs if the holder becomes a PR, loses a passport, or dies.

• Study and work permits can be revoked if the associated institution or employer loses compliance or if eligibility is no longer met.

• A waiver clause protects permits issued under humanitarian or public policy grounds.

• The update aims to enhance transparency, compliance, and system integrity. Temporary residents should maintain valid documents and follow permit conditions

Graduate Students Update: International students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in Canada will benefit from simplified rules: as of January 1, 2026 they no longer require a provincial or territorial attestation letter. Doctoral applicants are eligible for faster processing (within two weeks). International students may bring their family to Canada with them, and are eligible to stay and work while studying under a work permit.