Canada immigration plan: Temporary residents cut, PR fixed at 380,000 a yr

Canada cuts temporary arrivals but holds PR at 380,000, adds TR-to-PR slots and revises student, worker intake rules

Canada recently set out a revised immigration plan that cuts new temporary entrants while keeping permanent residency numbers unchanged. Released on March 13 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the policy holds annual permanent resident admissions at 380,000 from 2026 to 2028, even as it sharply reduces temporary arrivals.

 

How Canada is changing its immigration rules

 

The government has tightened the inflow of temporary residents while holding the permanent intake steady, as pressure builds on housing and public services.

 

• Permanent resident admissions will stay at 380,000 each year from 2026 to 2028

• About 64 per cent are expected to be economic immigrants by 2027

 

• New temporary resident arrivals will be reduced to 385,000 in 2026

• The temporary resident population is targeted to fall below 5 per cent by 2027

 

A statement on the Canadian government’s website said, “New temporary resident arrivals will drop from 673,650 in 2025 to just 385,000 in 2026, representing a 43% reduction in a single year.”

 

TR to PR pathway opens 33,000 additional slots

 

At the same time, Canada has introduced a route for temporary workers already in the country to move into permanent residency.

 

The TR to PR pathway will allow up to 33,000 temporary foreign workers to gain permanent residence across 2026 and 2027.

 

According to the IRCC’s Departmental Plan, “The 33,000 spaces represent an addition to regular permanent residence targets, not a replacement of existing programs like Express Entry or the Provincial Nominee Program.”

 

The programme is expected to focus on workers already employed in Canada, though detailed eligibility rules are still awaited.

 

Who may qualify under the new pathway

 

Final criteria are yet to be released, but early signals suggest the focus will be on workers with an established presence in the labour market.

 

• Applicants must hold valid work permits and comply with visa conditions

• They should have stable employment histories and community ties

• Roles aligned with economic needs will be prioritised

 

Priority sectors mentioned in government documents include agriculture, hospitality, transportation, healthcare and care services.

 

More details are expected in April 2026.

 

Consultants have begun advising eligible workers to prepare documentation in advance, including employment records, tax filings, proof of language proficiency and evidence of community ties.

 

Temporary resident cuts: What changes for students and workers

 

The reduction in temporary resident intake is central to the plan and will apply only to new arrivals.

 

Those already in Canada or extending permits are not affected.

 

• International student intake is set at 155,000 in 2026

• Temporary worker arrivals are capped at 230,000

• Total new temporary resident arrivals will be 385,000

 

The government said, “The goal is to reduce the total temporary resident population from current levels above 6.8% to under 5% of Canada’s total population by the end of 2027.”

 

International student rules tightened

 

IRCC has also outlined changes to how international students will be processed, with an emphasis on managing volumes.

 

• Master’s and doctoral students at public Designated Learning Institutions will not need provincial attestation letters under the federal cap

• Doctoral applications and Global Skills Strategy applications will be processed with a 14-day target timeline

• Authorities will continue verifying letters of acceptance and monitoring compliance through regular reporting

 

“This exemption recognises the contribution of graduate students to Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem,” the government said.

 

Permanent residency targets stay steady

 

Canada noted that permanent resident admissions had reached 500,000 in 2025, and the revised level is meant to steady intake while managing existing backlogs.

 

“While the reduced target suggests less pressure to issue invitations quickly, IRCC still faces significant application inventories in several programs,” the department said.

 

The plan also allows for flexibility, with an operational range between 350,000 and 420,000 depending on processing capacity and global conditions.

 

Humanitarian and citizenship updates

 

The plan also sets out space for humanitarian commitments. Now around 115,000 permanent residence applications from protected persons in Canada will be processed over two years.

 

On citizenship, IRCC said the online test has now become the default for applicants aged 18 to 54, with up to three attempts allowed.

 

“The department is targeting at least 80% of citizenship grant applications to be completed within 12 months, with at least 96% of citizenship grant decisions meeting quality management program standards,” it said.

 

The department is also rolling out a new system to improve passport processing for Canadians living or travelling abroad.

 

“Quality targets include at least 90% of travel documents meeting Passport Quality Management Program standards and less than 2% of total travel documents qualifying under the Remissions Policy for errors requiring document replacement,” the statement said.