Canada Permanent Residency for Up to 622,000 in 2027

Canada permanent residency will be open to up to 622,000 people in 2027, in the biggest opening for new permanent residents the country has announced in years.

The figures were published on November 5 in the federal Budget 2026 and the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan. The plan covers both new admissions and a one-time route for temporary residents already living in Canada.

The 622,000 figure is the sum of two parts. Up to 200,000 temporary residents already in Canada will be able to move to permanent residency by the end of 2027. On top of that, the plan sets an upper admission target of 422,000 permanent residents for 2027.

What the 622,000 number really means

The headline figure is a combined maximum, not the annual target. The Immigration Levels Plan sets the actual target at 380,000 permanent resident admissions a year for 2027, 2028 and 2029, within a range of 352,500 to 422,000.

For 2027, the 380,000 places break down as 244,700 under economic immigration programmes, 81,000 through family sponsorship, 49,300 refugees and 5,000 under humanitarian programmes.

Of the 200,000 transition spaces, 100,000 are earmarked for skilled workers through Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Programs, working with the provinces and territories.

Two one-time initiatives announced last year also continue. They cover up to 148,000 people in total, up to 115,000 protected persons and 33,000 workers already in Canada. Of those, 46,330 received permanent residency between January and August 2026.

Temporary residents and students

Canada also plans to hold new temporary resident arrivals at 370,000 a year in 2027, 2028 and 2029. That total covers 220,000 foreign workers and up to 150,000 international students each year.

Of the worker allocation, 50,000 permits will come under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and 170,000 through the International Mobility Program.

The temporary resident targets for 2027 are unchanged from the figures announced in November 2025, and the same applies for 2028 and 2029.

The plan also raises the French-speaking share of permanent residents admitted outside Quebec to 9.5 per cent in 2027, 10.5 per cent in 2028 and 12 per cent in 2029.

Canada permanent residency: what it means for Pakistanis

Canada is home to a large Pakistani community, and the new plan matters directly for Pakistanis hoping to move there.

Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Programs are the main routes for skilled Pakistani workers, and the 100,000 transition spaces earmarked for skilled workers will favour applicants already working in Canada. Students are also affected, with up to 150,000 international student places a year under the temporary resident plan.

Anyone planning to apply should note that the 622,000 figure is a planning maximum. The firm annual target is 380,000 admissions, and places under the transition measures are limited and time-bound.

Canada has paired the immigration plan with other measures affecting Pakistan. Ottawa recently gave $35 million for Pakistan’s climate resilience, while Britain has moved in the opposite direction, with the UK raising its permanent residency wait to up to 30 years.

How many people can get Canadian permanent residency in 2027?

Up to 622,000, made up of 422,000 new admissions at the top of the range plus up to 200,000 temporary residents already in Canada moving to permanent residency.

What is the actual annual target?

The Immigration Levels Plan sets 380,000 permanent resident admissions a year for 2027, 2028 and 2029, within a range of 352,500 to 422,000.

How do skilled workers qualify?

Up to 100,000 of the transition spaces are earmarked for skilled workers through Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Programs.

How many temporary residents will Canada admit?

370,000 a year in 2027, 2028 and 2029, including 220,000 foreign workers and up to 150,000 international students.