The federal budget, approved on November 17, identifies the priorities and planned spending for the next five years. The released plan included the 2026-28 Immigration Levels Plan, impacting the number of immigrants and permanent residents it plans to bring in over the next few years.
We reviewed and compiled a list of the core messages and anticipated changes that might affect immigrants like you. At this time, there are not enough details on how the initiatives will be implemented. We will keep this post up-to-date as more information is made available by the government.
Key Messages of the Immigration Levels Plan
The government is looking to reduce the immigration levels in all categories:
- Reduce our temporary population to less than 5% of our total population
- Stabilize permanent resident admissions to less than 1% of our total population
That means these are the anticipated numbers of successful applications for each category and year. Read the details here.
Temporary Visas | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
Temporary Workers | 230,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
Students | 155,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
Permanent Visas | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
Economic immigrants | 239,800 | 244,700 | 244,700 |
Family Sponsorship: Spouses, Partners and Children | 69,000 | 63,000 | 63,000 |
Family Sponsorship: Parents and Grandparents | 15,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
Protected Persons in Canada and Dependents Abroad | 20,000 | 20,000 | 20,000 |
Resettled Refugees – Government Assisted | 13,250 | 13,250 | 13,250 |
Resettled Refugees – Blended Visa Office Referred | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Resettled Refugees – Privately Sponsored | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 |
Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other | 6,900 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
Prioritizing skills in key sectors with a focus on enhancing Canada’s economy
These are the sectors that are being prioritized at this time by the government:
- emerging technologies
- health care
- skilled trades
One-time initiatives taking place in 2026 and 2027, focusing on immigrants already in Canada
There are two one-time initiatives that focus on immigrants already in Canada.
Offering stability to those with protected status: approximately 115,000 applications
Accelerating permanent residence for select skilled workers: approximately 33,000 applications
Providing a pathway for eligible protected persons in Canada as permanent residents. Further details are not available at the moment.
Fast tracking the permanent residence applications for skilled temporary workers who are already contributing to communities, and working in Canada in specific in-demand sectors – with a focus on those in rural areas. Details are not available at the moment.
Reduction of 15% on spending by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
This represents about $619 million over the next three years. To reduce spending, the plans include:
- Modernize how IRCC works to make operations faster and cheaper by using technology and reducing duplication of services.
- Reducing the Interim Housing Assistance Program commensurate with the decline in asylum claimants
- Revising the eligibility criteria of some economic immigrants for certain settlement services.
- Introduce a small co-payment system for some health services under the Interim Federal Health Program, for example, prescription drugs and dental care.
Additional Initiatives
- Speeding up credentials recognition for specific, priority sectors such as health and construction.
- Increasing targets for settlement of French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec, from 9% in 2026 to 10.5% by 2028
Implications for newcomers and refugees
Although there are not a lot of details on how these changes and targets will be implemented, the settlement sector is overall worried about the changes. In particular, the changes in eligibility and the co-pay model for future newcomers to access services that are highly beneficial for their integration in Canada. Read more on OCASI’s statement about the concerns over the negative impacts of this budget.
Connect with Us
We will share more information as the government provides more details of these programs. Sign up and follow us to stay in the loop on how these changes may impact your process.
If you are a refugee champion, your voice and action are essential more than ever.
- Engage in the conversation.
- Voice your support for a Canada that includes immigrants and refugees.
- Support organizations like Canadian Connections to fill the ever-growing gaps in creating pathways for refugees to thrive.
Canadian Connections was set out to fill the gaps between government support and refugees needs. Our work is more relevant than ever! Connect with us to learn more:
Email: info@canadianconnections.org
Phone: 416-804-5001