Hours before tabling its first multi-year Immigration Levels Plan, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government signalled a major shift: permanent resident admissions will remain broadly flat at roughly 416,000 a year through 2028, but the share of temporary residents is set to fall below 5 % of Canada’s population.
According to senior officials who briefed media on 28 October 2025, the forthcoming plan will prioritise Express Entry and an expanded Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to fill long-term skill shortages, while tightening study-permit and work-permit approvals. International students, foreign workers and other temporary entrants currently number more than 3 million—about 7.3 % of the population—placing additional pressure on housing and public services.
Provincial leaders have lobbied for higher PNP quotas, arguing that PR newcomers integrate more quickly and provide stable labour supply. The federal government appears ready to oblige, noting that provinces that have negotiated fresh allocation increases—such as British Columbia and New Brunswick—will see those take effect in 2026.
Business groups are cautiously optimistic. Permanent immigration offers workforce stability, but sectors that rely on seasonal or short-term labour, including hospitality, construction and agri-food, warn that caps on temporary entrants could amplify labour shortages next summer. Employers may need to adjust recruitment timelines and lean more heavily on domestic training or automation.
Full details of the 2026-2028 plan, including precise admission numbers by program, will be released on or before 1 November 2025. Stakeholders should expect new compliance rules for designated learning institutions, tighter Labour Market Impact Assessment thresholds, and a possible fee increase for high-volumes of temporary work-permit applications.
According to senior officials who briefed media on 28 October 2025, the forthcoming plan will prioritise Express Entry and an expanded Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) to fill long-term skill shortages, while tightening study-permit and work-permit approvals. International students, foreign workers and other temporary entrants currently number more than 3 million—about 7.3 % of the population—placing additional pressure on housing and public services.
Provincial leaders have lobbied for higher PNP quotas, arguing that PR newcomers integrate more quickly and provide stable labour supply. The federal government appears ready to oblige, noting that provinces that have negotiated fresh allocation increases—such as British Columbia and New Brunswick—will see those take effect in 2026.
Business groups are cautiously optimistic. Permanent immigration offers workforce stability, but sectors that rely on seasonal or short-term labour, including hospitality, construction and agri-food, warn that caps on temporary entrants could amplify labour shortages next summer. Employers may need to adjust recruitment timelines and lean more heavily on domestic training or automation.
Full details of the 2026-2028 plan, including precise admission numbers by program, will be released on or before 1 November 2025. Stakeholders should expect new compliance rules for designated learning institutions, tighter Labour Market Impact Assessment thresholds, and a possible fee increase for high-volumes of temporary work-permit applications.
