Canada is preparing its 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, which IRCC says will be tabled in fall 2026. As of October 8, the final targets for the new plan have not been confirmed in the official sources reviewed for this article.
If you are studying, working or planning to apply for permanent residence in Canada, this announcement deserves your attention. You can use the time before its release to understand your current options and prepare the documents you may need.
What is the Immigration Levels Plan?
The plan sets national immigration targets and ranges across categories. It helps explain how the federal government intends to balance economic immigration, family reunification and humanitarian commitments. The existing 2026–2028 plan sets a regular permanent resident admissions target of 380,000 per year. That is the current planning baseline, not a confirmed target for the upcoming plan.
On top of those 380,000 admissions, the current plan includes a one-time initiative to move approximately 115,000 protected persons in Canada toward permanent residence over two years. It also commits to accelerating the transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027.
For students and workers, the temporary resident targets matter as much. The current plan aims for 385,000 new temporary resident arrivals in 2026 and 370,000 in each of 2027 and 2028. That includes 155,000 students in 2026 and 150,000 in each later year, and 230,000 workers in 2026 and 220,000 in each later year.
IRCC describes the 2027 and 2028 figures as notional, to be confirmed or adjusted each year. The new plan can therefore change the 2027 and 2028 numbers, not just add 2029.
For an individual applicant, the useful question is how the announced priorities relate to the pathway you are considering. National totals alone cannot tell you whether your application will succeed.
When will the 2027 to 2029 plan be announced?
IRCC has identified fall 2026 as the tabling period. Section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the minister to table an annual report on or before November 1, including the number of permanent residents projected for the following year. IRCC publishes the multi-year levels plan with that report. If a House of Parliament is not sitting on November 1, the Act allows tabling within the next 30 days on which that House sits. November 1, 2026 is a Sunday, so it should not be presented as a guaranteed public release date.
What students and temporary workers can prepare now
Start with the information you already have. Record your permit expiry date, language test dates, education history and work experience. If you are considering permanent residence, estimate your points with the Turas Immigration scoring calculators.
For international students, a useful discussion can connect your studies, expected graduation date and immigration goals. For temporary workers, it can focus on your employment history, current authorization and possible permanent residence pathways. Bring these details to a consultation so the advice addresses your circumstances.
Should you apply before the new plan is released?
The right timing depends on the application you can actually make, its current requirements and your own deadlines. An expected policy announcement is a reason to review your plan carefully.
I cannot promise that submitting before the announcement will preserve today's rules. Any protection for earlier applicants would need to come from the specific measure and its transition provisions. I also cannot assume that the upcoming plan will reduce your particular pathway's opportunities.
My recommendation is to check your readiness now. Find out which options you meet, what evidence is missing and which deadlines require action. That gives you a practical basis for deciding when to proceed.
Plan your next steps with Turas Immigration
Book an Extended Consultation with Vanessa Constantino de Almeida, RCIC to compare your options and discuss a realistic timeline. You can bring your calculator estimate, permit details and questions about the upcoming announcement.
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