Canada reduces temporary immigration and opens doors to permanent residence

Following changes to Budget 2025 and the Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028, November 2025 comes with good news for work permit holders, who will be the government's focus for permanent residency.

Today we dedicate our blog to this crucial issue in Canadian immigration. If you are awaiting a change of status this year, read with me to the end and find out if your profile falls into the group of more than 30,000 work permit holders who could get PR in the next two years. Let's get started!

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Less temporary, more permanent residence

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For the peace of mind of many temporary workers, the goal of permanent admissions remains stable and strong.

By 2026, there is an allotted quota of 380,000 internationals who will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence or have their application approved.

So, even with the reduction of quotas for students and temporary workers, Canada continues to be interested in attracting new immigrants and offering them conditions to live and work in the country.

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What the new Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028 envisages

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The Canadian government has made drastic cuts to temporary entry, which in turn frees up quotas for those seeking to stay.

Who is affected by these cuts? 

Temporary residents in general: students and workers (TFW). The percentages have changed, remaining as follows:

• The reduction of the total target to 385,000 in 2026 reflects a 43% drop compared to 673,650 in 2025.
• The international student admission target drops to 155,000 in 2026, decreasing by 49% (vs. 305,900 in 2025).
• The target for TFWs is reduced to 230,000, 37% lower than in 2025. However, this target is 8% higher than what had been projected for 2026 in last year's plan (2024), demonstrating that the TFW program is still of interest to Canada.

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Percentage of economic immigration increases

The federal government has set a new mandate on the number of foreign workers it needs to support the economy. This is an increase in the percentage of admissions, which stands at 64%. 

What does this mean for work permit holders? The message clearly points to the fact that international work permit holders now have top priority. So, if your profile is qualified and you can enter Express Entry or a Provincial Program (PNP), your application will have a good chance of being approved.

Moreover, the government will focus, now more than ever, on skilled work experience, thereby strengthening the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program as the country's economic immigration banner.

A key piece of information for PR applicants with education or work experience outside of Canada is to prepare their immigration plan as soon as possible and collect all the documents required by the government.

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33,000 work permit holders with PR: 2026 and 2027

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Canada considers transitional measures for the conversion of 33,000 work permit holders living in the country into permanent residents distributed between 2026 and 2027.

This is the most encouraging news for these internationals who have felt the frustration of not achieving the CRS score required by Express Entry or who did not receive an ITA because they did not have sufficient work experience, as it is confirmation that Canada values their presence and wants them to stay, as long as they are productive workers and fill the gaps in jobs.

In short, the work experience that qualified workers have been acquiring is an "asset" that gives them an advantage over other applicants, because they will not have to compete in the massive Express Entry lottery, if they meet the criteria that are yet to be defined. 

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The importance of reviewing the job profile

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Do you know your work record, do you know if you meet Canada's specific requirements? Here the call is for immediate preparation.

If you have a work permit, check the NOC/TEER of your work experience, the number of hours of work, also your language level score, the expiration dates of your permits and many other elements that are determinant in the application. If you do not understand the information, seek professional help.

Any errors or delays in your documents may result in the loss of this opportunity. It is important that you review your profile and follow a guided plan.

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Fewer students and temporary workers in the future, more advantages for your application

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For the work permit holder who is already in Canada or who comes with an activated PR strategy , the competition with prospective students and temporary workers to enter the labour market and the CRS scoring system is much less.

With the government's focus on labor quality, any temporary programs that continue to exist will only be for sectors where skilled labor is truly needed.

If you are a student or temporary worker and your partner has an open work permit, you can take advantage of this process. In this video, there are key strategies that can help you get PR: What do I do with my partner while I work-study in Canada?

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Before 2026-2028: activating the plan for permanence

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The instruction is clear, if you have a work permit in Canada, think about preparing for permanent residency now. 

This is not the time to despair because of not achieving high scores or because a document has expired, it is time to apply a secure and well channeled immigration plan that adapts to the new economic focus of 2026-2028.

At Immiland Canada, we can assess your immigration profile for free and help you build a strategic plan that will lead you successfully to permanent residency.

In this link, you can schedule a consultation with a CICC regulated consultant. I hope this topic will be helpful for your change of status. 

Thank you for reading. In the next blog, we'll give you strategies for learning how to calculate your CRS score. See you!

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With love,

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Immiland Canada