The key IRCC categories and priorities for 2026 are:
The overall permanent resident target for 2026 is = 380,000 per year.
- Economic / Skilled-Worker Immigration (largest share of PR). Roughly 239,800 PRs in 2026 are expected under economic-immigration streams.
Major sub-streams include:
- Express Entry (federal-skilled workers, skilled trades, Canadian-experience, etc.) & its category-based draws (targeting in-demand occupations such as STEM, healthcare, trades, agriculture/food, education, and French-speakers).
- · Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) - in 2026 IRCC plans to admit = 91,500 permanent residents via PNP, a strong rebound from 2025. Immigration News Canada+1
- · Other economic / pilot programs (e.g. regional/ rural-immigration pilots, business/entrepreneur streams)
Temporary-to-Permanent (TR - PR) pathways
- A clear 2026 priority is accelerating the transition of temporary residents already in Canada (e.g. eligible foreign workers) to permanent residents: IRCC expects to transition up to 33,000 work-permit holders to PR in 2026-2027. CIC News+2CIC News+2
- This reflects a shift to favor "in-Canada" candidates — those already contributing to labour force and communities.
Family Reunification (Family Class)
- The "Family" immigration category remains a core pillar under the plan, ensuring PR opportunities for spouses, partners, children, parents, and other eligible family members.
Reduced Intake of New Temporary Residents (Workers & Students)
- Although not a "PR category," the 2026–2028 plan defines targets for temporary-resident arrivals: up to 385,000 new temporary residents in 2026 (workers + students). Canada+1
- Even as temporary resident entries are reduced compared to prior years, the goal is to manage population growth sustainably and stabilize permanent immigration.
What this means — IRCC’s overall 2026 strategy
- The emphasis is on economic immigration and permanent residence over mass temporary-resident growth.
- A strong inclination toward in-Canada transitions (people already working/studying in Canada) - reducing reliance on private foreign-worker recruitment to meet labour demand.
- Maintaining balance: skilled workers, family reunification, humanitarian commitments.
- Incentivizing region-specific immigration through PNPs and regional/rural-immigration pilots to respond to demographic and labour-market needs across the country.
