Immigrate to Canada

Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028

The 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan reflects Canada's commitment to stable, high-quality immigration. Overall permanent resident admissions are stabilized at 380,000 per year. The focus has shifted from quantity to quality, with a growing share of economic immigrants and a stronger regional approach through the Provincial Nominee Program.

Why Does Canada Need Immigrants?

Canada welcomes immigrants under three classes: the economic class, family class, and refugee and humanitarian class. Each class plays a vital role in sustaining Canada's economy, social fabric, and humanitarian obligations.

Economic Class: Skilled workers are welcomed under the economic class to support Canada's high living standards. Canada has an aging population and one of the world's lowest birth rates — 1.47 children per woman as of 2019 — which creates significant economic and fiscal pressures. By 2030, Canada will have 9 million baby boomers reaching retirement age, meaning fewer workers at a time when demand for healthcare and social services will rise sharply. Canada relies on immigration for the majority of its population and labour force growth. Immigration now comprises roughly 0.9 per cent of Canada's population annually — approximately three times higher on a per capita basis than the United States. Skilled workers arrive with strong language skills, work experience, and education, playing a vital role in sustaining economic growth, funding public services such as education and universal healthcare, and filling critical labour market gaps across industries.

Family Class: The second largest immigrant class arrives through family sponsorship. Canada believes that strong families are the bedrock of its society and economy. Allowing close family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to build a life in Canada provides the emotional and social support that immigrants need to thrive. Canada aims to welcome over 81,000 immigrants per year under the family class.

Refugee and Humanitarian Class: The third class includes refugees and those welcomed for humanitarian purposes. As one of the world's most privileged nations, Canada has a moral obligation to provide safety to those fleeing persecution and hardship. Canada has a long tradition of humanitarian leadership since the end of the Second World War.

Why Do Canadians Support Immigration?

Canada reports some of the strongest levels of public support for immigration in the world. Today, approximately 80 per cent of Canadians agree that immigration is beneficial to the economy. This widespread support allows the government to maintain ambitious immigration targets. The strong public backing is rooted in four key pillars:

History: Canada has a centuries-long history of immigration. British and French settlers joined Canada's Indigenous peoples to build the country, and since Confederation in 1867, Canada has welcomed millions from every corner of the globe. As the saying goes at the Canadian Museum of Immigration in Halifax: "A Canadian is an immigrant with seniority."

Geography: Surrounded by vast bodies of water and sharing its land border only with the United States, Canada exercises strong control over who enters the country. This allows for thorough screening to ensure newcomers meet Canada's policy goals.

Policy: Canada invests billions of dollars annually in welcoming immigrants and providing settlement supports such as language training and job placement assistance. The country also maintains high standards across education, healthcare, and infrastructure, keeping quality of life high for all residents.

Politics: Canada's largest cities and provinces have high concentrations of immigrants. Because immigrants and their descendants represent a significant share of the electorate, politicians across the political spectrum recognize the importance of welcoming and supporting newcomers.

Skilled Worker Immigration Pathways

Skilled workers account for approximately 64 per cent of all new permanent residents admitted to Canada. The primary pathways for skilled workers are Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program, Quebec's independent immigration system, the Atlantic Immigration Program, and several other targeted federal programs.

Skilled workers may also bring close family members with them. These family members receive permanent resident status alongside the principal applicant. Eligible family members include:

• Spouse or common-law partner
• Dependent children (under 22 years old, or 22 and older if financially dependent due to a physical or mental condition)
• Dependent children of the spouse or common-law partner
• Dependent children of dependent children

Express Entry

Express Entry is Canada's primary application management system for skilled worker immigration. It manages permanent residence applications through three main economic class programs. Canada targets approximately 109,000 Express Entry immigrants per year under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan.

How Express Entry Works: Eligible candidates submit a profile on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website. Each candidate receives a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on factors including age, education, language skills, work experience, Canadian experience, and adaptability. Approximately every two weeks, IRCC holds draws inviting candidates with the highest CRS scores to apply for permanent residence. IRCC targets processing permanent residence applications within six months of receiving a complete application.

The Three Express Entry Programs

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): The FSWP is for skilled workers outside Canada who have the education, work experience, and language skills to establish themselves economically in Canada. Candidates must meet a minimum points threshold under a six-factor selection grid covering education, language proficiency, work experience, age, arranged employment, and adaptability.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Launched in 2008, the CEC provides a pathway to permanent residence for temporary foreign workers and international graduates who have gained skilled work experience in Canada. To be eligible, candidates must have at least one year (1,560 hours) of skilled, professional, or technical work experience in Canada within the 36 months preceding their application. CEC candidates are not required to demonstrate settlement funds, and their applications are typically processed within six months.

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): Launched in 2013, the FSTP is designed for skilled trades workers. To be eligible, candidates must have two years of full-time skilled trades work experience within the past five years, a valid job offer from up to two Canadian employers for at least one year, or a provincial or territorial certificate of qualification. Language requirements are CLB 5 for speaking and listening, and CLB 4 for reading and writing. Eligible trades fall under NOC Major Groups 72 (industrial, electrical and construction trades), 73 (maintenance and equipment operation), 82 (natural resources and agriculture supervisors), 92 (processing and manufacturing supervisors), and Minor Groups 632 (chefs and cooks) and 633 (butchers and bakers).

Category-Based Express Entry Draws in 2026

Since 2023, IRCC has used category-based selection to target candidates with specific skills aligned with Canada's labour market priorities. In 2025, approximately 98 per cent of all Express Entry invitations were issued through category-based draws rather than general rounds. This trend continues in 2026, with 10 active categories:

• French-language proficiency (lowest CRS cut-offs, often in the 379-420 range)
• Healthcare and social services occupations
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) occupations
• Trade occupations
• Education occupations
• Physicians with Canadian work experience (added December 2025; first draw issued ITAs at a record-low CRS of 169)
• Senior managers with Canadian work experience (added February 2026)
• Researchers with Canadian work experience (added February 2026)
• Transport workers (added February 2026)
• Skilled military recruits (added February 2026)

Category-based draws allow candidates with occupation-specific qualifications to receive invitations at CRS cut-off scores significantly lower than general draws. As of 2026, all category-based draws require 12 months of qualifying work experience, up from the previous threshold of 6 months. The work experience requirement for physicians is specifically Canadian experience.

Key 2026 Express Entry Updates

Improving Your CRS Score

If your CRS score is not yet competitive, there are several proven strategies to increase it:

• Improve your language test score in English or French (language proficiency is worth up to 260 CRS points)
• Gain additional Canadian work experience (worth up to 80 additional CRS points)
• Obtain a provincial nomination through the PNP (adds 600 CRS points, practically guaranteeing an invitation)
• Study in Canada to gain Canadian education points
• Have your spouse or partner apply as the principal applicant if their profile scores higher
• Obtain more education or professional credentials

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

Launched in 1998, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is the second largest immigration pathway after Express Entry and is currently undergoing its biggest expansion in Canadian history. Under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, PNP targets have jumped from 55,000 in 2025 to 91,500 in 2026, representing a 66 per cent increase and the largest single-year PNP expansion on record.

All provinces and territories, with the exception of Quebec and Nunavut, operate their own PNP streams. Each province determines its own criteria for selecting candidates, focusing on local labour market needs. Through the PNP, provinces can nominate individuals who wish to immigrate to Canada and settle in a specific region.

Base and Enhanced PNP Streams

Base Streams: Candidates apply directly to a provincial stream without needing an active Express Entry profile. Once approved, the province nominates the candidate and the federal government processes the permanent residence application, typically taking six months or longer.

Enhanced (Express Entry-Aligned) Streams: Candidates with an active Express Entry profile apply to a province's Express Entry-aligned stream. If nominated, they receive an additional 600 CRS points, which practically guarantees receiving an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in a subsequent Express Entry draw. Their permanent residence application is then processed within the standard six-month service standard.

PNP by Province (2026 Highlights)

With the expanded PNP allocations, several provinces have increased their draw frequency and broadened occupational eligibility:

Quebec Immigration

Quebec operates its own immigration system, completely separate from the federal IRCC programs and from the PNP. Applicants selected to immigrate to Quebec receive a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de selection du Quebec, or CSQ) issued by Quebec's Ministry of Immigration. Once a CSQ is obtained, the applicant then applies to the federal government for permanent residence.

Key Quebec Programs

Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP): For skilled workers who wish to immigrate to Quebec permanently. Selection is based on a points-based grid covering education, work experience, language skills (French is heavily weighted), age, and other factors.

Quebec Experience Program (PEQ): Popular among international students who have completed post-secondary education in Quebec, as well as foreign skilled workers with work experience in the province. The PEQ offers a streamlined and faster pathway to permanent residence for those already integrated into Quebec's labour market and society.

Quebec Business Immigration: Quebec also offers business immigration programs for entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals wishing to operate a business in Quebec, and immigrant investors seeking permanent residence through capital investment.

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

The Atlantic Immigration Program is a federal-provincial partnership that allows designated employers in Atlantic Canada to recruit and retain skilled foreign workers and international graduates. The program covers four Atlantic provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

How the AIP Works

The AIP is employer-driven. Designated employers identify suitable candidates and offer them a job. Crucially, employers under the AIP do not need to conduct a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). After the candidate accepts the offer, the employer connects them with a designated settlement service provider to develop a personalized settlement plan. Employers who need to fill positions quickly may also access a temporary work permit for the candidate while the permanent residence application is processed.

AIP Streams

• Atlantic High-Skilled Program (AHSP): For workers in NOC 0, A, and B occupations.
• Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program (AISP): For workers in NOC C occupations.
• Atlantic International Graduate Program (AIGP): For international graduates of recognized Atlantic Canadian post-secondary institutions.

Other Federal Skilled Worker Programs

In addition to Express Entry and the PNP, Canada operates several targeted federal programs that provide pathways to permanent residence for specific groups of workers:

Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP): The RNIP is a community-driven program that helps small and remote communities across Canada attract and retain foreign workers. Eleven communities currently participate, spread across Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. The federal criteria require candidates to have a community recommendation, one year of continuous work experience in the past three years (or a qualifying graduation from a post-secondary institution in the recommending community), a genuine full-time job offer in the community, and sufficient settlement funds. Language requirements range from CLB 4 to CLB 6 depending on the NOC level of the job.

Agri-Food Immigration Pilot: Provides a permanent residence pathway for eligible temporary foreign workers in the agriculture and agri-food industry. Candidates must have completed 12 months of eligible work experience, hold a minimum high school diploma, and meet language requirements.

Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilots: These programs provide pathways to permanent residence for foreign caregivers, including childcare providers and home support workers. Candidates must have at least two years of relevant work experience in the program they apply to. Reforms under these pilots allow eligible caregivers to apply for an open work permit upon arrival, giving them greater flexibility in the labour market while their permanent residence application is processed.

Business Immigration

Canada offers several pathways specifically designed for entrepreneurs, business owners, and self-employed individuals who wish to start or purchase a business in Canada.

Federal Start-Up Visa Program: The Start-Up Visa Program is for entrepreneurs with an innovative business idea that can create jobs for Canadians and compete on a global scale. To be eligible, candidates must secure a letter of support from a designated Canadian venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator. Candidates must also meet minimum language requirements and have sufficient settlement funds. Successful applicants receive permanent residence and may bring their family with them.

Federal Self-Employed Persons Program: Designed for individuals who have relevant experience in cultural activities, athletics, or farm management and who intend to become self-employed in Canada. Candidates are assessed based on their experience, education, age, language skills, and adaptability.

Provincial and Quebec Business Programs: Most provinces operating the PNP also have entrepreneur and business investor streams, allowing business people to immigrate to a specific province in exchange for investing in or establishing a business there. Quebec similarly operates its own investor and entrepreneur programs with specific capital requirements and business experience criteria. Visit our dedicated Business Immigration Canada service page for full details on eligibility and the application process.

Moving to Canada from the United States

Americans and U.S. residents have a range of pathways to live, work, and immigrate to Canada. Many choose to move north for career opportunities, universal healthcare, safety, and quality of life.

Family Class Sponsorship

The Canadian government is deeply committed to keeping families together. Canada aims to welcome over 81,000 new immigrants each year through family class sponsorship. Canadian citizens and permanent residents may sponsor eligible family members for permanent residence. Learn more on our dedicated Family Sponsorship service page.

Who Can Be Sponsored?

• Spouse or common-law partner
• Conjugal partner (in exceptional circumstances)
• Dependent children (under 22 years old, or 22 and older if financially dependent due to a physical or mental condition)
• Parents and grandparents
• Orphaned siblings, nephews, nieces, or grandchildren who are under 18 and not married or in a common-law relationship (in certain circumstances)

Sponsorship Undertaking

To sponsor a family member, Canadian citizens and permanent residents must sign an undertaking making them financially responsible for the sponsored person. If the sponsored individual requires social assistance, the sponsor may be required to repay those costs. IRCC aims to process spousal and partner sponsorship applications within 12 months.

Parent and Grandparent Program

To sponsor a parent or grandparent as a permanent resident, interested Canadians must submit an interest to sponsor form during an open intake period. Canada then randomly selects potential sponsors and invites them to apply. If invited to apply, sponsors must meet minimum income thresholds and submit their application by the deadline stated in the invitation.

Parent and Grandparent Super Visa

An alternative to permanent residence sponsorship, the Super Visa allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit Canada for up to five years at a time (updated from two years in recent years). This multiple-entry visa can remain valid for up to ten years and requires proof of private medical insurance coverage.

Find the Right Canadian Immigration Program

Canada's immigration system is designed to give every qualified candidate a realistic path to permanent residence. Below is a guide to help you identify where to start based on your situation: