IRCC has set out who its one-year permanent residence measure for 2027 is meant to cover. The measure has up to 100,000 extra spaces for workers already in Canada and up to 100,000 for specific humanitarian groups, all outside the normal annual targets (IRCC's measures page). Most of the people covered are already waiting on a decision, and IRCC says they don't need to apply separately or take any additional steps. For a caregiver, a Start-Up Visa entrepreneur, a sponsored spouse or a Hong Kong applicant still in the queue, this signals that IRCC intends to clear more files next year. The numbers are caps, not promises.
At a Glance
- IRCC is making up to 200,000 extra permanent residence (PR) spaces available in 2027 (100,000 + 100,000), for one year only, outside the Immigration Levels Plan targets.
- The worker half covers people outside Quebec who are waiting on PR under certain programs now closed to new applicants (Start-Up Visa, Self-Employed Persons, Agri-Food Pilot, home care workers), or who can apply through the Provincial Nominee Program.
- The humanitarian half covers in-Canada spouses, partners and children awaiting a final decision, remaining Hong Kong and Ukrainian pathway applications, and humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) applicants already approved in principle.
- IRCC says this is not a new pathway, will not add admissions on a recurring basis, and needs no new application.
How the 200,000 spaces split
The Immigration Levels Plan sets how many new permanent residents Canada aims to admit each year, divided by category (IRCC's key numbers page). IRCC released its 2027–2029 Levels Plan on November 5, 2026. The 2027 measure adds space on top of the plan for a single year.
| Group | Spaces in 2027 | Who it covers, in IRCC's words |
|---|---|---|
| Workers already in Canada | Up to 100,000 | Workers in communities outside Quebec, and their families, who are waiting on PR under select closed programs or can apply through the PNP |
| Specific humanitarian populations | Up to 100,000 | People already in Canada who applied through specific pathways |
| Total | Up to 200,000 |
For the worker group, IRCC names the Start-Up Visa Program, the Self-Employed Persons Program, the Agri-Food Pilot and home care workers (caregivers). It introduces that list with "including", so the list may not be complete.
The humanitarian group breaks down this way:
| Pathway | Status | What IRCC says it will do in 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Spouses, common-law partners and children of Canadians and PRs | Already applied, awaiting a final decision | Process these applications |
| Permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong residents | Closed August 31, 2026 | Aim to process all remaining applications |
| Permanent residence for Ukrainian nationals with family members in Canada | Closed October 22, 2024 | Aim to process all remaining applications |
| In-Canada H&C applicants | Already approved in principle | Process these applications |
"Approved in principle" means an H&C file has received an initial approval but not yet a final decision.
The 2026 one-time initiatives running alongside it
Two separate one-time initiatives started in 2026. Both end in 2027, so they will overlap with the new measure.
| Initiative | Total size | 2026 target | Admitted Jan–Aug 2026 | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-Canada Workers Initiative | 33,000 | At least 20,000 | 15,100 | 75% |
| Protected persons initiative | Up to 115,000 | 46,000 | 31,300 | 68% |
Together, the 2026 initiatives total up to 148,000 places (33,000 + 115,000), against 200,000 for the 2027 measure. The workers initiative will admit whatever remains after 2026 in 2027. As an illustration: if exactly 20,000 are admitted in 2026, 13,000 would remain (33,000 − 20,000).
The monthly figures show uneven progress. Protected-person admissions rose from 920 in January 2026 to 10,360 in August, while worker admissions stayed between 1,270 and 2,155 a month.
Regular 2026 admissions to the end of August
| Category | 2026 target | Admitted Jan–Aug 2026 | Share reached |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic | 239,800 | 127,100 | 53% |
| Family | 84,000 | 59,100 | 70% |
| Refugees and protected persons | 49,300 | 25,500 | 52% |
| H&C and Other | 6,900 | 4,900 | 71% |
| Total | 380,000 | 216,600 | 57% |
The 57% is 216,600 ÷ 380,000. The 2027 extra spaces are separate from these targets.
Who the 2027 spaces are aimed at, and who they aren't
The measure matters most to people whose files sit in programs that no longer take new applicants: Start-Up Visa, Self-Employed Persons, Agri-Food Pilot and caregiver applicants waiting on PR. It also names workers outside Quebec, and their families, who can apply through the Provincial Nominee Program. On the humanitarian side it names in-Canada spouses, partners and children awaiting a final decision, Hong Kong pathway applicants whose files IRCC accepted on or before August 31, 2026, Ukrainian family applicants whose files IRCC received on or before October 22, 2024, and in-Canada H&C applicants approved in principle.
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) lets provinces and territories nominate people who want to live there. Each sets its own requirements and the number of people it can nominate each year (IRCC's PNP page).
Some groups sit outside the measure, or aren't named in it:
- Workers in Quebec. The worker half is limited to communities outside Quebec. Quebec and Nunavut don't have PNP programs.
- People hoping to start a new application under a closed program. IRCC says this is not a new pathway, and the Hong Kong and Ukrainian pathways are not accepting new applications.
- Family applicants outside Canada. IRCC describes the humanitarian group as people already in Canada, and the spousal wording doesn't extend to sponsorships of people living abroad.
- Workers in other pilot programs. The 2026 workers initiative also named the Atlantic Immigration Program and the Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots. The 2027 list doesn't mention them, though "including" leaves the door open.
Caregiver, Agri-Food Pilot and PNP applicants appear in both the 2026 workers initiative and the 2027 measure, so some files may fall under both.
What to do if your file is in one of these groups
- Confirm which program or stream your pending PR application was filed under and that it's still awaiting a decision, then compare it with IRCC's list for 2027.
- Don't file a second application or a request to be considered. IRCC says no separate application or additional step is needed.
- If you're relying on the PNP route, read your province's or territory's stream requirements via IRCC's provincial nominee page. Provinces tell nominees whether to apply through Express Entry or the non-Express Entry process, and a nomination adds 600 points to an Express Entry profile.
- Hong Kong pathway applicants can still apply for an open work permit to keep working while their PR file is processed (IRCC's Hong Kong pathways page).
- Ukrainian pathway applicants can look at temporary residence measures to study, work or extend status while they wait (IRCC's Ukrainian family pathway page).
- Sponsored spouses and partners should check that they match IRCC's description (already in Canada, application already filed) before making plans around 2027.
- If your program isn't named but was closed to new applicants, have your file reviewed rather than assuming it is in or out.
To understand how provincial streams feed into PR, you can see how the Provincial Nominee Program works.
Common questions about the 2027 extra PR spaces
Do I need to apply for the 2027 extra PR spaces?
No. IRCC states that applicants do not need to apply separately or take any additional steps to be considered under these measures. The spaces are meant for applications already in the system, plus PNP applicants outside Quebec.
Is the 2027 measure a new way to get permanent residence?
No. IRCC says this time-limited measure is not a new pathway and will not increase admissions on a recurring basis. It creates extra processing room for one year for groups already in Canada.
Does the 2027 measure include spousal sponsorship applications?
It names spouses, common-law partners and children of Canadians and permanent residents who have already applied and are awaiting a final decision, within the group of people already in Canada. IRCC hasn't described sponsorships of people living outside Canada as part of it.
Are Hong Kong and Ukrainian pathway applications still being processed?
Yes. IRCC continues to process Hong Kong applications accepted on or before August 31, 2026, and Ukrainian family applications received on or before October 22, 2024. For 2027, it aims to process all remaining applications under both.
Does the 2027 worker measure apply in Quebec?
No. The worker half covers communities outside Quebec, and Quebec doesn't have a PNP program. IRCC hasn't said whether the humanitarian half has a Quebec limit.
What we don't know yet about the 2027 measure
- How IRCC will choose or order files within each 100,000 cap, or what happens if a group has more applicants than spaces.
- Processing times for the groups named. IRCC hasn't published any for this measure.
- The full list of closed programs in the worker half, since IRCC's list says "including".
- What "eligible to apply through the Provincial Nominee Program" will mean in practice, and whether spaces will be shared out by province.
- Whether family members outside Canada on Ukrainian pathway files count toward the humanitarian spaces, since that pathway issued PR visas to family members abroad.
- Whether the humanitarian half applies to people who will live in Quebec.
- The 2027–2029 Levels Plan targets. IRCC's key numbers page announces the plan but still reports against the 2026–2028 plan.
Whether your pending file fits one of these groups depends on its program, stage and location, and an RCIC can assess your specific case. Talk to a Sherway consultant about your application.