Canada will admit 380,000 permanent residents in each of 2027, 2028 and 2029 under IRCC's 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, within a range of 352,500 to 422,000 a year. The plan also adds processing room in 2027 for two groups already living here: in-Canada workers and long-waiting humanitarian cases. It comes days after Express Entry began awarding new points for Canadian work experience and high-wage job offers on November 3, 2026, with no LMIA needed for a job offer. For temporary residents in Canada, the total is fixed. The route they take is what has changed.
The short version
- Permanent resident admissions are set at 380,000 a year for 2027 to 2029. Economic immigration makes up 244,700 of that (64.4%) every year.
- A time-limited 2027 measure adds processing space for a workers cohort, run with provinces and territories, and a humanitarian cohort. The plan gives no size or criteria for either.
- Since November 3, 2026, Express Entry job offers no longer need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA, an employer's federal permit to hire a foreign worker) or an LMIA exemption.
- A new Labour Market Integration factor is worth up to 150 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, or 140 with a partner. Invitation rounds are paused for up to 2 weeks while IRCC recalculates existing profiles.
What the Levels Plan and the new CRS rules set out
Permanent resident targets, 2027–2029
| Category | 2027 target (range) | 2028 target (range) | 2029 target (range) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall admissions | 380,000 (352,500 – 422,000) | 380,000 (352,500 – 422,000) | 380,000 (352,500 – 422,000) |
| Federal High Skilled | 100,000 (87,000 – 123,000) | 100,000 (87,000 – 123,000) | 100,000 (87,000 – 123,000) |
| Provincial Nominee Program | 95,000 (83,000 – 106,000) | 95,000 (83,000 – 106,000) | 95,000 (83,000 – 106,000) |
| Federal Business | 1,500 (500 – 5,000) | 2,725 (1,500 – 3,500) | 1,000 (500 – 2,000) |
| Rural Community Immigration Program | 5,500 (4,000 – 6,500) | 6,000 (5,000 – 7,000) | 6,500 (4,000 – 7,000) |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 6,000 (5,000 – 8,500) | 6,000 (5,000 – 7,000) | 6,000 (5,000 – 7,000) |
| Total Economic | 244,700 (230,000 – 270,000) | 244,700 (230,000 – 270,000) | 244,700 (230,000 – 270,000) |
| Spouses, Partners and Children | 66,000 (61,000 – 75,000) | 66,000 (61,000 – 75,000) | 66,000 (61,000 – 75,000) |
| Parents and Grandparents | 15,000 (12,000 – 18,000) | 15,000 (12,000 – 18,000) | 15,000 (12,000 – 18,000) |
| Total Refugees and Protected Persons | 49,300 (42,000 – 55,000) | 49,300 (42,000 – 55,000) | 49,300 (42,000 – 55,000) |
| Total Humanitarian & Compassionate and Other | 5,000 (4,500 – 8,000) | 5,000 (4,500 – 8,000) | 5,000 (4,500 – 8,000) |
| French-speaking admissions outside Quebec | 9.5% (31,825) | 10.5% (35,175) | 12% (40,200) |
Quebec's skilled worker and business targets are listed as TBD.
Federal High Skilled (100,000) and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP, 95,000) together make 195,000, about 80% of the economic total. The Rural Community Immigration Program is the only economic line that rises every year: 5,500, 6,000, 6,500. The French-speaking share outside Quebec climbs from 9.5% to 12%, or 8,375 more French-speaking admissions in 2029 than in 2027.
New temporary resident arrivals
| New arrivals | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 370,000 (355,000 – 385,000) | 370,000 (355,000 – 385,000) | 370,000 (355,000 – 385,000) |
| Workers (total) | 220,000 | 220,000 | 220,000 |
| International Mobility Program | 170,000 | 170,000 | 170,000 |
| Temporary Foreign Worker Program | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Students | 150,000 | 150,000 | 150,000 |
These count new arrivals only, not people already here on permits.
The 2027 time-limited measure
IRCC is adding "space to process permanent residence applications in 2027" for two cohorts. The workers cohort will move in-Canada workers and their accompanying family members to permanent residence "in collaboration with provinces and territories". The humanitarian cohort covers people already in Canada who "have been waiting for many years".
This sits on top of two Budget 2025 initiatives still running: up to 115,000 Protected Persons in Canada with their in-Canada dependants, and 33,000 work permit holders, moving to permanent residence across 2026 and 2027. That is up to 148,000 people combined.
Express Entry scoring from November 3, 2026
IRCC announced on October 16 that it would give more weight to Canadian work experience and job offers in high-wage occupations: those whose median wage is at least 1.3 times the median for the whole Canadian workforce. The test uses the occupation's typical earnings, not the candidate's own salary.
The CRS criteria page sets out the new Labour Market Integration factor. Points come from Canadian work experience or a high-wage job offer, not both.
| Canadian work experience | With partner | Without partner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 35 | 40 |
| 2 years | 46 | 53 |
| 3 years | 56 | 64 |
| 4 years | 63 | 72 |
| 5 years or more | 70 | 80 |
| Plus: 12+ months in an occupation at 2x median wage | 70 | 70 |
| Or: 12+ months at 1.5x median wage | 40 | 40 |
| Or: 12+ months at 1.3x median wage | 20 | 20 |
| Factor maximum | 140 | 150 |
| High-wage job offer | Points |
|---|---|
| Occupation at 2x median wage | 100 |
| Occupation at 1.5x median wage | 70 |
| Occupation at 1.3x median wage | 50 |
| Not a high-wage occupation | 0 |
LMIA and LMIA-exemption requirements are gone for all Express Entry job offers, though IRCC will still check that offers are genuine and meet program requirements. Job-offer eligibility rules for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and some PNP streams are unchanged, and those offers can still be in a high-wage or non-high-wage occupation. A provincial nomination still adds 600 points.
Who the flat targets and new points touch
- Express Entry candidates with Canadian work experience. Scores are being recalculated automatically. Work for a Canadian employer counts, including remote work done while physically in Canada.
- Candidates holding a job offer not yet in their profile. Job-offer points don't appear until the offer is added.
- Employers who previously needed an LMIA to support an Express Entry offer. That step is gone.
- Federal Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades candidates relying on a job offer for eligibility. The offer is still needed, without an LMIA.
- Workers on permits in Canada. The 2027 workers cohort targets them, through provinces and territories.
- Protected persons and long-waiting humanitarian cases in Canada. Covered by the Budget 2025 initiatives and the new humanitarian cohort.
Spousal and parent sponsorship targets stay flat at 66,000 and 15,000 a year. Candidates outside Canada with no Canadian work history gain nothing from the work-experience side of the new factor, though a high-wage job offer can still earn points.
What to do before invitation rounds restart
- Add any valid job offer to your Express Entry profile. The CRS criteria page asks candidates who haven't included one to update their profile.
- IRCC's October release asked for job-offer updates before November 3. If you missed that date, have an RCIC review how to proceed.
- Follow the on-screen instructions about LMIA fields. IRCC warns the online system may still ask for LMIA information; follow its instructions so the offer is accepted without one.
- Look up your occupation on IRCC's high-wage list. IRCC will keep this list on its website, built from the previous three years of wage data, with each occupation placed at the highest level it reached in any of those years.
- Gather proof of your Canadian work. Reference letters, pay records and dates showing at least 12 months in the occupation you're claiming. The high-wage experience points depend on that 12-month mark.
- Check your recalculated score. The recalculation can take up to 2 weeks from November 3, which points to around November 17 if the estimate holds.
- Watch your province's announcements if you're a worker on a permit, since the 2027 workers cohort runs through provinces and territories.
For a fuller picture of where your profile stands, see how an Express Entry profile is assessed.
Illustration: new work-experience points for a single candidate
Illustration only: a candidate with no partner has 3 years of Canadian work experience, at least 12 months of it in an occupation at 1.5 times the median wage but not twice.
- Work-length points: 64
- High-wage experience points (1.5x): 40
- Labour Market Integration total: 64 + 40 = 104, out of 150
A job offer in a 1.5x occupation would be worth 70 points, but because the factor counts experience or an offer, not both, it wouldn't add to the 104. Even a 2x offer, worth 100, would sit 4 points below.
With a partner, the same history scores 56 + 40 = 96, out of 140. Age, education, language and the other CRS factors still apply on top.
Common questions
Do I still need an LMIA for an Express Entry job offer?
No. Since November 3, 2026, LMIA and LMIA-exemption requirements are removed for all Express Entry job offers. Offers must still be genuine and meet program requirements. The online profile may still ask for LMIA details, so follow IRCC's instructions when updating it.
Why have Express Entry draws stopped in November 2026?
IRCC is recalculating every profile in the pool under the new points system, which could take up to 2 weeks. Invitation rounds are paused until it's complete.
How many permanent residents will Canada admit in 2027?
380,000, within a range of 352,500 to 422,000, with the same target in 2028 and 2029. That breaks down as 244,700 economic, 81,000 family class, 49,300 refugees and protected persons, and 5,000 humanitarian and other.
What counts as a high-wage occupation for Express Entry?
An occupation whose median wage is at least 1.3 times the overall Canadian workforce median, at three levels: 1.3x, 1.5x and 2x. It's based on the occupation's typical earnings, not your own pay. IRCC cites health care, skilled trades, engineering, technology and education as sectors with high-wage occupations.
Is there a new PR pathway for workers already in Canada?
The Levels Plan announces a time-limited 2027 workers cohort to move in-Canada workers and accompanying family members to permanent residence in collaboration with provinces and territories. IRCC hasn't yet published who can apply or how.
What we don't know yet about the 2027 measure and the rounds
- The 2027 cohorts. No number of places, eligibility criteria, application steps or processing times yet.
- When rounds resume. No exact restart date, and no indication of cut-off scores after the recalculation.
- Which occupations are high-wage. We'll report on specific occupations once we've reviewed IRCC's list.
- The old job-offer points. IRCC's pages on the change don't give previous job-offer point values, so a before-and-after comparison isn't possible yet.
- Quebec. Skilled worker and business targets for 2027 to 2029 remain TBD.
This is information, not an assessment of your file. An RCIC can assess your specific case; book a consultation with one of our consultants.