Canada's budget adds 200,000 temporary residents to permanent pool, draws criticism
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the 2026 federal budget created a one-time pathway that would grant permanent residency to up to 200,000 temporary residents, raising the 2027 immigration target to more than 650,000 and prompting criticism from opposition parties and analysts. The budget maintains the existing annual targets of 380,000 permanent and 370,000 temporary admissions through 2029 and earmarks funding for program reforms. It also expands the Temporary Foreign Worker program, allowing eligible employers to staff up to 15% of their workforce with foreign workers and keep them for up to two years, with $151.
5 million allocated for implementation. Subsequent announcements extended two-year permits to low-wage workers and added early-childhood educators to the exemption list, giving provinces greater flexibility.
