You have a complete permanent residence application with IRCC, and you have done everything asked of you. Then you read that the government is “cutting immigration,” or that your program is “full for the year.” Both statements trace back to the same document: the Immigration Levels Plan. It is one of the most important factors in how long your application takes, and most people have never read it.
What the Levels Plan is
Each year, the Minister of Immigration tables a plan in Parliament setting how many people Canada intends to admit as permanent residents over the next three years, broken down by category: economic immigrants, family members, refugees and protected persons, and humanitarian cases. Since 2024, the plan has also set targets for new temporary residents, meaning international students and foreign workers.
The plan is normally tabled by November 1. Each year’s plan replaces the previous one, so the second and third years are always provisional.
The current plan
The 2026-2028 plan holds permanent resident admissions at 380,000 a year while sharply reducing temporary resident arrivals. Economic immigration makes up a growing share, reaching 64% of admissions in 2027 and 2028.
The plan also included two one-time measures on top of the regular targets:
- a two-year initiative to move approximately 115,000 protected persons already in Canada to permanent residence
- up to 33,000 work permit holders transitioning to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027
How the plan affects your application
A complete application is not necessarily an application in active processing. When a program receives more applications than there are spaces in the plan, IRCC holds some of them until space is available in a later year. IRCC now publishes how many applications in each line of business are waiting for space.
This is why processing times can grow even when nothing is wrong with your file, and why a program can stop taking applications altogether, as the caregiver pilots did in December 2025. Our post on the levels-plan waitlist explains when that kind of delay may become one the Federal Court will act on.
It also explains why some routes move faster than others. Programs that control intake through invitations, like Express Entry, rarely build a waiting list. Programs that accept every eligible application, like permanent residence for protected persons or humanitarian applications, can build very large ones.
What to watch for in the 2027-2029 plan
When the new plan is tabled, these are the numbers that matter most:
- The overall permanent resident target for 2027, and whether it holds at 380,000 or changes.
- The split between categories. A higher economic share usually means less room for family and humanitarian admissions.
- Protected persons. Whether the one-time initiative continues, and what the regular target is for protected persons in Canada. This affects everyone on the pathway described in our post on what happens after a refugee claim is accepted.
- Temporary resident targets. Further cuts to study and work permits affect extensions and new applications alike.
- Transition measures. Any new pathway for people already in Canada on temporary status.
- Signals about Express Entry. The plan often accompanies announcements about program changes, including the overhaul described in our post on the proposed Express Entry changes.
We will update this post when the plan is tabled.
What to do now
- Keep your application current and respond quickly to any request.
- Keep temporary status valid while you wait.
- If your file has been waiting well beyond the service standard with no activity, order your GCMS notes and get advice on whether the delay has become unreasonable.
How we can help
At Kabir & Alam, we track the Levels Plan and how it affects each line of business, and we advise clients on timing, status and delay. Read more about our permanent residence practice or book a consultation with us.
This post is general information about Canadian immigration law and is not legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts. Speak with a lawyer about your situation before making decisions.