Canada’s immigration authorities have announced plans to transition at least 20,000 workers already living in the country to permanent residence in 2026.
The initiative is part of efforts to manage immigration levels while also addressing labour shortages in critical sectors across the country.
It will also grant permanent residence to applicants in several in-demand occupations, particularly in rural communities experiencing persistent workforce gaps.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that the measure falls under the one-time In-Canada Workers Initiative introduced in Budget 2025, which aims to accelerate the transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residence between 2026 and 2027.
The announcement was made on Monday in Ottawa, where IRCC stated: “IRCC is aiming to transition at least 20,000 workers to permanent residence in 2026 and the remainder in 2027. We are making progress and are on track to meet these goals. Between January 1 and February
28, 2026, 3,600 workers were granted permanent residence under this initiative.”
The department explained that eligible applicants are being selected through occupation-driven pilots and regional immigration programmes led by provinces, territories, and community partners.
It added that applicants are not required to take any action, noting that the initiative is designed to reduce existing permanent residence backlogs while ensuring workers with established ties to Canada can continue contributing long-term.
IRCC further stated that priority will be given to work permit holders in smaller communities who have lived there for at least two years and are already supporting local economic needs.