Canada to grant 200,000 temporary residents permanent status by 2027
Why it matters: The one-time move would lift 2027 permanent admissions above record levels as Ottawa tries to ease pressure from nearly 2.8 million non-permanent residents.
Canada plans a one-time program to give up to 200,000 temporary residents permanent status by the end of 2027, on top of its regular immigration targets. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government kept annual targets for temporary and permanent residents at 370,000 and 380,000 through 2029, but added the extra pathway for people already living in the country. Officials said the initiative will be split evenly between a worker stream and a humanitarian stream, including family reunification and existing commitments such as Ukrainians who have been in Canada for years. Ottawa has tightened visa rules after a post-pandemic surge pushed the non-permanent resident population to nearly 3 million in October 2024, straining housing and services.