1 Category Benefits As Canada Begins Processing About 115,000 Permanent Residency Applications
- Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada launched a one-time two-year initiative covering 2026 and 2027 for individuals recognised as needing protection
- The initiative targets approximately 115,000 applications from persons already recognised by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada or by IRCC
- The protected persons pathway is one of two one-time initiatives introduced under Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan
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Canada's federal government has opened a one-time pathway to permanent residency for approximately 115,000 people already recognised as needing protection, under its newly published 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the initiative runs across 2026 and 2027 and is designed to grant permanent resident status to eligible protected persons already living in Canada.
Source: UGC
To qualify, individuals must have been formally recognised as needing protection either by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada or by IRCC itself.
Who Qualifies for the 115,000 Protected Persons Pathway
The government described the initiative as a commitment to providing stability to those who are already contributing to Canadian communities while the broader immigration system is recalibrated to more sustainable levels.
The measure is one-time in nature and will not be repeated beyond the two-year window.
Alongside this, a separate one-time initiative will fast-track permanent residence for 33,000 skilled temporary workers already employed in specific in-demand sectors, with a focus on those based in rural areas.
Canada's Wider 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan
Beyond the two special initiatives, the plan sets a target of 380,000 new permanent residents in 2026, which is 4% fewer than the previous year's target.
Targets for temporary residents have been reduced more sharply: new student arrivals are set at 155,000, down 49% from the previous target, while new temporary worker arrivals are capped at 230,000, a 37% reduction.
The government stated that permanent economic immigration will account for 64% of all immigration in 2027 and 2028, describing this as the highest proportion in decades.
Priority sectors for skilled workers include emerging technologies, health care, and skilled trades.
Canada also set broader population benchmarks, aiming to bring its temporary resident population to below 5% of the total population and to keep permanent resident admissions below 1% of the total population annually.
The plan was last modified on 14 October 2026, according to the official IRCC government page.
Canada lists offence that may get foreign spouses deported
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada flagged marriage fraud as the key risk that could cost a foreign spouse their permanent resident status.
Sponsored spouses found to have entered non-genuine relationships face misrepresentation charges and possible removal from Canada.
Source: Legit.ng
