Canada Moves to Give 100,000 Workers Permanent Residency
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced a time-limited measure covering workers, families, and humanitarian cases already living in Canada
- The plan also sets aside spaces for thousands of Hong Kong and Ukraine pathway applicants whose applications are still pending
- Canada said the move forms part of its 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan aimed at clearing backlogs and improving processing times
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 5 years of experience covering migration issues and global affairs.
Ottawa, Canada - Canada's immigration authority has unveiled a time-limited plan to grant permanent residence to up to 100,000 workers and their eligible family members who are already living in the country, alongside tens of thousands of others awaiting decisions under existing pathways.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced the measure on Tuesday, November 10, as part of the country's 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, which the government said was designed to bring immigration back to sustainable levels while cutting processing times and giving applicants greater certainty.
Source: UGC
Canada expands permanent residency eligibility rules
Beyond the 100,000-worker cohort, the plan provides for up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to obtain permanent residence. A further 12,600 people already found eligible on humanitarian and compassionate grounds are also expected to benefit.
The workers' category covers people who have already applied under selected federal immigration programmes, including the Atlantic Immigration Program, Start-up Visa Programme, Self-Employed Persons Program, Agri-Food Pilot and home care worker programmes. Provinces and territories will also be able to nominate additional workers through increased Provincial Nominee Programme allocations to address regional labour needs.
The government stressed that applicants would not need to take any additional steps or contact the immigration authority to have their cases considered. It also clarified that the measure would not create new programmes or reopen pathways already closed to fresh applications.
Canada targets 50,800 Hong Kong, Ukrainians applicants
The announcement also covers outstanding applications from Hong Kong residents and Ukrainians under previously established permanent residence pathways. Canada said it aimed to process all remaining applications under the Hong Kong pathways, which closed to new applicants on August 31, 2026, with up to 32,000 admissions expected as a result.
For Ukrainians, the government plans to process all remaining applications under the Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway, which stopped accepting new submissions on October 22, 2024. Those applications are expected to produce up to 18,800 admissions, bringing the combined total for both groups to roughly 50,800 permanent resident spaces.
Source: Getty Images
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said:
"Canada is building on its progress to return sustainability to our immigration system while honouring the commitments we made to those in need. The time-limited measure announced with our levels plan will allow us to deliver faster on our promises to people from Hong Kong and Ukraine, giving them certainty as they continue to build their lives and contribute to our country."
The National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Alexandra Chyczij, welcomed the decision, saying the new measures would address the backlog of Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway applications by the end of 2027 and that the community looked forward to continuing dialogue with the Minister.
The government stated that all those covered by the measure were already living, working and contributing in Canada and would therefore not represent net new arrivals to the country.
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Canada sets key work permit rules
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Canada announced that having a valid work permit is the first step to working legally in the country.
IRCC said holding a valid work permit is the foundation of working legally in Canada, but added that the permit alone is not enough. Workers must also understand and comply with every condition listed on that document.
Source: Legit.ng
