On October 24, Canada released the Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027, which included targets for temporary residents such as overseas students.
Every year, Canada presents its Immigration Levels Plan for the coming year, outlining the number of permanent residents it intends to allow into the nation to support economic growth, reunite families, and achieve humanitarian responsibilities.
The Immigration Levels Plan also set immigration targets for 2026 and 2027, albeit they are purely hypothetical, with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) finalising the upcoming year's targets by November 1 each year.
Here are some key takeaways from the most recent news that overseas students should know:
Canada aims to accept more new international students than work permit holders.
This year's Plan establishes a steady objective of 305,900 international student arrivals each year for 2025, 2026, and 2027.
These estimates are just for new arrivals and do not include projected study permit renewals for students already in Canada.
In contrast, the number of temporary resident worker arrivals, which include those from the International Mobility Program and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, gradually drops over three years (367,750 in 2025, 210,700 in 2026, and 237,700 in 2027).
This means that international students will account for a greater proportion of temporary resident arrivals in Canada beginning in 2026 and 2027.
Canada intends to welcome more new PRs from within Canada.
Under the "in-Canada focus" category, the Immigration Levels Plan 20255-2027 focusses on making it easier for those who are already in the nation, whether as students or workers, to become permanent residents.
In 2025, IRCC predicts that more than 40% of total permanent resident admissions will be students or workers who are currently in the country.
According to the Plan, the Federal High Skilled (FHS) segment has been divided into two categories: Federal Economic Priorities and In-Canada Focus, with the latter receiving higher admissions over the next three years.
For example, in 2025, the aim for Federal Economic Priorities is 41,700, while the target for In-Canada Focus is 82,980, nearly doubling.
That indicates that the IRCC may explore for additional ways to convert temporary residents into permanent residents.
This could happen through further Canadian Experience Class (CEC) Express Entry lotteries or new laws that benefit people who are currently in the country.
Provincial nominee programs (PNPs) should be reduced back
The Plan also proposed significant reductions to the targets for PNP admissions in the following years.
In 2025, the government's budget for PNP admissions is just 55,000, a significant decrease from last year's targets of 110,000 for 2024 and 120,000 for 2025.
Students who had planned to pursue provincial nominations as a route to permanent residency may find the PNP streams more competitive.
Greater focus on French language skills
In accordance with IRCC's past stance on francophone immigration, the Levels Plan aims to include a greater number of French-speaking permanent residence targets outside of Quebec.
In 2025, 8.5% of all anticipated permanent resident admissions will be French-speaking (excluding Quebec). This rises to 9.5% in 2026, and 10% in 2027.
This also represents a rise over prior targets mentioned in the 2024-26 plan, which were 7% for 2025 and 8% for 2026.
Students who speak little or no French may want to acquire the language in order to increase their chances of being asked to apply for permanent residency.
Increased importance for in-demand occupations
In 2023, Canada began holding category-based selection draws to award ITAs to skilled individuals in high-demand industries such as healthcare, STEM, trades, and transportation. This was intended to address Canada's labour shortages.
These categories are intended to evolve over time in response to labour market and demographic trends.
Priority categories for 2025 include healthcare and trade jobs.
The government has not announced plans to retire any of the other key categories, including STEM, transport, agriculture, or agri-food.
To be eligible for a category-based selection draw, candidates must have accumulated at least six months of full-time, continuous work experience (or an equal amount of part-time work experience) within the last three years in an in-demand occupation.
Students who plan to graduate with Post Graduate Work Permits (PGWPs) and then pursue Canadian public relations may want to focus on positions that match the category-based criteria.
