Canada 2026 PR Admissions See a Surprising Shift Despite Overall Decline

IRCC’s permanent residence (PR) trends are continuously changing in 2026, with fewer people becoming permanent residents compared with the same period in 2025. However, the number of new PRs has also increased for some nationalities.

According to official IRCC data, 222,625 people became Canadian permanent residents between January and July 2026, compared with 246,580 during the same period in 2025. This represents a decrease of 23,955 PRs, or approximately 9.7%.

Despite the overall decline, some countries have experienced an increase in the number of their citizens becoming Canadian permanent residents.

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Top Countries Of Citizenship For Increase In PRs Granted In 2026

The biggest increases were seen among individuals of different nationalities.

Turkey experienced the largest increase, with PR grants rising from approximately 1,050 in January- July 2025 to 2,995 during the same period in 2026, an increase of more than 185.2%.

Other notable increases are as follows:

Nigeria is especially notable because it was already one of Canada's leading countries of citizenship for new permanent residents. Despite the overall decrease in Canada immigration numbers, PR grants to Nigerian citizens continued to increase.

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Top Countries Of Citizenship For Decline In PRs Granted In 2026

India continues to be the largest country of citizenship among new permanent residents in Canada. However, the decline in Indian citizen PR grants has been substantial.

The table below compares the number of Canadian PRs by country of citizenship between January and July 2025 and 2026, highlighting the changes in PR numbers and each country’s ranking.

Other Countries Experiencing Declines

India was not the only country to experience a decrease.

France saw a significant reduction as well, with PR grants falling by more than 40%. Eritrea, Cameroon, Morocco, Afghanistan, Tunisia, and China also saw notable reductions.

Interestingly, the Philippines experienced only a small decrease of just 2%. Because Canada’s overall PR intake declined faster. Filipinos actually highlight a significant share of Canada’s total PR admissions.

This highlights an essential distinction: a nation can get fewer PRs in absolute numbers, while still increasing its share of Canada’s overall immigration intake.

What Does This Mean for Canada Immigration in 2026?

The changes demonstrate a broader shift in Canada’s immigration strategy.

Under the Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028, IRCC has set a target of 380,000 PR admissions annually. The government is also placing considerable pressure on economic immigration, including applicants with experience and skills that respond to Canada’s labour market requirements.

IRCC also reports that a substantial proportion of new PR are already in Canada as TR before transitioning to PR.

This makes pathways such as Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), Express Entry and other economic immigration programs particularly crucial for qualified applicants.

It is essential to recall that these statistics are based on the country of citizenship, not necessarily the country where a person was living immediately before getting PR.

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