Canada Is Opening New Permanent Residence Pathways in 2026

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is set to announce several pathways for those seeking to settle permanently in Canada in the coming year.

In 2026, the federal government will shift its focus to in-Canada applicants, rolling out programs to support the transition of temporary residents to permanent residents.

Furthermore, in 2026, intake periods will reopen for some pathways and immigration streams that closed in 2025 after reaching their caps.

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Here are the new Canada immigration pathways set to launch in 2026:

Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway

In the latest Canada Immigration Levels Plan 2026-2028, the federal government has accelerated the transition of up to 33,000 temporary work permit holders to permanent residence over 2026 and 2027. 

This in-Canada TR-to-PR transition initiative will target workers who have established strong roots in their communities, pay taxes, and contribute to the Canadian economy.

In the few years back (2021), Canada implemented a limited-time temporary resident to permanent resident pathway. It also hit the cap of that year on the same day it launched.

Accelerated Pathway for H-1B Holders

In the 2025 federal budget, the Canadian government signalled its intention to launch a new accelerated pathway to permanent residence specifically for U.S. H-1B visa holders.

This forthcoming program aims to attract top-tier talent in critical sectors such as technology, healthcare, and research, supporting Canada’s broader strategy to strengthen innovation and competitiveness.

Officials have confirmed the pathway will roll out “in the coming months,” although an exact launch date and eligibility details have yet to be released.

This initiative follows the success of Canada’s 2023 H-1B open work permit pilot, which granted eligible workers a three-year open work permit and hit its 10,000-application cap within days due to overwhelming interest.

PR Pathway for Construction Workers

In March 2025, IRCC announced plans to admit up to 14,000 foreign national construction workers to Canada. However, it has not yet been clarified whether these individuals will be accepted through permanent, temporary, or combined pathways.

Of this total, former Immigration Minister Marc Miller indicated that up to 6,000 spots would be allocated to undocumented construction workers already living in Canada.

The initiative is intended to provide relief to Canada’s construction sector, which continues to struggle with long-standing labour shortages amid an ongoing housing supply crisis.

As of now, the government has not released details regarding the program’s launch timeline or specific eligibility requirements.

Stream for agriculture and fish processing

In its 2025–2026 Departmental Plan, IRCC announced intentions to introduce a sector-specific stream for foreign workers in agriculture and fish processing.

The proposed stream aims to broaden partner-country agreements and simplify the hiring process for employers in these industries. IRCC confirmed that the stream is being developed in collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and will have a targeted launch sometime in 2025–2026.

The initiative will also feature a dedicated sector-specific work permit aligned with the needs of these labour markets.

Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot Pathway

The federal government is moving to establish a permanent residency (PR) pathway to supersede the existing Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP).

While IRCC's Departmental Plan targeted a launch before the EMPP's expiration on December 31, 2025, the absence of detailed eligibility rules and program features suggests the implementation may be postponed until 2026.

The EMPP currently assists skilled refugees and displaced persons seeking work in Canada, benefiting Canadian employers by expanding the labour pool. Since its inception, 970 individuals have gained admission through the EMPP (2019 – Mar 2025). Notably, the program has ceased accepting new applications for its two main streams (Federal EMPP Job Offer and No Job Offer).

Additionally, the government has committed to a one-time initiative to expedite the PR transition for around 115,000 protected persons already in the country. This transition is speculated to occur under the umbrella of the upcoming Economic Mobility Pathway.

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Re-opening of intake for existing pathways

Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots

IRCC introduced two pilot programs in March 2025: the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Child Care and the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot: Home Support to create a permanent residency route for home care workers with job offers.

The demand for these programs was immediately apparent. Each pilot was capped at 2,750 applications for 2025, and the stream dedicated to workers currently in Canada reached its maximum capacity within a single day. A limited number of these spaces was reserved for out-of-status home care workers.

The stream designated for applicants not working in Canada did not open and is now listed as closed on IRCC's platform.

Future Intake: The stream for workers inside Canada is anticipated to reopen in 2026.

Basic Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must have a valid full-time job offer in Canada, along with:

• CLB 4 or higher language proficiency.
• Secondary school diploma or higher.
• Six months of work experience.

Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP)

Launched in 2025, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) are employer-led initiatives designed to help communities outside of Quebec address local labour shortages.

These pilot programs offer a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers with in-demand skills who commit to living and settling permanently in the participating rural communities.

• Employer-Led: Both the RCIP and FCIP require candidates to have a valid job offer to be eligible.
• Francophone Requirement: The FCIP requires candidates to demonstrate proficiency in French.
• Future Updates: While both pathways are currently open, 2026 is expected to bring new announcements regarding employer designations and the identification of priority sectors and occupations by the participating communities.

Apart from this, they need to meet other mandatory criteria regarding work experience, language proficiency, education, and settlement funds.

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Source: canada.ca

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