Canada to Grant Permanent Residency to 100,000 Workers And Their Families

Time-limited measure will also benefit spouses, children, Hong Kong applicants and Ukrainians awaiting decisions

Canada is introducing a time-limited measure to transition up to 100,000 workers and their eligible family members already living in the country to permanent residence.

The initiative, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is part of the government’s 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, which aims to accelerate the processing of applications from people already established in Canada.

The measure will also provide permanent residence opportunities for up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Canada.

An additional 12,600 people who have already been found eligible for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds are expected to benefit.

The Canadian government said the initiative would create additional admission spaces in 2027 and help reduce application backlogs while keeping families together.

The workers’ category will be implemented in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments to address regional labour needs.

It will include applicants under selected federal immigration programmes, such as the Atlantic Immigration Program, Start-up Visa Program, Self-Employed Persons Program, Agri-Food Pilot and home care worker programmes.

Provinces and territories will also be able to nominate workers who meet regional labour requirements through increased Provincial Nominee Programme allocations.

The government said the initiative was designed to support people who were already living, working and contributing to Canadian communities while waiting for permanent residence decisions.

Hong Kong and Ukraine applications
Canada also plans to process all remaining applications under its Hong Kong permanent residence pathways, which closed to new applicants on August 31, 2026.

The applications are expected to result in up to 32,000 permanent resident admissions.
The government will also process outstanding applications under the Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway, which closed to new applications on October 22, 2024.

These applications are expected to result in up to 18,800 admissions. Together, the two groups account for a potential 50,800 permanent resident admissions.

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said the measure would help Canada fulfil its commitments to people from Hong Kong and Ukraine.
“Canada is building on its progress to return sustainability to our immigration system while honouring the commitments we made to those in need,” she said.

“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.”

Jean Yip, Member of Parliament for Scarborough—Agincourt, welcomed the decision, saying it represented progress for Hong Kong applicants and their families.

Michael Ma, Member of Parliament for Markham—Unionville, said completing the remaining applications by the end of 2027 would provide greater certainty for families who had been waiting for decisions.

Yvan Baker, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre, said the initiative would support Canadian businesses by helping them retain workers who were already contributing to the economy.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress also welcomed the plan to address the backlog under the Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway.

Dr Henry Pang, a physician and community representative, said clearing the Hong Kong backlog would help strengthen Canada’s healthcare workforce by enabling qualified professionals already in the country to obtain permanent residence.

The government stressed that the measure would not create new immigration programmes or reopen pathways that had already closed to new applicants.
Eligible applicants will not need to take additional steps or contact IRCC to have their applications considered under the additional spaces.

The initiative is aimed at people already living in Canada and does not represent a new route for people seeking to travel to or relocate to the country.