Canada Permanent Residence Immigration Updates Newcomers to Canada
Canada’s 2026 PR Pathway Programs
Canada has announced that it will be offering new pathways to permanent residence (PR) in 2026. These new pathways will offer in-Canada applicants 5 new PR pathways as well as the re-opening of existing pathways that previously reached their intake capacity.
New and Improved Pathways to Canadian Permanent Residency (PR) in 2026:
Temporary Resident to PR
As outlined in the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada will provide 33,000 temporary foreign workers who have fully complied with the conditions of their stay an opportunity to transition from their temporary work permits.
It will be important to prepare in advance and act quickly once this pathway opens as a similar program was introduced in 2021 and reached its capacity the same day it opened. We will share updates as more details emerge about this accelerated program and its specific eligibility requirements.
Pathway to PR for H-1B holders
If you are a skilled professional in technology, healthcare, or research and currently hold an H-1B visa, Canada’s 2025 budget outlined a strategic plan and focus on attracting and retaining this talent.
As part of this initiative, Canada will introduce a new pathway in 2026 that will allow US H-1B holders to transition to permanent residency. While no specific launch date or detailed eligibility criteria have been released yet, the program is expected to be in high demand.
This highlights the importance of pilot programs and the precedent they set. The new pathway has been announced following the success of Canada’s 2023 H-1B pilot program, which reached capacity very quickly. These opportunities are appealing to many eligible individuals in Canada, so it will be essential to prepare and act promptly once more details are announced and the application period opens.
Construction worker PR Opportunities
If you are a construction worker either already in Canada as a foreign worker or hoping to come to Canada and eventually obtain permanent residency, this may be an important opportunity for you. IRCC has announced that, due to the current shortage of construction workers in Canada, 14,000 spots will be allocated in 2026 for foreign national construction workers.
Of these spots, 6,000 will be allocated for undocumented construction workers already in Canada, while the remaining 8,000 will be allocated for foreign nationals who want to work in Canada through either permanent or temporary pathways.
As with other proposed PR pathways for 2026, details about this program including the launch date and specific eligibility requirements have not yet been released. We will update this page as soon as more information becomes available.
PR Pathway for Agriculture and Fish Processing Sectors
IRCC announced a new proposed pathway earlier this year for people who work in agriculture and fish processing. This program is being created together with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to make it easier for Canadian employers to hire foreign workers in these sectors.
With this new pathway, sector-specific work permits will become more accessible to workers from many different countries. It will also simplify the process of connecting foreign workers with Canadian employers who need workers in agriculture and fish processing. We will report when more information on this new pathway becomes available.
Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) New Pathway
The current EMPP pathway launched in 2023 and will be coming to an end in 2025. A new program is planned to replace it, with applications expected to open in 2026.
Since this upcoming program (which has not yet been officially named) will replace the EMPP, it is expected that its eligibility criteria will be similar to the requirements used under the original EMPP, although not for certain. We will be updating this page regularly as new information is being released regarding this new replacement pathway.
Existing Pathways Reopening/Remaining Open:
Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots
There were two pilot programs introduced under this Pilot program in 2025 one was for individuals working in Child Care, and the other was those working in Home Support. Although this pathway offered two steams for those working in and outside of Canada, it has been announced that it is likely that only the in-Canada applicants stream will be reopening in 2026.
More information regarding this program including eligibility can be found on the government of Canada website.
RCIP and FCIP Success
The Government of Canada launched the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) on January 30, 2025, to address the specific labour and population needs of certain regions across the country.
Both pilot programs have helped rural communities grow and have supported the expansion of the Francophone population outside Quebec, contributing to Canada’s overall economic and social development.
Building on the previous and current success of the RCIP and FCIP both pathways will continue into 2026 and potentially include new employer priority sectors and occupations in demand in various communities across Canada.
If you are interested in Canadian permanent residency, and any of the proposed 2026 pathways mentioned in this article appeal to you, this is an opportunity you do not want to miss!
Contact us at Canadim for more information
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