The federal government released its 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan yesterday, outlining the number of permanent residents Canada intends to welcome over the next three years. While there are some encouraging elements – especially the focus on highly qualified international researchers – the plan ultimately offers too little relief for temporary residents already in Canada and does not adequately address the growing backlogs and processing delays across the system.
In particular, the allocation of just 33,000 temporary-to-permanent (TR to PR) spaces does not reflect the number of individuals who have already built meaningful economic and social ties in Canada. Many of these workers, graduates, and professionals face the risk of losing status not because of any failure on their part, but because the system has not kept pace with its own intake strategies.
A Strategic Focus on International Researchers
Canada’s decision to target highly qualified international researchers is one of the more promising elements of the new Levels Plan. In an environment where the United States continues to lose top research talent due to restrictive immigration policies, Canada has a genuine opportunity to assert global leadership in innovation, science, and discovery.
However, the benefits of this targeted recruitment strategy cannot be fully realized if the system continues to under-reserve PR spaces for those who are already contributing to the research environment here. Attracting researchers is commendable – but retaining them is where the value is realized. Without adequate transition pathways, Canada risks investing resources into recruitment only to see those same individuals leave.
Backlogs and Wait Times Are Reaching Critical Levels
Temporary residents are currently experiencing long, unpredictable processing times across work permit extensions, PR applications, and sponsorship cases. These delays have real consequences: strained family relationships, interrupted employment, hiring uncertainty for employers, and in some cases, forced departures from Canada.
As highlighted in recent analysis, Canada’s immigration challenges are structural, not temporary. The system lacks alignment between intake levels, processing capacity, and workforce needs. Without meaningful structural adjustments – including increased PR spaces – these backlogs will continue to grow.
Budget Breakdown: System Capacity is Not Keeping Pace
The federal budget allocates resources toward modernization, processing technology, and improving client service delivery. However, much of the funding is targeted at administrative efficiency rather than addressing volume pressure. Even where funding increases are present, they are often layered across multi-year timelines rather than addressing the urgent, present-day needs of employers, universities, families, and temporary residents.
For example, while the plan outlines funding to strengthen border integrity and improve digital processing tools, it does not include a proportional investment in frontline adjudication capacity. The result is a system that has improved digital intake, but without enough officers to meaningfully reduce wait times.
This imbalance is critical:
- More people are applying.
- Fewer pathways to permanence are available.
- Processing capacity has not expanded at the pace required.
In other words, the system is being asked to do more with the same number of hands-and that is not sustainable.
Why PR Targets Must Rise Again
Some policy voices have suggested that Canada should maintain or modestly increase PR levels. I disagree. The current moment calls for a temporary return to 500,000+ PR admissions per year for three key reasons:
- Transition those already here. Workers, graduates, and families who have established roots should not be forced out of the country due to bureaucratic gridlock.
- Reduce backlogs and restore predictability. A temporary increase in PR spaces would relieve pressure on processing offices and shorten wait times.
- Protect Canada’s competitiveness. Other countries are modernizing immigration pathways rapidly. We cannot assume our talent will stay if pathways close.
Canada’s immigration system is strongest when it is predictable, coordinated, and rooted in long-term national planning. The new Levels Plan does not yet reflect that alignment. A temporary return to higher PR admissions-back toward 500,000 per year-would help stabilize the system, transition those already contributing, and prevent Canada from losing global talent at a pivotal moment.
At Jain Immigration Law, we are closely monitoring these developments and supporting individuals, families, and employers navigating this evolving landscape.
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