Canada is about to introduce a number of new pathways to everlasting residence (PR) within the upcoming 12 months.
In 2026, the federal authorities will prioritize in-Canada candidates by numerous pathways and applications that purpose to transition momentary residents into everlasting residents.
Furthermore, 2026 will see the reopening of consumption intervals for some pathways and immigration streams that closed in 2025 after assembly their cap.
Uncover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration
Right here’s a take a look at all of the PR pathways anticipated to launch in 2026.
Short-term resident to everlasting resident pathway
Within the Immigration Ranges Plan 2026-2028, the federal authorities introduced plans to speed up the transition of as much as 33,000 momentary work allow holders to everlasting residence over 2026 and 2027.
This initiative will goal staff who’ve established sturdy roots of their communities, are paying taxes, and are contributing to the Canadian financial system.
In 2021, IRCC launched a limited-time momentary resident to everlasting resident pathway. It hit its cap on the identical day it launched.
Particulars and eligibility:
Particulars on how the federal government plans to implement this accelerated transition are but to be introduced. For particulars on the documentation that you simply wish to hold prepared for this upcoming pathway, go to our article on the subject.
Accelerated pathway for H-1B holders
Within the 2025 federal funds, the Canadian authorities signalled plans to launch a brand new accelerated pathway to everlasting residence for holders of US H-1B visas.
This upcoming program is designed to draw extremely expert professionals in key sectors equivalent to expertise, healthcare, and analysis as a part of Canada’s technique to spice up innovation.
Officers have indicated the pathway will launch “within the coming months,” although no particular date or detailed standards have but been introduced.
This transfer builds on a profitable 2023 pilot that supplied three-year open work permits to H-1B visa holders, a program that reached its 10,000-application cap inside days on account of overwhelming demand.
Particulars and eligibility:
Whereas the federal government has not shared particular particulars on the upcoming pathway as of the time of writing, having a US H-1B visa will probably be a prerequisite to use.
PR pathway for development staff
In March 2025, IRCC introduced it could admit as much as 14,000 international nationwide development staff to Canada. Particulars on whether or not they could be admitted beneath everlasting, momentary (or a mix thereof) pathways have not been given.
Out of this, the then immigration minister Marc Miller said that as much as 6,000 immigration areas could be reserved for undocumented development staff already in Canada.
This initiative was launched to assist Canada’s development sector, which has confronted persistent labour shortages within the midst of a housing provide scarcity.
The federal government has not but launched particulars on when this program will start or the eligibility standards for candidates as of now.
Stream for agriculture and fish processing
Within the 2025-2026 Division Plan, IRCC revealed plans to create a sector-specific stream for international staff in agriculture and fish processing.
This new stream would develop associate nation agreements, streamlining the hiring of staff in these sectors. On the time of the announcement, IRCC famous it was growing this stream in collaboration with Employment and Social Growth Canada (ESDC), with a objective to launch in 2025–2026.
This system will embrace a corresponding sector-specific work allow.
Particulars on eligibility have but to be disclosed.
Alternative pathway to the Financial Mobility Pathways Pilot
The federal authorities can also be anticipated to create a brand new everlasting pathway to PR, to exchange the prevailing Financial Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP).
The EMPP is a program that helps expert refugees and displaced folks seeking to work in Canada, whereas additionally permitting Canadian employers to faucet into a brand new labour pool.
In line with IRCC’s 2025–2026 Departmental Plan, the everlasting program was anticipated to launch earlier than the present EMPP pilot expires on December 31, 2025, however detailed eligibility guidelines and program options haven’t but been launched, which implies this may occasionally launch in 2026 as a substitute.
In the latest Immigration Ranges Plan, the federal authorities introduced that it could be implementing a one-time initiative to streamline the transition to everlasting residence for about 115,000 protected individuals who’re already within the nation. Whereas it isn’t sure, this transition might be beneath the upcoming Financial Mobility Pathway.
Since its inception, a complete of 970 folks have been admitted to Canada by the EMPP, in keeping with the latest authorities knowledge (2019 – Mar 2025). This system is at the moment now not accepting new purposes for its Federal EMPP Job Supply and No Job Supply streams.
Particulars and eligibility:
The brand new pathway is predicted to have standards just like these of the EMPP.
To be eligible for the EMPP, one should be capable of show their standing as a refugee or displaced individual.
They might have to fulfill further standards associated to work expertise, training, and language abilities.
Re-opening of consumption for current pathways
House Care Employee Immigration Pilots
In March 2025, IRCC launched two pilot applications by which house care staff with job affords can achieve everlasting residency:
- The House Care Employee Immigration Pilot: Baby Care; and
- The House Care Employee Immigration Pilot: House Assist.
Every pathway had two software streams: for staff inside Canada and for candidates not working in Canada.
In 2025, each pilots accepted 2,750 purposes every and reached their caps inside the day of launching. A restricted variety of these areas was reserved for out-of-status house care staff in Canada.
Whereas the stream for staff inside Canada opened and reached its cap in a day, the stream for candidates not working in Canada by no means opened however is now labelled as “closed” on IRCC’s web page.
It’s anticipated that IRCC will reopen the candidates working in Canada streams of those pilots in 2026.
Particulars and eligibility:
Candidates will need to have an eligible full-time job provide in Canada to qualify for these pilots.
As well as, candidates should meet sure standards:
- Language proficiency: Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 or greater.
- Training: Secondary faculty diploma or greater.
- Work expertise: Six months’ work expertise.
Yow will discover the total eligibility necessities right here.
Rural Neighborhood Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Neighborhood Immigration Pilot (FCIP)
Each the RCIP and FCIP are pilot applications launched in 2025 to assist employers in rural communities outdoors Quebec deal with labour shortages.
These pathways are for expert international staff with in-demand abilities who want to reside and settle in these communities completely.
Each the RCIP and FCIP are employer-led pathways, and require a job provide for a candidate to be eligible. Candidates should additionally meet different eligibility standards relating to training, work expertise, language proficiency, and settlement funds.
For the FCIP, candidates additionally must show French language proficiency.
Whereas these pathways haven’t closed, 2026 may even see new employer designations and precedence sectors and occupations being introduced by taking part communities.
Particulars and eligibility:
Candidates must have a qualifying job provide in a precedence occupation and sector, as chosen by the group they intend to settle in.
Other than this, they should meet different standards:
- Work expertise: Have at the very least one 12 months (or 1,560 hours) of associated work expertise previously three years, or have graduated from an eligible post-secondary faculty in the neighborhood.
- Language proficiency: Meet English or French language proficiency necessities: For the RCIP, it ranges between Canadian Language Benchmark 4 – 6, (relying on the job provide’s NOC code), attested to by legitimate language take a look at outcomes from the previous two years. For the FCIP, candidates should show French language means equal to a Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) stage 5 in all language talents.
- Training: Canadian secondary faculty diploma or post-secondary certificates, diploma, or diploma (or international equal).
- Settlement funds: Find the money for to assist themselves and their households by the settlement course of. The quantity of settlement funds wanted will be considered right here.
