Canada to Grant Permanent Residency to 100,000 Migrant Workers, Families

The Canadian government has announced plans to grant permanent residency to up to 100,000 migrant workers already living in the country, alongside thousands of their eligible family members.

The time-limited initiative, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is part of a broader strategy to fast-track applications and reduce the backlog of migrants awaiting permanent residence decisions.

Under the arrangement, up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in Canada will also be eligible for permanent residency. Another 12,600 people already found eligible on humanitarian and compassionate grounds are expected to benefit.

The government said it would provide additional admission spaces in 2027 to speed up processing for migrants who have established themselves in Canadian communities. The government will implement the workers’ category in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments to address regional labour shortages.

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According to a background document published by the immigration department, eligible workers include applicants under selected federal 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 receive increased Provincial Nominee Programme allocations to nominate workers who meet their labour needs.

Canada’s Immigration Minister, Lena Metlege Diab, said the initiative would help the country honour existing commitments while making its immigration system more sustainable.

She said the measure would also accelerate permanent residence decisions for people from Hong Kong and Ukraine, providing them with greater certainty as they continue to build their lives in Canada.

The government added that it would process all outstanding applications under its Hong Kong permanent residence pathways, which closed to new applicants on August 31, 2026. The outstanding applications are expected to result in up to 32,000 admissions.

Clarify the 100,000 beneficiary figureTighten the opening paragraph