11 MIN READ

Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan Prioritizes Temporary Residents. A Major Opportunity for Indian Students and Job Seekers

Yogesh shukla

Canada has opened the gates for Permanent residency, while prioritising the temporary residents already living in Canada to get the PR first. In the 2026-2028 policy declaration Canadian authorities have stated many opportunities to the applicants with high skills to start their new life, career or education in the country.

This new plan will result in an efficient and faster way for many skilled applicants and students, who will contribute in Infrastructural, economical and technological development in Canada. Indian applicants have to know these new rules and policies to apply better and present the documents perfectly.

What is Canada’s New Immigration Policy in 2026?

As Canada is always a promising place to start, the number of temporary residents, including students, Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) holders, and skilled workers, has grown rapidly. To balance this growth, Canada now aims on temporary workers to get permanent residents, rather than relying heavily on new arrivals.

This strategy has three major goals.

1. Strengthen the labour market
2. Reduce processing delays

3. Stabilize population growth

Increased opportunity for Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)

One of the most significant changes in the 2026–2028 plan is the sharp rise in PNP admissions.

PNP Targets:

2025: 55,000
2026: 91,500
2027 & 2028: Expected to rise further

This represents the largest expansion in PNP history. PNPs allow provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan to nominate candidates already living, studying, or working in the province.

For Indian immigrants, this is a major win. Since many Indian students and workers live in provinces that heavily depend on PNP nominations to fill local job gaps.

More PNP spots = more chances for PR, especially for applicants with job offers or experience in high-demand occupations like tech, healthcare, construction, and trade skills. It's the perfect time to update your profiles.

Fast-Track Measures for Skilled Workers

In addition to regular PR targets, Canada is launching two major one-time fast-track initiatives for 2026–2027:

Fast-Tracking 33,000 Skilled Workers in In-Demand Sectors

This initiative focuses on:

Healthcare
Agriculture
Construction
STEM
Transport
Rural workforce shortages

How Canada’s new policy will benefit Indian Students, Workers, and Families

International students who complete Canadian education and gain local work experience under PGWPs will be prioritized for PR through CEC and PNPs.
Tech professionals, healthcare workers, engineers, accountants, and tradespeople working in Canada will benefit from the expanded PNP quotas and fast-track options.
Since the government is prioritizing in-Canada applicants, competition from offshore candidates decreases. Improving PR chances for those already living in Canada.
Temporary residents transitioning to PR sooner means better long-term stability for Indian families planning to settle permanently.
The rise in PNP allocations will make it easier for Indians to settle in regions with lower competition and strong demand for skilled labour.

How Aptech Visa Helps You Get the Canada Visa with This New PR-Friendly System

With Canada’s immigration priorities shifting, having expert guidance can significantly improve your chances of success. Although the process can be done by yourself but getting help can definitely increase the chances of approval. As the expert knows what information has to be presented and focused on.

Aptech Visa: India’s most trusted Canada immigration consultancy can help you in-

Choose the best PR pathway (CEC, Express Entry, PNP, or RNIP)
Improve CRS scores through strategic re-evaluations.
Prepare IRCC-compliant applications for faster approval.
Find the right PNP program based on the job market and profile.
Understand the new fast-track measures.
Get personalized support for study-to-PR or work-to-PR pathways

Aptech Visa has helped thousands of clients successfully start from temporary visas to finally getpermanent residency in Canada.

Canada’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan marks a very big opportunity for those who have something to contribute to society. But presenting the skills perfectly is very important while making the application. With Canada’s changing PR policies, having the perfect consultant is the best way to secure a PR most efficiently.