How IRCC’s new Immigration Levels Plan prioritizes in-Canada candidates
The Canadian federal government has allocated 40% of permanent admission spaces in 2025 to candidates already in Canada.
According to Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC’s) newest Immigration Levels Plan, nearly half of all planned admission spaces for new permanent residents in the coming year will be allocated to a new Express Entry priority group, known as the In-Canada Focus category.
In 2025, this will equate to a planned 82,980 dedicated admission spaces for this category.
Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration
Who is eligible for selection through the In-Canada Focus category?
Per the newest Immigration Levels Plan, the In-Canada Focus category encompasses candidates in:
- The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program;
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
- The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP); and
- Regional immigration pathways.
These candidates (provided that they have eligible Express Entry profiles at the time of an immigration draw) may be given priority preference to receive invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence (PR).
Will this special category remain as part of Canada’s Express Entry system?
While it can be difficult to say how long this special category will be a fixture of the Express Entry system, IRCC has published its plans for the In-Canada Focus group for the next three years.
Between 2025 and 2027, the immigration department hopes to welcome the following numbers of immigrants through the In-Canada Focus category:
2025
| Target | Low range | High range |
|---|---|---|
| 82,980 | 39,000 | 89,000 |
2026
| Target | Low range | High range |
|---|---|---|
| 75,830 | 33,000 | 82,000 |
2027
| Target | Low range | High range |
|---|---|---|
| 70,930 | 66,000 | 76,000 |
Note: Immigration levels set for 2026 and 2027 are notional targets. IRCC revises and confirms next year’s target on or before November 1 each year.
Why has IRCC committed to creating this special category?
Canada’s immigration system has undergone multiple changes this year, as the federal government looks to balance immigration levels with domestic pressures facing Canadians.
As a result of these pressures, IRCC has committed to reducing the number of Non-permanent Residents (NPRs) in Canada—including work and study permit holders—down from the current proportion of 7%, to 5% of Canada’s total population by 2026. One key mechanism identified by IRCC in achieving this target is facilitating the transition of NPRs already in Canada to PR.
“As part of our efforts for temporary residents to transition to permanent residency, we will have more domestic draws for us and ask provinces and territories taking part in the Provincial Nominee Program to do the same with their allocations.”
- Immigration Minister Marc Miller, March 21, 2024
Prior to the announcement of the In-Canada Focus category, IRCC had already begun prioritizing candidates who would fit into this group to be issued ITAs—as evidenced by the department’s emphasis on CEC and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws through the Express Entry system, from July of this year onwards.
As early as March, Immigration Minister Marc Miller signaled his willingness to prioritize the invitation of “domestic” candidates for PR through the federal immigration system.
Miller’s rationale in doing so was to meet required annual immigration targets, while at the same time mitigating the impact of affordability and housing stock pressures.
By facilitating the transition of newcomers already in Canada from temporary to permanent residence, the Minister hopes to pick qualified immigration candidates who can continue to benefit Canada’s economy and labour force—without simultaneously adding to domestic pressures that may arise from adding new people to the country’s population.
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