On October 24, 2024, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced the Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027. He declared many changes to Canada’s immigration system, including significantly reducing the target for permanent residents in 2025 by 21%. The new plan includes reducing the permanent residents target from 500,000 (in last year’s plan) to 395,000 in 2025.
However, the new plan also has good news for applicants. Despite the steep cut in immigration, this plan offers specific opportunities for people looking to move to Canada skilled in specific industries. These changes align with Canada’s long-term economic goals in mind to make sure to attract the best and brightest talent.
In-Canada Focus Category: Why is it important?
One of the highlights of the 2025-2027 plan is the ‘In-Canada focus category’. This category has been introduced to give applicants who are already residing in Canada, a better chance to apply for permanent residency.
In 2025, the government has allocated 82,980 spots to the ‘In-Canada Focus’ category, which represents almost half of the total economic immigration target. This category provides a simplified pathway to permanent residency for individuals who are already living, working, or studying in Canada on temporary permits.
The government believes these immigrants consist of skilled, educated individuals who are already integrated into Canadian society. With housing and employment secured, they will contribute to the workforce and economy without adding strain to social services.
Who gains from the ‘In-Canada Focus’ Category?
- International Students: For students who come to Canada to study, this category offers a faster path to permanent residency if they have relevant skills.
- Temporary Residents: Workers on temporary permits including PGWP holders, Spouse Open Work Permit holders or others can benefit from a smoother transition to permanent status.
- Skilled Workers: Those already in skilled positions, with strong economic contributions and ties to Canada, have a clear route to permanent residency.
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So, applicants from The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program; The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP); and
Regional immigration pathways will be given priority for permanent residency (if they have express entry profiles).
The ‘In-Canada Focus’ category sends a strong message to those who have invested in Canada offering them a stable and promising path to permanent residency.
From 2025 to 2027, the immigration department aims to admit the following numbers of immigrants under the In-Canada Focus category:
| Year | Target | Low Range | High Range |
| 2025 | 82,980 | 39,000 | 89,000 |
| 2026 | 75,380 | 33,000 | 82,000 |
| 2027 | 70,930 | 66,000 | 76,000 |
Why IRCC Created this In-Canada Focus Category?
Canada’s immigration policies have seen several updates this year, driven by the federal government’s efforts to balance immigration targets with economic pressures, including affordability and housing concerns.
As part of this response, IRCC aims to reduce the proportion of Non-permanent Residents (NPRs)—including those with work and study permits—from 7% to 5% of the country’s population by 2026. An important approach to achieving this involves supporting NPRs to transition to Permanent Residency (PR).
Immigration Minister Marc Miller noted on March 21, 2024: “As part of our efforts for temporary residents to transition to permanent residency, we will have more domestic draws and ask provinces and territories taking part in the Provincial Nominee Program to do the same with their allocations.”
Long before introducing the In-Canada Focus category, IRCC had been prioritizing ‘domestic’ candidates for PR, evident in the focus on Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and PNP-specific draws since July 2024.
By transitioning NPRs already living in Canada to permanent residents, Minister Miller hopes to maintain immigration targets. This will also support economic growth, and stabilize the workforce while easing domestic pressures linked to population increases.
Besides the introduction of an in-focus category, the government also plans to welcome French-speaking applicants outside of Québec. The target for Francophone immigration is set at 8.5% in 2025, 9.5% in 2026, and 10% in 2027.
A key focus for the government will be on labour market sectors such as health and trades. By 2027, the government aims for 61.7% of permanent residents to belong to the economic class.
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The In-Canada focus category aims to prioritize the pathways for individuals already residing in Canada. More than 40% of anticipated permanent resident admissions in 2025 will be from those who are currently here as temporary residents.
Research shows that newcomers with in-Canada experience tend to have positive long-term success. These skilled, educated individuals can continue to support the workforce and economy without placing additional demands on our social services.
At Elaar Immigration, we are dedicated to simplifying your immigration journey. Curious about how this in-Canada focus might affect your status? Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help you every step of the way. Please feel free to contact us for a consultation.
