Canada admits 182,100 new permanent residents in H1 2026 – Report

Canada welcomed 182,100 new permanent residents in the first half of 2026, reaching 40.8% of its annual target of 446,000, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), reported CIC News. The admissions comprised regular programs and two-time initiatives for protected persons and certain workers already in the country.

IRCC admitted 155,800 new permanent residents under the regular program, 34,200 below the halfway point requirement of 190,000. Economic immigration, which includes Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program, saw the largest shortfall, with 89,200 admissions against a full-year target of 239,800. Family-class admissions, however, exceeded expectations, with 45,100 admissions by June 30, compared to a 2026 target of 84,000.

IRCC also introduced two one-time initiatives for protected persons and certain in-Canada workers, admitting 15,000 and 11,300 respectively by June 30. French-speaking and bilingual permanent residents accounted for 12,400 of the admissions outside Quebec, meeting a 9% target for 2026.