Canada admitted 182,100 new permanent residents in the first six months of 2026, putting the country behind the pace required to meet its immigration target for the year.
New data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on August 18 showed that 155,800 permanent residents were admitted between January 1 and June 30 under the country’s main immigration categories.
An additional 26,300 permanent residents were admitted through two one-time initiatives targeting protected persons and workers already living in Canada.
The 182,100 admissions represent 40.8 per cent of Canada’s adjusted 2026 target of 446,000 permanent residents.
The federal government’s immigration levels plan had set a target of 380,000 permanent resident admissions for 2026. However, when the two one-time initiatives are included, the effective target rises to 446,000.
