Canada grants permanent residency to 182,100 immigrants in first half of 2026

Canada welcomed 182,100 new permanent residents in the first six months of 2026, a figure that places the country behind the pace needed to achieve its overall immigration goal for the year. Data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on August 18 revealed that 155,800 individuals were admitted under the main immigration categories between January 1 and June 30.

An additional 26,300 permanent residents arrived through two special initiatives aimed at protected persons and workers already residing in Canada. These combined admissions represent 40.8 percent of Canada's adjusted 2026 target of 446,000 permanent residents. To meet this revised annual goal, Canada must now admit 263,900 more permanent residents in the latter half of the year.

The economic immigration stream, which includes popular programs like Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program, saw 89,200 admissions by June 30. This number is approximately 30,700 below the pace required to meet the 2026 target of 239,800 for this category. In contrast, family class admissions reached 45,100, slightly ahead of the year's target pace. The refugees and protected persons category recorded 17,900 admissions, falling about 6,750 below its required pace for the year.