The 2026 federal budget keeps overall immigration levels roughly at their previous level, but transfers more influence to the provinces over who they admit. The Provincial Nominee Program quota will rise from 92,500 to 95,000 spaces, and the change will take effect next year. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab presents the plan as a partnership between the federal government and the provinces, in which regions directly determine the needs of their labour markets.
British Columbia will receive 6,254 nominee spaces for 2026. Alberta will receive 6,603 spaces, and Ontario 14,119. The federal government has not yet determined how the additional spaces will be distributed among the provinces, and British Columbia's quota for next year is not yet known. As a result, the final benefit for each province will depend on decisions that have not yet been made.
The changes could help rural communities facing labour shortages. Each province will decide for itself whether to use its full quota and which sectors have priority. Among the candidates named as priorities are doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. However, British Columbia's incoming premier, Eby... [see note] Lorne Doerkson has called for responsible management of the program, citing pressure on housing and the health care system. According to him, officials are also concerned about whether services will be sufficient for new residents.
The federal plan also provides that the number of permanent residents will remain at 380,000 per year in 2027–2029, and the number of temporary resident arrivals at 370,000 per year. A separate one-time plan provides for the transition of up to 200,000 temporary residents to permanent status. Immigration lawyer Cedric Marin sees this as a benefit for rural areas, while Irene Bleamrad of the University of British Columbia notes that British Columbia will gain greater influence over selection. She also explains that changing status reduces the risk of living without documents, whereas gaps in status place a burden on emergency departments and other services.