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Canada Launches New TR to PR Pathway
Canada has introduced a new pathway that will allow 33,000 temporary foreign workers to transition to permanent residence. The initiative is part of a one-time measure aimed at supporting workers employed in sectors experiencing labour shortages across the country.
In a recent interview reported by the Toronto Star on March 6, 2026, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab confirmed that the program has already been launched quietly, with further details expected to be announced in April.
The pathway was initially announced in the federal budget last November and later included in the government’s annual Immigration Levels Plan. According to information published on the Canadian government’s website, the measure will be implemented over a two-year period.
The initiative is designed for temporary foreign workers currently employed in specific in-demand sectors, with a particular focus on individuals working in rural and smaller communities across Canada.
At this time, the government has not released the complete eligibility requirements or application instructions for the program. However, individuals who may be interested in applying are encouraged to begin preparing key documents in advance, including language test results and educational credentials, which are commonly required for permanent residence applications.
Introduced as Temporary Status Expirations Increase
The launch of the new TR to PR pathway comes at a time when many temporary residents in Canada are approaching the expiration of their immigration status.
Most temporary residents hold work permits or study permits, which are issued for limited durations. Depending on their situation, individuals may be able to apply for extensions or renewals. Those who are not eligible to extend their status, or whose extension applications are refused, are required to leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay.
Federal Efforts to Reduce Temporary Resident Levels
Since early 2024, the Canadian government has introduced several measures aimed at reducing the overall number of temporary residents in the country. The federal plan targets lowering temporary residents to less than 5% of Canada’s total population by 2027.
The strategy includes transitioning some temporary residents to permanent residency while also reducing the intake of new temporary residents.
In January 2024, Canada introduced its first-ever cap on study permit applications and limited eligibility for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) for graduates of certain programs delivered through curriculum licensing agreements.
Additional measures followed later that year. In September 2024, the government suspended the processing of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) under the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in regions with high unemployment. This prevented employers in those areas from initiating applications for new permits or renewals under that stream.
The government also introduced stricter rules for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) and Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWPs), with the aim of reducing the number of work permits issued over the following years.
Beginning in November 2024, PGWP eligibility was restricted primarily to graduates from programs linked to high-demand sectors, such as healthcare and skilled trades. Graduates of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs remained exempt from this requirement, though language proficiency standards were introduced for applicants.
From January 2025, spousal open work permits for international students were limited to spouses of students enrolled in doctoral programs, master’s programs lasting at least 16 months, or select professional programs, including engineering, medicine, nursing, law, and dentistry.
Similarly, spousal open work permits for foreign workers were restricted to spouses of workers in high-skilled occupations (TEER 0 and 1) and certain medium-skilled occupations (TEER 2 and 3) in sectors such as healthcare, construction, and natural resources.
Impact of Policy Changes
Data released by Statistics Canada suggests that these policy changes have already begun to impact population trends and temporary resident admissions.
In 2025, Canada experienced a slowdown in population growth followed by slight declines, marking the first recorded population decrease since modern data collection began in 1971, aside from the temporary decline during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The country also saw a significant drop in new temporary resident arrivals. Admissions of international students declined by 60%, decreasing from 293,000 in 2024 to 115,000 in 2025.
At the same time, admissions of temporary foreign workers fell by 47%, dropping from 393,000 to 184,000.
The newly introduced TR to PR pathway is expected to help some temporary workers transition to permanent residency while addressing labour shortages in key sectors of the Canadian economy.