Canada invites 2,000 foreign workers to apply for permanent residence

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada issued 2,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residence through the Express Entry system. The draw targeted candidates in the Canadian Experience Class, which is intended for skilled workers with Canadian work experience seeking permanent resident status.

Candidates considered in the draw needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 519 and had to have created an Express Entry profile before 12:16 a.m. UTC on March 26, 2026. IRCC has issued 128,732 ITAs through various Express Entry draw types so far this year, including draws for French-language proficiency, health care and social services, and the Provincial Nominee Program.

An ITA does not automatically confer permanent resident status. Recipients have 60 days to submit a complete online application, including required documents, applicable fees and, in most cases, biometrics such as fingerprints and a photo. Current Express Entry fees total $1,590 per person and $270 for each dependent child.

IRCC will review submitted applications to determine whether candidates meet permanent residence requirements. Applicants who are approved will become permanent residents.

The draw is the latest step in the federal government’s plan to move tens of thousands of temporary workers to permanent status. In March, the government said it was soft-launching a measure that would provide up to 33,000 skilled temporary foreign workers with a pathway to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027.

IRCC spokesperson Matthew Krupovich said the initiative would target people already contributing to Canada’s economy in a range of in-demand sectors, including rural areas and areas with known labour shortages, while recognizing their community roots and economic contributions.

The federal government is also seeking to reduce the number of temporary residents while maintaining permanent immigration at levels it considers sustainable. Its 2026-2028 immigration plan aims to keep permanent resident arrivals below one per cent of the population and reduce the temporary population to below five per cent of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.