## Key takeaways
– Ottawa is offering provinces optional, additional PNP allocations to move up to 100,000 workers already in Canada – and their families – to permanent residence in 2027.
– The allocations are meant to be used by March 31, 2027. Provinces choose how much of the extra space to use.
– It covers workers established in their communities and meeting local labour needs, including workers who already applied for PR and are waiting on a decision.
– This is on top of the regular 2027 PNP target of 95,000 in the 2027-2029 Immigration Levels Plan.
– It is not a new program, it does not reopen closed programs, and applicants do not need to contact IRCC.
## What happened
On November 12, 2026, in Dieppe, New Brunswick, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab gave more details on a time-limited measure first announced in Budget 2026. The Government of Canada is offering the provinces and territories optional, additional Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations so they can transition up to 100,000 workers and their families to permanent residence in 2027.
The workers covered are already living in Canada, contributing to key industries and supporting economic development in communities of all sizes. The point is retention: keeping people who are already established, working and paying taxes where they live, rather than losing them because a program closed or a backlog dragged on.
That plan set the overall permanent resident target at 380,000 a year and the PNP target at 95,000 a year, and promised a one-time push to settle people already in Canada. This is the working detail of that promise for workers.
## How the extra nominations work
Each province and territory will be offered additional PNP allocations and will decide how much of that space it uses. The allocations are optional, so a province that does not need the extra room does not have to take it. They are intended to be used by March 31, 2027, which leaves IRCC most of 2027 to process the resulting permanent residence applications.
The extra nominations can be used through both base PNP streams and Express Entry-aligned streams. Provinces will also be able to identify workers who have already applied for permanent residence and are waiting on a decision, including through the Atlantic Immigration Program and closed federal programs such as the Start-up Visa, Self-Employed Persons, Agri-Food Pilot and home care worker programs.
“Communities across the country benefit each and every day from the contributions of workers – both Canadians and those who have chosen Canada,” Minister Metlege Diab said. “Our government understands that by retaining high-value, established workers, we can support economic growth and help our businesses thrive.”
## What it means for workers already in Canada
This measure does not create a new program and does not ask you to do anything new. There is no separate application to file, and IRCC has said applicants do not need to contact the department to benefit. If you already applied for permanent residence and are waiting, your file is part of the pool provinces can draw from.
What changes is the room provinces have to say yes. A province that previously had to turn away a qualified, established worker because its allocation was full now has extra space to nominate that worker.
There are limits. The figure is “up to” 100,000, not a guarantee for every worker in Canada, and no province-by-province breakdown has been published. The measure is also separate from the In-Canada Worker Initiative announced in Budget 2025.
## What workers should do now
Keep your status valid first. A nomination cannot help you if your work permit or status has lapsed. Then watch your province’s PNP announcements closely: each province decides how much extra space to use and which workers to nominate, and the March 31, 2027 deadline means those decisions are coming soon. Have your documents ready – proof of employment, language results, education and work history – so a nomination moves quickly.
## Frequently asked questions
Q: Is this a new immigration program I can apply to?
A: No. It gives provinces extra PNP space to nominate workers already in Canada, through the existing provincial nominee programs.
Q: Do I need to contact IRCC or submit a new application?
A: No. Provinces can identify workers who have already applied and are waiting; no new application is needed.
Q: What is the deadline?
A: March 31, 2027. The allocations are meant to be used by then, so the resulting PR applications can be processed during 2027.
Q: Does the 100,000 figure mean every worker in Canada will get PR?
A: No. It is up to 100,000 workers and their families in total, and the allocations are optional. Each province decides how much space to use.
Q: Can provinces nominate workers who applied under programs that are now closed?
A: Yes, including through the Atlantic Immigration Program and closed federal programs such as the Start-up Visa, Self-Employed Persons, Agri-Food Pilot and home care worker programs.
If you are working in Canada and wondering whether this measure changes your path to permanent residence, talk to us before the provinces start selecting. ImmiQuest Immigration can review your situation, your province’s streams and your PNP and Express Entry options, and help you be ready when nominations open. Call +1 778-855-4155, email info@immiquest.ca, or visit https://immiquest.ca.
Vikas Tulashyam, RCIC #R709710