New TR to PR Pathway So Far Limited to Submitted PR Applications

Canada’s long-awaited new TR to PR pathway has so far been limited to speeding up permanent residence applications that have already been submitted through existing PR programs.

The federal government has now named this measure the In-Canada Workers Initiative. It is a one-time initiative that was first announced in Budget 2025 and is intended to help transition up to 33,000 temporary resident workers to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027.

However, based on the details released so far, this initiative does not appear to be a new application pathway for workers who have not already applied for permanent residence.

What Is the In-Canada Workers Initiative?

On May 4, 2026, the federal government released the first concrete details about the In-Canada Workers Initiative.

According to the government, part of this initiative will initially focus on accelerating eligible applications from existing inventories of work permit holders who have already applied for permanent residence.

These applications must have been submitted under existing PR programs such as:

• Provincial Nominee Program
• Atlantic Immigration Program
• Community immigration pilots
• Caregiver pilots
• Agri-Food Pilot
  
  

This means the initiative is currently focused on applicants who are already in Canada and already have a PR application in process through one of these programs.

Who May Benefit From This Initiative?

To be considered for faster processing under this initiative, an applicant must have been living in a smaller community in Canada for at least two years.

The government has indicated that the initiative is intended to support workers who have established strong roots in their communities and are contributing to the Canadian economy.

So far, the available information suggests that the initiative is not aimed at workers living in Canada’s major urban areas.

Why Many Temporary Workers Are Disappointed

Many temporary foreign workers in Canada were expecting a new temporary-to-permanent residence program where they could submit a new PR application.

Some expected the new pathway to be similar to the 2021 TR to PR pathway, which allowed eligible temporary residents to apply directly for permanent residence.

However, the May 4 announcement did not introduce a new application stream. Instead, it confirmed that the initiative is currently focused on fast-tracking certain existing PR applications.

This has disappointed many workers who were waiting for a new program to open.

No New Application Process Announced Yet

The government has not provided many additional details about how workers will be selected under the In-Canada Workers Initiative.

The May 4 announcement only confirmed that progress will be tracked on the government’s temporary resident page.

It also stated that 3,600 workers have already been granted permanent residence under the initiative, out of the 20,000 target for 2026.

At this stage, there are no clear instructions for workers who want to apply under this initiative but have not already submitted a PR application through an eligible program.

Background: Limited Information Since Budget 2025

The first mention of this initiative appeared in Budget 2025 in November.

At that time, the government described it as a one-time measure to accelerate the transition of up to 33,000 work permit holders to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027.

The budget referred to workers who were paying taxes, had built strong roots in their communities, and were helping support Canada’s economy.

However, no further details were provided at that time.

In early March 2026, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab stated in an interview with the Toronto Star that the new pathway had already launched. However, she did not provide details about eligibility, selection criteria, or how foreign workers could be considered under the initiative.

Later, on April 18, in an interview with “I’m Canada,” the Minister said the initiative would exclude workers from Canada’s urban areas.

The latest announcement continues this trend of limited information.

What This Means for Temporary Workers in Canada

For now, the In-Canada Workers Initiative appears to help only certain workers who:

• Are already in Canada
• Hold or held a work permit
• Have already submitted a PR application through an eligible existing program
• Have lived in a smaller Canadian community for at least two years
  
  

Workers who have not yet submitted a PR application may not currently have a new application option under this initiative.

This means temporary residents should continue to explore existing immigration options, including Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, the Atlantic Immigration Program, caregiver pathways, community pilots, and other eligible PR programs.