Key Takeaways
- Canada’s population grew by 0.5% between July 2025 and July 2026, the lowest percentage growth since 1915/1916.
- Non-permanent residents fell to 2.78 million, down 154,614 from a year earlier.
- Canada plans to reduce its temporary population below 5% of the total population by the end of 2027.
Canada’s Population Growth Hits Historic Low
Canada’s population growth has slowed dramatically as the country moves to reduce temporary migration. Statistics Canada says the population reached 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, up 189,425 people, or 0.5%, from a year earlier. That was the lowest percentage growth since 1915/1916.
Temporary Resident Numbers Are Falling
The slowdown is closely linked to changing international migration. Statistics Canada reported that the number of non-permanent residents fell by 154,614 over the year to 2,779,774 on July 1, representing 6.7% of the population.
The figure was down from a peak of 2,984,285 non-permanent residents on October 1, 2024, when they represented 7.2% of Canada’s population. Study permit holders recorded the largest decline, followed by people holding both work and study permits.
Canada Is Lowering New Arrival Targets
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has set lower targets for new temporary residents under its 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan. The target is 385,000 temporary resident arrivals in 2026, followed by 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028.
Within the 2026 target, Canada expects 155,000 international student arrivals and 230,000 worker arrivals. The federal government says the broader objective is to reduce the temporary population to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027.
What the Changes Mean for Immigration
The policy shift does not mean Canada is ending immigration. IRCC has kept planned permanent resident admissions at 380,000 annually from 2026 through 2028, while emphasizing economic immigration, family reunification and refugee resettlement.
Statistics Canada also reported that 368,224 new immigrants arrived in 2025/2026, the fourth consecutive annual decline and the first time since 2021/2022 that the figure fell below 400,000.
TwikUp’s Perspective
Canada’s immigration strategy is increasingly about composition, not simply volume. The latest figures suggest policymakers are trying to reduce pressure associated with temporary migration while giving greater weight to permanent residents who already have Canadian work experience, skills and community connections. The coming year will show whether this balance can support population needs without recreating earlier growth pressures.