Canada Population 2026: Who Came, Who Left (Revised Data)

Do "outflows" mean temporary residents left Canada?

Short answer: Not always. Statistics Canada counts a non-permanent resident as an "outflow" when that person stops being a temporary resident. That happens when someone leaves the country, but also when a worker or student becomes a permanent resident and stays in Canada. People who moved from temporary to permanent status appear twice in the table: once as an outflow and once among the new immigrants. So "145,550 temporary residents left" is not an accurate reading of the first-quarter figure. The accurate statement is that the NPR population fell by 64,502 people in the first quarter of 2026. The Statistics Canada release explains that the new method uses border entry and exit data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to estimate who actually left.

How did the September 2026 revision change the numbers?

Short answer: The revision raised the population and softened the decline in temporary residents. Statistics Canada applied two new adjustments to its non-permanent resident estimates from July 1, 2021 onward. The first uses CBSA entry and exit data to estimate how many permit holders left before their permits expired. The second estimates people on maintained status, meaning people who remain in Canada while their permit extension is being processed but are not yet in Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data. The table compares the first quarter of 2026 as first published on June 17, 2026 with the revised figures.

The first-quarter emigration figure is also no longer a record. Under the revised data, 26,114 is the third-highest first quarter on file, behind 2023 (28,289) and 2017 (27,115).

What is the population of Canada by province in 2026?

Short answer: Ontario remains the largest province with 16,262,121 people on July 1, 2026, followed by Quebec (9,067,114), British Columbia (5,710,598) and Alberta (5,101,050). Alberta grew the fastest of the provinces over the year (+1.5%). Yukon (+2.5%) and Nunavut (+2.3%) grew faster in percentage terms but are territories. The three largest provinces grew more slowly than the country as a whole because they receive the largest share of international migrants. The Northwest Territories was the only jurisdiction to shrink (-127 people). All figures come from Statistics Canada's second-quarter release.

Why is Canada letting in so many immigrants?

Short answer: Canada is actually admitting fewer immigrants than in recent years. The number of new permanent residents fell for the fourth year in a row, to 368,224 in the year to July 1, 2026, the first time below 400,000 since 2021/2022. Under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC set permanent resident admissions at 380,000 a year from 2026 to 2028 and cut new temporary resident arrivals to 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027 and 2028. The government's stated aim is to reduce the temporary population to less than 5% of the total population by the end of 2027. On July 1, 2026, non-permanent residents made up 6.7% of the population, down from a high of 7.2% in October 2024.

What do the new numbers mean if you are on a temporary permit?

Short answer: Competition for permanent residence among people already in Canada is high, and the government is steadily shrinking the temporary population. If your study permit, work permit or Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is expiring, apply for an extension before it expires. IRCC states that if your study permit expires and you have not applied to extend it, you must leave Canada. The same principle applies to work permits. At the same time, the levels plan favours people already in Canada with Canadian skills and experience, so a strong permanent residence strategy matters more than ever.

Practical steps if you are in Canada on a temporary permit:

• Check your permit expiry date and apply to extend well before it expires, so you keep your status while IRCC decides.
• Check your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score with our CRS calculator and compare it with recent Express Entry rounds.
• Look at Provincial Nominee Program streams in provinces that are still growing, such as Alberta and Saskatchewan.
• Read our guide to the TR to PR pathway for 33,000 workers.
• Check current IRCC processing times before you plan travel or a job change.

For the official 2026 targets by category, see our breakdown of the Canada immigration plan 2026-2028.

How can Go Far Global help with your move or your status?

Short answer: Go Far Global is a Canadian immigration firm led by Rami Mamar, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) under licence R515110. We help temporary residents plan extensions and a route to permanent residence, and we help families and workers abroad choose the right program. Start with our free immigration assessment to see which programs fit your profile. If you want a licensed consultant to review your case in detail, book a consultation. We explain your options in English, Farsi and Arabic, and we only recommend a program when your profile genuinely fits it.

Sources

• Statistics Canada, The Daily: Canada's population estimates: Age and gender, 2026 (September 23, 2026)
• Statistics Canada, The Daily: Canada's population estimates, second quarter 2026 (September 23, 2026)
• Statistics Canada, The Daily: Canada's population estimates, first quarter 2026 (June 17, 2026)
• Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0009-01: Population estimates, quarterly
• Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0040-01: Estimates of the components of international migration, quarterly
• IRCC: Supplementary Information for the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan
• IRCC: Extend your study permit
• IRCC: Extend your work permit