Move to Canada in 2026–2027: Check Your Immigration Eligibility Now

Canada immigration and jobs guide · Reviewed September 16, 2026

If you searched for a “Canada immigration lottery,” start with one important fact: Canada does not have one general permanent-residence lottery like the U.S. Diversity Visa program. Canada uses different systems. Express Entry is points-based. Some International Experience Canada Working Holiday invitations are random. The Parents and Grandparents Program has used random selection, but new intake is paused right now.

Country: CanadaTopics: Jobs · Express Entry · Work permits · IECReviewed: September 2026Sources: IRCC · ESDC · Job Bank

1. Canada immigration in 2026: the numbers first

Canada is still accepting immigrants and temporary workers, but the system in 2026 is more targeted than many old articles suggest. The federal 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan keeps permanent resident admissions at 380,000 per year for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

For 2026, the plan also sets a target of 385,000 new temporary resident arrivals. That includes about 230,000 workers and 155,000 students. Inside the worker target, the plan lists 170,000 arrivals under the International Mobility Program and 60,000 under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

These numbers are planning targets. They are not job vacancies and they do not mean that every person who creates a profile will receive permanent residence or a work permit.

2. Is there a Canada immigration lottery in 2026?

There is no open general Canada permanent-residence lottery. You do not submit your name to one national draw and hope to win a Canadian immigrant visa.

People often use the word “lottery” for several very different Canadian programs. That creates confusion. Here is the simple version:

3. Express Entry is a ranking system, not a lottery

Express Entry manages applications for three federal economic programs:

• Canadian Experience Class;
• Federal Skilled Worker Program;
• Federal Skilled Trades Program.

If you qualify for one of these programs, you create an online Express Entry profile. IRCC places eligible candidates in a pool and gives them a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.

Your score can depend on factors such as age, education, official-language ability, Canadian and foreign work experience, and other profile details. During invitation rounds, IRCC invites candidates according to the rules for that round.

Some rounds are general. Some target a specific immigration program. Others use category-based selection.

This is why it is misleading to call Express Entry a lottery. A lower-ranked profile is not given the same chance as a higher-ranked profile in a normal CRS-based round.

If you want a detailed self-check, read our Canada Immigration Eligibility in 2026 guide.

4. Express Entry categories for 2026

Canada changed its category-based priorities for 2026. IRCC says the renewed categories are:

• French-language proficiency;
• health care and social services occupations;
• education occupations;
• science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations;
• trade occupations.

For these renewed occupation categories, the minimum eligible work-experience requirement increased from six months to one year of eligible experience gained in Canada or abroad during the previous three years.

IRCC also announced new 2026 categories for medical doctors with Canadian work experience, researchers with Canadian work experience, senior managers with Canadian work experience, transport occupations, and skilled military recruits who have an eligible Canadian Armed Forces job offer.

See IRCC’s current category-based selection rules.

5. The real random-selection route: IEC Working Holiday

If people tell you Canada has a “work lottery,” they may be talking about International Experience Canada (IEC).

The 2026 IEC season is open. IEC is for young people whose country or territory of citizenship has a youth mobility agreement with Canada. The exact age limit, categories and number of allowed participations depend on the country.

IEC has three possible categories:

• Working Holiday;
• Young Professionals;
• International Co-op (Internship).

How the random part works

For the Working Holiday category, IRCC says candidates are randomly selected from the pool and invited to apply. All candidates in that Working Holiday pool have an equal chance of being invited during a round.

This is a real random-selection system, but it is not permanent residence. A successful applicant applies for a temporary work permit.

There can also be more candidates than places, so joining the pool does not guarantee an invitation before the season ends.

Important IEC timing

• You first create an IEC profile.
• If IRCC sends an Invitation to Apply, you normally have 10 days to accept it.
• After accepting, you normally have 20 days to submit the work-permit application and documents.

IRCC updates country-specific pool numbers and invitation chances during the season.

6. What about the Parents and Grandparents “lottery”?

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) is another reason people use the word “lottery.” In previous intakes, IRCC randomly selected potential sponsors from an existing interest-to-sponsor pool.

But this is not an immigration lottery open to anyone overseas. The sponsor must meet Canadian sponsorship rules.

More importantly, IRCC announced on July 15, 2026 that new PGP intake is paused. IRCC says it will not accept new interest-to-sponsor forms or invite new potential sponsors until further notice. Existing applications continue to be processed, and the government plans to approve up to 15,000 people through the program in 2026.

Check the current PGP status on Canada.ca.

7. Where can a foreign applicant find jobs in Canada?

The safest starting point is not a social-media message. Use a job source that clearly tells you whether employers are open to international candidates.

Job Bank for foreign candidates

Canada’s Job Bank has a dedicated page for people outside Canada. It tells foreign candidates to first check immigration or work-permit eligibility and then search jobs from employers that are recruiting internationally.

Job Bank — Foreign candidates from outside Canada

Job Bank for temporary foreign workers

Job Bank also has a page for temporary foreign workers. It lists jobs from employers who have already obtained or applied for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The number of postings changes often, so always check the live page.

Job Bank — Temporary Foreign Workers

Useful job-search terms

Instead of searching only for “visa sponsorship jobs,” try the actual occupation plus a location:

• registered nurse Ontario;
• welder Alberta;
• truck driver Manitoba;
• software developer British Columbia;
• cook Nova Scotia;
• farm worker Saskatchewan;
• industrial electrician New Brunswick.

Then read the posting carefully to see who can apply and whether the employer mentions an LMIA or international recruitment.

8. How a job offer can connect to a Canadian work permit

A job offer is not the same as a work permit. The employer and worker may need to complete different steps.

For many employer-specific work permits, the process starts in one of two ways:

1. Temporary Foreign Worker Program: the employer may need a positive LMIA before the worker applies for a work permit.
2. International Mobility Program: an LMIA may not be required, but the employer may need to submit an offer through the Employer Portal and pay the employer compliance fee unless exempt.

After the employer-side requirements are completed, the worker applies for the required work permit and must still meet Canada’s immigration requirements.

Read our detailed guide: Jobs in Canada for Foreign Workers: LMIA, Job Bank & Work Permits.

Do not pay an employer for an LMIA or recruitment

Canadian rules prohibit employers and recruiters acting for them from charging temporary foreign workers recruitment fees or recovering employer-side LMIA and compliance costs from the worker.

You may still have your own legitimate costs, such as a work-permit application fee, biometrics, medical examination, police certificate or document translation when required.

9. Immigration routes that connect jobs with permanent residence

Express Entry is not the only economic route. Canada also uses regional programs to match immigration with local labour needs.

Atlantic Immigration Program

The Atlantic Immigration Program can lead to permanent residence for eligible skilled foreign workers and eligible international graduates who want to live in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, or Newfoundland and Labrador.

You need a qualifying job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada and must meet the program requirements.

IRCC — Atlantic Immigration Program

Rural and Francophone Community Immigration Pilots

The Rural Community Immigration Pilot and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot offer permanent-residence pathways for eligible skilled workers who want to work and live in selected communities.

IRCC currently lists 18 participating communities across the two pilots. A qualifying job offer and community/program requirements are important parts of the process.

IRCC — Rural and Francophone Community Immigration pilots

10. Important 2026 updates you should know

September 9, 2026: short study option for some workers already in Canada

IRCC announced a temporary measure for eligible work-permit holders who are already in Canada. They may be able to study for up to 6 months without applying for a separate study permit, or until their work permit ends, whichever comes first.

The measure is in effect until December 31, 2027.

This is not a new route to enter Canada. It is designed for eligible workers who are already in Canada.

IRCC — September 9, 2026 worker measure

The 33,000-worker permanent residence initiative

Canada is also using a one-time 2026–2027 initiative to accelerate permanent residence for up to 33,000 temporary workers who are already contributing in Canada, especially in smaller communities.

IRCC says it plans to admit at least 20,000 workers in 2026 under this initiative and the remainder in 2027.

This is important: it is being applied to eligible people from existing application inventories. IRCC has said eligible applicants do not need to take a new action just to enter this initiative.

11. Current Canada immigration and work-permit fees

There is no single “Canada lottery fee.” Costs depend on the program you actually use.

IRCC changed permanent-residence fees on April 30, 2026. Always check the live fee page immediately before paying.

IRCC — Current citizenship and immigration fee list

12. Documents you may need

The exact list depends on your route, but common immigration and work-permit documents can include:

• a valid passport;
• language test results for programs that require them;
• education documents and, in some cases, an Educational Credential Assessment;
• proof of work experience;
• a police certificate when required;
• a medical examination when required;
• proof of funds for programs that require it;
• a genuine job offer for employer-linked routes;
• an LMIA or employer offer number when the work-permit route requires one.

Do not order expensive documents until you understand the requirements of your actual program. Some documents expire or have specific validity rules.

13. A safe plan if you want to work or immigrate to Canada

If your main goal is permanent residence rather than a temporary job, also read Move to Canada in 2026: Express Entry, PNP, Atlantic & Rural Pathways.

14. Scam checks before you apply

Stop and verify the offer if you see any of these warning signs:

• someone promises permanent residence automatically after you pay;
• a recruiter wants money for an LMIA or employer recruitment fee;
• the company email does not match the employer’s real domain;
• you receive an offer without a real application or interview;
• the salary is far above normal market rates for simple entry-level work;
• you are told there is a secret Canada lottery that closes “today”;
• you are asked for passport scans, banking details and payment before the employer is verified;
• a website looks like Canada.ca but uses a different domain.

IRCC — How to tell if an immigration website may be a scam

Frequently asked questions

Is the Canada immigration lottery open in 2026?

There is no general Canada permanent-residence lottery open to everyone. Express Entry is points-based. IEC Working Holiday can use random invitation rounds for eligible nationalities. The Parents and Grandparents Program has used random selection, but new intake is currently paused.

Can I enter Express Entry without a job offer?

Yes, many people can enter Express Entry without a Canadian job offer if they meet the requirements of an Express Entry program. A job offer can still matter in some immigration or work-permit situations, but Express Entry is not simply a job-offer program.

Does joining the Express Entry pool guarantee permanent residence?

No. You must first qualify for a program, enter the pool, and then receive an Invitation to Apply under the rules of an invitation round.

Is IEC Working Holiday permanent residence?

No. It is a temporary work-and-travel program. Some people later qualify for a permanent-residence program, but IEC itself does not grant permanent residence.

Can anyone apply for IEC?

No. Your country or territory of citizenship must have the required youth mobility arrangement with Canada, and you must meet that country’s age and participation rules.

Where should I search for Canadian jobs from outside Canada?

Start with Job Bank’s foreign-candidate page and search postings that are open to international candidates. For temporary foreign worker positions, Job Bank also has a dedicated TFW page.

Should I pay an employer for an LMIA?

No. Employers and recruiters acting for them are prohibited from charging or recovering recruitment and employer-side LMIA costs from temporary foreign workers.

Is the 33,000-worker initiative a new application program?

No. IRCC is accelerating eligible permanent-residence applications from existing inventories for workers already in Canada and connected to specific programs and communities.

Official sources used for this guide

• IRCC — 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan
• IRCC — Express Entry invitation rounds
• IRCC — Express Entry category-based selection
• IRCC — 2026 Express Entry categories
• IRCC — International Experience Canada
• Government of Canada Job Bank — Foreign candidates
• Government of Canada Job Bank — Temporary foreign workers
• IRCC — Atlantic Immigration Program
• IRCC — Rural and Francophone Community Immigration pilots
• IRCC — Parents and Grandparents Program update, July 2026
• IRCC — Temporary worker study measure, September 2026
• IRCC — Current fee list

Guide Travel note: Immigration rules, invitation rounds, occupation lists, fees and job postings can change. Always verify the live rule on Canada.ca or Job Bank before applying or paying a fee.

Featured photo: Kylie Anderson / Unsplash.