TR to PR in Canada: Current Status, 2026 Initiative and Active Pathways

September 4, 2026

Sinethemba Phongolo

If you are already living and working in Canada on temporary status, you may be wondering whether you can turn your temporary residence into permanent residence. You will often see this described simply as “TR to PR,” but the term can mean different things depending on what you are searching for. There was a formal Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway launched in 2021. However, that pathway is now closed.

At the same time, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a new, one-time In-Canada Workers Initiative for 2026 and 2027 that is designed to accelerate the permanent residence transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers. There is an important distinction, though: the In-Canada Workers Initiative is not a new TR to PR application stream. You cannot submit a new application specifically for this initiative.

Instead, IRCC is identifying eligible applications that are already in its permanent residence inventories and accelerating their processing. So, if your goal is to move from temporary resident status to permanent residence, you need to understand which opportunities are actually available to you now. Your work experience, occupation, language ability, education, province, job offer and immigration status can all affect the route that makes the most sense.

Latest TR to PR Updates

The biggest TR to PR development for 2026 and 2027 is the In-Canada Workers Initiative. Under this one-time initiative, IRCC plans to transition up to 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residence over two years. The initiative is aimed at workers who have already established roots in Canadian communities and are contributing to the economy. IRCC is particularly focusing on workers in smaller and rural communities, including people working in sectors where employers are experiencing labour shortages.

However, you should not interpret this announcement as the opening of a new application program. IRCC is working with existing permanent residence application inventories. Applicants who have already applied through eligible immigration programs may have their applications selected for accelerated processing if they meet the initiative's criteria. IRCC has identified applications connected to programs such as the:

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP),
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP),
Community immigration pilots,
Caregiver pilots and the
Agri-Food Pilot among the inventories involved.

IRCC's current information indicates that the initiative focuses on workers who have been living in smaller Canadian communities for at least two years and who have already applied for permanent residence through one of the identified programs. That means your first step should not be looking for a special In-Canada Workers Initiative application form. Instead, you should determine whether you qualify for an active permanent residence program and, if you already have an application in one of the eligible inventories, continue monitoring it through IRCC.

2021 TR to PR Pathway Status

The original Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway was a temporary public policy introduced in 2021. It was designed to give certain temporary residents already working in Canada a route to permanent residence, while also providing options for recent international graduates. The pathway included six streams covering health-care workers, essential workers, international graduates and French-speaking applicants. Some streams had application caps, meaning they stopped accepting applications after reaching their limits.

The 2021 TR to PR Pathway closed on November 5, 2021. You cannot submit a new application under this pathway today. IRCC continues to process applications that were submitted before the pathway closed. If you submitted a TR to PR application in 2021 and are still waiting for a decision, you can check your application status through the Client Application Status tool or by linking your application to your IRCC secure account.

You may also have access to a special open work permit. IRCC has extended the deadline for eligible 2021 TR to PR applicants and qualifying family members to apply for this open work permit until December 31, 2026. This option is specifically for eligible people who submitted an application under the original pathway; it is not a general open work permit for anyone trying to move from temporary residence to permanent residence.

What Is the In-Canada Workers Initiative?

The In-Canada Workers Initiative is a one-time 2026–2027 measure announced as part of Canada's immigration planning. Its purpose is to accelerate permanent residence for selected temporary workers who are already contributing to Canadian communities and filling labour needs. IRCC says the initiative will target up to 33,000 workers. At least 20,000 are planned for permanent residence in 2026, with the remaining admissions taking place in 2027.

The initiative focuses on people who already have a permanent residence application in an eligible inventory. In particular, IRCC is looking at workers who have established community roots, have been living in smaller communities for at least two years and have applied through selected regional or occupation-driven immigration programs. This approach allows Canada to make use of workers who are already in the country, already employed and already contributing to communities experiencing labour gaps.

Can You Apply for the New TR to PR Initiative?

No separate application is currently available for the In-Canada Workers Initiative. You do not create a new profile, pay a special registration fee or submit a separate permanent residence application to participate. IRCC identifies eligible applications from existing inventories and determines which applications will be accelerated. Important: Do not pay anyone to “register” you for the In-Canada Workers Initiative. IRCC has not opened a separate application stream for this initiative.

If you already have a permanent residence application under one of the eligible programs, continue checking your IRCC account and responding to any requests for documents or information. An application being associated with an eligible inventory does not mean you should stop responding to IRCC correspondence. You should also be cautious about anyone promising a guaranteed place in the initiative or claiming that you can buy faster processing. The initiative is based on IRCC's management of existing application inventories, not a first-come, first-served public intake.

Programs Included in the Current Initiative

IRCC has identified several existing immigration programs whose application inventories are initially involved in the In-Canada Workers Initiative.

Program	What It Does
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)	Allows provinces and territories to nominate people whose skills, education and work experience meet regional economic needs.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)	Provides a permanent residence pathway for eligible workers and international graduates with a qualifying job offer from a designated employer in Atlantic Canada.
Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP)	Supports permanent residence for eligible workers who have job offers and community support to settle in participating rural communities.
Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP)	Supports French-speaking skilled workers who want to settle and work in participating Francophone minority communities.
Caregiver pilots	Provide immigration options for eligible caregivers under the applicable pilot and intake requirements.
Agri-Food Pilot	A concluded occupation-focused immigration pilot whose existing applications are among the inventories identified by IRCC.

These programs do not all have the same eligibility requirements. For example, a PNP may depend heavily on the province where you work and your occupation, while the AIP requires a qualifying job offer from a designated Atlantic employer.

Active TR-to-PR Pathways in Canada

If you use “TR to PR” as a general term for moving from temporary residence to permanent residence, you still have several possible options. The right one depends on your circumstances.

Pathway	Best Suited To	Main Qualifying Factor	Separate Application Available?
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)	Skilled workers with Canadian experience	Eligible Canadian skilled work experience	Yes, through Express Entry
Provincial Nominee Program	Workers needed by a province or territory	Provincial criteria and nomination	Depends on the stream
Atlantic Immigration Program	Workers and eligible graduates in Atlantic Canada	Qualifying job offer from a designated employer	Yes
Community immigration pilots	Workers willing to settle in participating communities	Job offer and community recommendation	Yes, subject to program and local intake
In-Canada Workers Initiative	Certain applicants already in eligible IRCC inventories	Existing application under a selected program	No separate application
2021 TR to PR Pathway	People who applied under the 2021 pathway	Historical public-policy requirements	Closed

Temporary Workers: Moving From a Work Permit to PR

If you are working in Canada on a work permit, your Canadian experience can become an important part of your permanent residence strategy. However, simply holding a work permit or having a Canadian employer does not automatically give you permanent residence. One of the most important options to examine is the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry. CEC is designed for skilled workers who have qualifying Canadian work experience.

Under the current criteria, you generally need at least one year of eligible Canadian work experience within the three years before you apply. Your work must be in an eligible NOC TEER category and must have been authorized. Your language ability also matters. For CEC, the minimum language level is generally CLB 7 for TEER 0 and 1 occupations and CLB 5 for TEER 2 and 3 occupations.

You may also qualify through a PNP if your occupation, work experience, job offer or other circumstances match a provincial stream. Each province or territory sets its own criteria, and some PNP streams operate through Express Entry while others use a separate process. As you assess your options, keep your NOC code and TEER category in mind. The duties you actually perform can be just as important as your job title when determining whether your experience matches an immigration program.

International Students and Graduates: Study Permit to PR

If you studied in Canada, you may be able to build a pathway from your study permit to permanent residence, but there is no automatic transition from student status to PR. A common route is to complete an eligible program at a designated learning institution, qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)if you meet the applicable requirements, gain eligible Canadian work experience and then apply through an immigration program such as Express Entry or a provincial graduate stream.

However, you should not assume that every Canadian graduate qualifies for a PGWP. Eligibility depends on factors such as the institution, program, length of study, language requirements and, where applicable, field-of-study requirements. Your study permit also does not guarantee permanent residence. Instead, you need to use your Canadian education and work experience strategically and determine which PR program you can actually qualify for.

Eligibility Factors Across TR-to-PR Programs

There is no single eligibility checklist that applies to every TR-to-PR route. Before choosing a program, look at your situation as a whole.

Your current immigration status: Check your work permit, study permit or other temporary status and its expiry date.
Your Canadian work experience: Record your employers, dates, hours, duties and whether your employment was authorized.
Your NOC and TEER category: Make sure your occupation is correctly classified based on your actual duties.
Your language results: Depending on the program, you may need an approved English or French test such as IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada or TCF Canada.
Your education: Determine whether Canadian credentials or an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) are required.
Your province or community: Some programs are designed around specific provinces, territories or participating communities.
Your job offer: Check whether your chosen program requires an eligible employer or job offer.
Your family situation: Your spouse, common-law partner and dependent children can affect your application and documentation.
Your admissibility: Medical, criminality, security and other admissibility requirements still apply.

Application Process For Active PR Pathways

There is no universal “TR to PR application” that you complete simply because you are a temporary resident. Instead, your process depends on the immigration program you choose.

Confirm Your Temporary Status: Check when your work or study permit expires and whether you have maintained status or need another solution.
Identify an Active PR Program: Consider Express Entry, CEC, a PNP, the AIP, a community immigration pilot or another program for which you may qualify.
Review the Detailed Criteria: Check work experience, language, education, job offer, provincial or community requirements and admissibility.
Complete Your Language Test: If the program requires language results, use an approved test and make sure your results remain valid.
Obtain an ECA if Required. You may need an ECA for foreign education depending on the program.
Secure a Qualifying Job Offer or Nomination Where Required: Some routes depend on a provincial nomination, designated employer or community recommendation.
Create an Express Entry Profile or Submit an Expression of Interest Where Applicable: Not every immigration program uses Express Entry.
Submit Your PR Application When Eligible: Depending on the pathway, this may require an invitation to apply, provincial nomination, community recommendation or employer endorsement.
Keep Your Temporary Status Under Control: A PR application does not automatically extend your work permit or authorize you to keep working.

Required Documents

Your exact document checklist depends on the immigration program you select. You should normally be prepared to provide documents covering several areas of your life and immigration history.

Valid passport and identity documents
Current and previous work permits or study permits
Proof of temporary status in Canada
Employment reference letters
Job offer documents, where applicable
Pay stubs, T4 slips, Notices of Assessment or other employment evidence
Educational credentials and transcripts
Educational Credential Assessment, where required
Approved language-test results
Police certificates, where required
Medical examination documents, where required
Proof of funds, where required
Marriage or common-law documents, if applicable
Birth certificates and documents for dependent children, and
Certified translations for documents that are not accepted in English or French.

Do not rely on a generic TR-to-PR document list you found online. Immigration programs change, and IRCC can require different forms or evidence depending on your specific application.

Maintaining Temporary Status While Applying for PR

This is one of the most important points if you are already in Canada. Submitting a permanent residence application does not automatically extend your work permit or give you authorization to work. If your work permit is approaching expiry, you need to determine whether you can extend it, obtain another work permit or qualify for a bridging open work permit (BOWP). A BOWP may be available to eligible permanent residence applicants under certain programs, including Express Entry and some PNP applications.

IRCC requires applicants to meet specific conditions, including having submitted a complete PR application and, in applicable cases, having received an acknowledgement of receipt. If you allow your work permit to expire without the appropriate authorization, you may lose your ability to work legally. Do not assume that having a PR application in progress protects you from losing work authorization.

Open Work Permit for 2021 TR to PR Applicants

If you applied under the original 2021 TR to PR Pathway, you may have a special option that is not available to new applicants. Eligible principal applicants who are still waiting for a decision on their 2021 PR application may apply for the special TR to PR open work permit until December 31, 2026. Certain eligible spouses, common-law partners and dependent children may also qualify under the applicable public policy.

The principal applicant must meet the specific requirements for the public policy, including requirements relating to the original PR application, work authorization and temporary status. Family members must also meet the conditions that apply to them. This special work permit should not be confused with a regular open work permit or a BOWP. It exists because of the historical 2021 pathway and is intended for eligible applicants from that pathway.

Bringing Family Members

For most permanent residence programs, you can declare your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children as part of your family composition. Whether they accompany you to Canada immediately or not, they may still need to be declared and may have to complete required medical, security or other examinations. The exact rules depend on your immigration program.

Your family members may also have separate options to obtain a work permit, study permit or visitor status while your immigration application is being processed. Because family circumstances can affect your application, tell IRCC about changes such as marriage, separation, the birth of a child or other changes in your family composition when required.

Processing Times and Application Status

There is no single TR to PR processing time for everyone. If you are applying through CEC, PNP, AIP or a community immigration program, your processing time depends on the program and the circumstances of your application. IRCC considers factors such as whether your application is complete, how easily information can be verified, background checks and the volume of applications already in the system.

The In-Canada Workers Initiative adds another layer because IRCC may accelerate selected applications from eligible inventories. However, you should not rely on a specific number of months or assume that being associated with an eligible inventory guarantees a particular decision date. If you already have an application, use your IRCC secure account and the applicable application-status tools to monitor it.

Watch for requests for additional documents, biometrics, medical information or other action from IRCC. Once your application is approved, you may receive a Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) and, where applicable, an electronic COPR through the permanent residence process.

Fees and Costs

Your total cost depends on the immigration program and the services you need. There is no single “TR to PR fee.” Depending on your application, expenses may include:

Permanent residence processing fees
Right of permanent residence fee
Biometrics fee
Work permit processing fee
Open work permit holder fee, where applicable
Language testing fees
Educational Credential Assessment fees
Medical examination costs
Police certificate fees
Certified translation costs
Provincial nomination fees, where applicable
Professional immigration consulting fees, if you choose to use a representative.

Government fees can change. For example, IRCC increased several permanent residence fees effective April 30, 2026, so you should always verify the current fee before submitting your application.

TR to PR Versus Express Entry

It is easy to confuse TR to PR with Express Entry because both terms appear frequently in searches about moving from temporary status to permanent residence. The important difference is that the 2021 TR to PR Pathway was a specific temporary public policy, while Express Entry is an application-management system used for several economic immigration programs.

Express Entry manages applications for the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program. Your profile is ranked using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and candidates may receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in an applicable round.

A provincial nomination through an Express Entry-linked PNP can add 600 CRS points. CEC, meanwhile, does not require a job offer as an eligibility requirement. The In-Canada Workers Initiative is different again. It does not replace Express Entry and does not create a new Express Entry stream. It accelerates selected applications that are already in eligible permanent residence inventories.

What Should You Do If You Want to Move From TR to PR?

If you are already in Canada, the most useful question is no longer simply, “Is there a new TR to PR pathway?” Instead, ask: “Which permanent residence program do I actually qualify for based on my situation?” If you submitted your PR application under the 2021 pathway, your situation is different. You should focus on monitoring that application and determining whether you qualify for the special open work permit available until December 31, 2026.

If you are a temporary worker who has not yet applied for PR, look at active programs such as Express Entry, the Canadian Experience Class, the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program or an applicable community immigration pathway.

If you are an international graduate, review your PGWP eligibility, Canadian work experience, occupation, language results and provincial options before assuming that your next step is PR. And if you already have a permanent residence application through an eligible program, keep your information and temporary status up to date while IRCC processes your application. You do not need to submit another application simply to participate in the In-Canada Workers Initiative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the TR to PR Pathway Open in 2026?

No. The original 2021 Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident Pathway closed on November 5, 2021. IRCC continues processing eligible applications submitted before the closure.

Can I Apply Directly For The In-Canada Workers Initiative?

No. There is currently no separate application or registration process for the initiative. IRCC identifies eligible applications from existing permanent residence inventories and accelerates selected applications.

Who Qualifies For Canada's Current TR-to-PR Initiative?

The initiative focuses on temporary workers who already have PR applications in eligible inventories, with a focus on people living in smaller communities and contributing to local economies and in-demand sectors. IRCC has identified applications through the PNP, AIP, community immigration pilots, caregiver pilots and Agri-Food Pilot among the inventories involved.

Can You Get PR Just Because You Are Working in Canada?

No. Canadian work experience can help you qualify for certain immigration programs, but holding a work permit or working for a Canadian employer does not automatically make you eligible for permanent residence.

Can International Students Move From a Study Permit to PR?

Potentially, yes. You may be able to transition from studying to an eligible work permit and then qualify for a PR program, but neither a Canadian study permit nor a PGWP guarantees permanent residence.