News

Released as part of Canada's 2026 Budget Plan on November 5, 2025, the new Immigration Levels Plan for the next three years provides some significant changes to the Canadian immigration landscape. The highlights are:

• 380,000 permanent residents to be landed each year for 2026 to 2028
• Up to 33,000 work permit holders to gain permanent residency between 2026 to 2027
• Temporary resident targets have been reduced by 43% from 2025 to 385,000
• International students targets have also been reduced by 49% from 2025 to 155,000
• Temporary foreign worker targets to be reduced by 37% from 2025 to 230,000

This new Levels Plan will maintain permanent resident numbers steady while reducing the number of temporary residents entering for the next three years ending 2028. Additionally, a new pathway will be created to help transition in-Canada work permit holders to permanent residents. 

For more information and a more in-depth summary of the announced Levels Plan can be found here: 

Supplementary Information for the 2026 to 2028 Immigration Level Plan: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels/supplementary-immigration-levels-2026-2028.html 

Canada's Immigration Levels: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels.html

Effective January 21, 2025, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be eligible to apply for a family open work permit (OWP).

As part of the broader measures announced by IRCC in September 2024, this change is in response to an evolving shift in Canada's economy, including a softening of the labour market.

Family OWPs will now be limited to spouses of international students who are enroled in

• master's program that are 16 months in duration or longer
• doctoral programs or
• select professional and eligible programs

Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in

• TEER 0 or 1 occupations or
• select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labour shortages or linked to government priorities - full list will be available on January 21, 2025

Additionally, the foreign worker must also have at least 16 months validity remaining on their work permit at the time when their spouse applies for their OWP. Dependent children will no longer be eligible for an OWP.

Spouses of foreign workers covered by a free-trade agreement and those transitioning to permanent residence will not be impacted by these changes.

IRCC News Release: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/changes-open-work-permits-family-members-temporary-residents.html

Further to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship's announcement of June 21, 2024 limiting "flagpoling" applications for work permits, additional instructions and restrictions on who can apply at a port of entry has been provided.

"The following persons cannot apply on entry to Canada [R198(2)]:

• all persons applying for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP)
• all persons who require a TRV
• all persons who require an immigration medical examination (IME), whether TRV-required or visa-exempt, unless valid IME results are available at the time of entry
• international youth exchange program participants other than U.S. citizens or permanent residents (exemption code C21) (consult International Experience Canada)
• seasonal agricultural workers
• foreign nationals from electronic travel authorization (eTA) expansion countries, as they are not TRV-exempt as per section R190

"Persons who hold a valid work permit or who wish to change their conditions or renew their work permit should apply in Canada, pursuant to section R199."

The full Program Instructions can be found here:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/persons-who-may-apply-port-entry.html