Ottawa unveils 2026-28 Immigration Levels Plan: permanent targets steady, temporary intakes slashed
Provincial Nominee Program allocation surges 66 % as Ottawa rebalances worker streams
New pathway to grant PR to 33,000 work-permit holders announced
Latest News
Graduate students exempted from study-permit cap, say U15 research universities
IRCC will exclude master’s and PhD students from the new study-permit cap, a change welcomed by Canada’s U15 research universities. The carve-out safeguards the supply of advanced researchers while overall student-visa numbers are being halved.
IRCC schedules technical briefing for media on immigration levels
IRCC will hold a background technical briefing on 5 Nov to explain the 2026-28 immigration targets. Slide decks released after such sessions typically provide programme-level details valuable for workforce planners.
Northwest Territories reopens Nominee Program with relaxed rules
The Northwest Territories will reopen its Nominee Program on 10 Nov with 103 slots and more flexible employer rules, giving temporary workers in remote communities a fresh route to permanent residence.
Library newcomer network highlights student-visa cuts and economic focus
Community portal NewToBC told settlement agencies that the federal plan’s sharp student-visa cuts will reduce demand for some services while increasing focus on economic immigrants, urging a re-allocation of resources.
Federal Budget Slashes Student Visas and Caps Temporary Migration Through 2028
Budget 2025 cuts future international-student visas by 50 % and lowers new temporary-worker permits, while keeping permanent-resident admissions near 380,000. Ottawa says the move will ease housing and service strains; schools and low-wage sectors face revenue and labour gaps, whereas high-skill employers gain a larger share of spots.
Canada to Launch Accelerated PR Pathway for U.S. H-1B Visa Holders
Budget 2025 creates a dedicated immigration stream that will let qualified H-1B visa holders move from U.S. status to Canadian permanent residence on an expedited basis, backed by CA$1.7 billion for research chairs and credential-recognition reforms. The move bolsters Canada’s tech and R&D ecosystem and offers multinationals a new retention lever.
House Removes Controversial Limits on Citizenship-by-Descent in Bill C-3
MPs have removed restrictive amendments from Bill C-3, reviving a proposal that will allow second-generation Canadians born abroad to pass citizenship to their foreign-born children. The move averts a looming court deadline and restores predictability for expatriate families and employers managing long-term overseas assignments.
Immigrant-Only Poll Finds Majority Want Lower Annual Intake Than Budget Targets
A new Leger survey of 1,510 immigrants shows most would prefer annual permanent-resident admissions below 300,000—far under the federal target of 380,000. The data highlight growing concerns about housing and public services even within newcomer communities, underscoring reputational and policy risks for employers that rely on immigration growth.
Ottawa Mulls Mass-Cancellation Powers for Temporary Resident Visas Amid Fraud Concerns
Leaked briefing notes show IRCC wants new legal powers to cancel groups of temporary visas if widespread fraud or crises are detected, with India and Bangladesh flagged as priority risk regions. Rights advocates warn of due-process gaps, while employers fear uncertainty for South-Asian talent pipelines.
New IRCC Report Shows One-Third of Express Entry Invitees Had No Canadian Work Experience
IRCC’s latest Express Entry statistics reveal that significant numbers of applicants secure invitations without prior Canadian work, while French-language and healthcare categories now post the lowest CRS cut-offs. The trend widens sourcing options for employers and underscores the weight of foreign experience and French proficiency in PR success.
Minister’s Nov 4 Update Confirms One-Time PR Pathway for 33,000 Work-Permit Holders and Protected Persons
In a Nov 4 stakeholder briefing, IRCC confirmed budget provisions to (a) grant PR to qualifying protected persons and (b) fast-track 33,000 work-permit holders over two years. The measures aim to stabilise the labour market and clear humanitarian backlogs without raising overall immigration caps.