Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister, Lena Metlege Diab, says it is time for Ottawa to know with certainty how many temporary residents actually leave the country when their visas expire. Speaking to The Canadian Press, Diab noted that roughly 1.9 million work permits, study permits and visitor visas will lapse in 2026—on top of the 2.1 million that expired in 2025—yet IRCC currently relies on fragmented data shared with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to determine who remains in the country.
Canada’s electronic Travel Authorization system, carrier-supplied passenger manifests and exit scans at the busiest airports provide only a partial picture. “There is no single dashboard that tells me, at a glance, how many temporary residents have left,” Diab conceded. She argued that a modern, digital exit-record system—similar to that used in the United States and the European Union—would help Canada manage labour-market needs more precisely, deter abuse of temporary pathways, and reassure the public that immigration levels are being enforced.
![Diab pushes for exit-tracking system for Canada’s 1.9 million expiring temporary visas]()
Business groups have long supported better exit controls, pointing out that employers rely on accurate status information to remain compliant with immigration and payroll rules. Immigration lawyers, meanwhile, warn that any new system must protect personal data and avoid “over-reporting” glitches that could jeopardise a traveller’s future applications. Diab said privacy safeguards would be built in from the outset and that IRCC is already consulting with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
Practically, the minister envisions integrating CBSA departure scans, airline API data and IRCC client files into a real-time analytics platform. That would allow officers to automate status-expiration notices, flag potential overstays earlier, and feed more reliable statistics into the annual Immigration Levels Plan. Diab did not give a firm timeline or budget but confirmed that funding requests are being prepared for the 2026 federal budget.
For multinational companies that rotate talent in and out of Canada, an exit-tracking system could translate into faster compliance checks and fewer audit requests. Until then, employers are urged to maintain robust internal logs of employee travel and to remind foreign staff to retain proof of departure—such as boarding passes—in case IRCC later questions their status.
Canada’s electronic Travel Authorization system, carrier-supplied passenger manifests and exit scans at the busiest airports provide only a partial picture. “There is no single dashboard that tells me, at a glance, how many temporary residents have left,” Diab conceded. She argued that a modern, digital exit-record system—similar to that used in the United States and the European Union—would help Canada manage labour-market needs more precisely, deter abuse of temporary pathways, and reassure the public that immigration levels are being enforced.
Business groups have long supported better exit controls, pointing out that employers rely on accurate status information to remain compliant with immigration and payroll rules. Immigration lawyers, meanwhile, warn that any new system must protect personal data and avoid “over-reporting” glitches that could jeopardise a traveller’s future applications. Diab said privacy safeguards would be built in from the outset and that IRCC is already consulting with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
Practically, the minister envisions integrating CBSA departure scans, airline API data and IRCC client files into a real-time analytics platform. That would allow officers to automate status-expiration notices, flag potential overstays earlier, and feed more reliable statistics into the annual Immigration Levels Plan. Diab did not give a firm timeline or budget but confirmed that funding requests are being prepared for the 2026 federal budget.
For multinational companies that rotate talent in and out of Canada, an exit-tracking system could translate into faster compliance checks and fewer audit requests. Until then, employers are urged to maintain robust internal logs of employee travel and to remind foreign staff to retain proof of departure—such as boarding passes—in case IRCC later questions their status.
Source: The Canadian Press / CityNews
