IRCC Policy Update — July 6, 2026
Monday, July 6, 2026
Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 385,000 new temporary resident arrivals in 2026, dropping to 370,000 in 2027 and 2028, with a goal of reducing the temporary population to under 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
IRCC's 2025-2026 Departmental Plan commits to making the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot permanent by end of 2025, creating a new agriculture/fish processing work permit stream, updating PGWP field of study requirements, and changing spousal open work permit eligibility.
As of April 1, 2026, Canadian passport fees increased (adults now pay $163.50 for a 10-year passport), and a new '30 days or free' passport processing guarantee took effect, providing automatic refunds if processing exceeds 30 business days.
What You Should Do
- If you are applying for a Canadian passport, budget for the new fee of $163.50 (10-year adult, within Canada) or $122.50 (5-year adult, within Canada) effective March 31, 2026. Submit your application at a Service Canada passport office or online at canada.ca/passport.
- If your passport application was submitted after April 1, 2026 and has not been processed within 30 business days, check your application status at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-status.html and request your fee refund under the '30 days or free' initiative.
- If you hold or are applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), monitor IRCC's updates on field of study requirement changes at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship — policy changes are expected during 2025-2026 and could affect your eligibility.
- If you are a spouse of a foreign worker or international student relying on a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP), check IRCC's updated eligibility requirements at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/spouses-common-law.html, as changes are planned for 2025-2026.
- If you are an immigration or citizenship consultant, review Canada's new strengthened consultant regulations announced in May 2026 at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2026/05/canada-strengthens-regulation-of-immigration-and-citizenship-consultants.html to ensure compliance.
- If you are in the agriculture or fish processing sector seeking workers, watch for IRCC's announcement of the new dedicated foreign labour work permit stream, expected during 2025-2026, at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada's 2026-2028 Levels Plan caps new temporary resident arrivals at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027-2028, with a commitment to bring the temporary resident population below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: IRCC's Departmental Plan signals upcoming changes to eligibility requirements for Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWPs) issued to spouses of foreign workers and international students.
Student Work Authorization Simplification: IRCC's 2025-2026 Departmental Plan commits to establishing a framework for updating field of study requirements for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs), which could alter eligibility for many international graduates.
Service Fee Adjustments: Canadian passport fees increased as of March 31, 2026 for the first time since 2013, with a new 30-business-day processing guarantee providing automatic refunds for delayed applications effective April 1, 2026.
More IRCC Policy Updates
IRCC Policy Update — July 16, 2026
Jul 16, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — July 13, 2026
Jul 13, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — July 9, 2026
Jul 9, 2026
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