IRCC Policy Update — July 27, 2026
Monday, July 27, 2026
Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 385,000 new temporary resident arrivals in 2026, dropping to 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028, with a goal of reducing Canada's temporary population to under 5% of total population by end of 2027.
As of April 1, 2026, Canadian passport fees increased (adult 10-year passport now $163.50, up from $160) and a new '30 days or free' processing guarantee took effect, automatically refunding fees if processing exceeds 30 business days.
Starting July 15, 2026, new regulations for licensed immigration consultants take effect, allowing disciplinary action and client compensation requirements for dishonest conduct dating back to November 2021.
What You Should Do
- If you are planning to apply for a Canadian passport, check the updated fee schedule at canada.ca before submitting — adult 10-year passport from within Canada is now $163.50. Applications submitted after March 31, 2026 are subject to the new fees.
- If your passport application was submitted after April 1, 2026 and has not been processed within 30 business days, you are entitled to a full fee refund under the '30 days or free' guarantee — track your application status at canada.ca/passport.
- If you used a licensed immigration consultant and experienced dishonest conduct on or after November 2021, check the CICC public register at college-ic.ca to verify your consultant's status and file a complaint before July 15, 2026 rules fully take effect.
- Review the full 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels/supplementary-immigration-levels-2026-2028.html to understand how target reductions may affect your program category (economic, family, refugee, or temporary resident).
Sources
Topics Covered
Service Fee Adjustments: Canadian passport fees increased as of March 31, 2026 — the first increase since 2013 — with adult 10-year passports rising from $160 to $163.50. A new 30-business-day processing guarantee with automatic refunds also took effect April 1, 2026.
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada released the 2026-2028 Levels Plan, setting new temporary resident arrival targets at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027-2028, with a stated goal of reducing the temporary population to below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
More IRCC Policy Updates
IRCC Policy Update — July 23, 2026
Jul 23, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — July 20, 2026
Jul 20, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — July 16, 2026
Jul 16, 2026
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