IRCC Policy Update — August 27, 2026
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan caps new temporary resident arrivals at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028, aiming to reduce Canada's temporary population to under 5% of the total population by end of 2027.
IRCC updated temporary residence processing times on August 19, 2026: U.S. super visa and Pakistan visitor visa applications got longer waits, while Pakistan-based work permit processing dropped by 5 weeks (from 12 to 7 weeks).
As of April 1, 2026, Canadian passport fees increased (10-year adult passport now $163.50), and a new '30 days or free' processing guarantee took effect, giving applicants a full refund if processing exceeds 30 business days.
What You Should Do
- If you are applying for a work permit from Pakistan, check the updated processing time of 7 weeks (down from 12) at canada.ca/immigration-processing-times before booking travel or making plans.
- If you are applying for a Canadian passport, be aware of the new fee ($163.50 for a 10-year adult passport from within Canada) and the '30 days or free' guarantee — submit a complete application to trigger the 30-business-day clock.
- If you are a temporary resident or plan to become one, review the 2026-2028 Levels Plan at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels to understand the reduced intake targets and which streams remain prioritized.
- Check for the next IRCC processing time update on or around August 26, 2026 at canada.ca/immigration-processing-times, especially if you have a visitor visa or super visa application pending.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada's 2026-2028 Levels Plan sets temporary resident arrival targets at 385,000 (2026) and 370,000 (2027-2028), with a goal of reducing the temporary population to below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
CRS Cutoff Trends: IRCC published updated temporary residence processing times on August 19, 2026, showing significant variability by country — Pakistan work permits improved by 5 weeks while U.S. super visa and Pakistan visitor visa times worsened.
Service Fee Adjustments: Canadian passport fees rose on March 31, 2026 for the first time since 2013, with a 10-year adult passport now costing $163.50, accompanied by a new '30 days or free' processing guarantee effective April 1, 2026.
How these topics connect
The wide spread between PNP cutoffs (710-805) and French-language cutoffs (393-446) reflects deliberate policy design from the Levels Plan — candidates without a provincial nomination face a fundamentally different competitive pool than those in category-based draws.
More IRCC Policy Updates
IRCC Policy Update — August 31, 2026
Aug 31, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — August 24, 2026
Aug 24, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — August 17, 2026
Aug 17, 2026
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