PR & Citizenship Update — July 27, 2026
Monday, July 27, 2026
Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets new temporary resident arrivals at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028, with a goal to reduce Canada's temporary population to under 5% of the total population by end of 2027.
Express Entry processing times have increased: as of March 9, 2026, both the Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker Program are taking 7 months — up from 5-6 months in late 2025 — exceeding IRCC's 6-month service standard.
Citizenship ceremonies are being conducted primarily via video conference; applicants receive an invitation from IRCC specifying the format, date, and requirements including taking the Oath of Citizenship in English or French.
What You Should Do
- Check your current Express Entry processing time at ircc.canada.ca/english/information/times/index.asp — if you submitted in late 2025, your application may now be taking 7 months, beyond the 6-month service standard. Follow up via the IRCC web form (IRCC Web Form) if your application exceeds the posted processing time.
- If you have a citizenship ceremony invitation, confirm the format (virtual or in-person) and practice the Oath of Citizenship in your preferred official language (English or French) before the ceremony date listed in your invitation. Ensure you have your Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship (OAC) form ready to sign.
- If you are a temporary resident, review Canada's plan to reduce the temporary population to under 5% by end of 2027. Assess whether you qualify for a permanent residence pathway (e.g., Express Entry or PNP) now at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada.html before targets tighten further.
- If you are planning a PR application in 2026, account for an estimated 7-8 month Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) wait based on current forum-reported timelines, and plan document expiry dates (e.g., police certificates, medical exams) accordingly.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada has released its 2026-2028 Levels Plan, capping 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.
CRS Cutoff Trends: Express Entry processing times have risen to 7 months for both Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker programs as of March 2026, exceeding IRCC's 6-month service standard.
Citizenship Processing Improvements: Citizenship ceremonies are now primarily conducted virtually via video conference, with IRCC sending invitations that specify format and requirements including oath-taking and signing the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form.
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 PR & Citizenship Updates
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PR & Citizenship Update — July 16, 2026
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