IRCC Policy Update — May 7, 2026
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Eight immigration changes took effect March 31–April 1, 2026, including increased passport fees (adults: $163.50 for 10-year, $122.50 for 5-year), a new 30-business-day passport processing guarantee, and co-op work permit removal for post-secondary international students.
Permanent residence fees are being updated effective April 30, 2026, in line with Canada's biennial fee revision cycle under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
IRCC's 2026–27 Departmental Plan confirms a sharp reduction in temporary resident targets, transfer of employer compliance inspections to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), a review of arranged employment CRS points, and significant departmental budget cuts.
What You Should Do
- If you are applying for or renewing a Canadian passport, note the new fees effective March 31, 2026: $163.50 for a 10-year adult passport, $122.50 for a 5-year adult passport. Apply at canada.ca/passport and expect processing within 30 business days or receive a fee refund under the new guarantee.
- If you are submitting a permanent residence application, check the updated fee schedule effective April 30, 2026 at canada.ca/immigration-fees before submitting — applications submitted after April 30 will be subject to the new fee structure.
- If you are an employer who uses the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, prepare for compliance inspections to transition to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) — review your hiring records and employer portal at canada.ca/tfwp-employers to ensure compliance ahead of the transition.
- If you have arranged employment and are in the Express Entry pool, monitor IRCC's regulatory updates at canada.ca/express-entry — IRCC is reviewing whether arranged employment should continue to award additional CRS points, which could affect your score.
Sources
Topics Covered
Service Fee Adjustments: Passport fees increased March 31, 2026 (10-year adult: $163.50; 5-year adult: $122.50) and permanent residence fees are being updated effective April 30, 2026, both attributed to inflation and rising processing costs.
Student Work Authorization Simplification: Effective April 1, 2026, eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit for mandatory academic work placements, as confirmed in IRCC's April 2026 policy update.
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: IRCC's 2026–27 Departmental Plan confirms the government's target to reduce Canada's temporary resident population to below 5% of total population by end of 2027, with new temporary resident arrival targets of 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027–2028.
More IRCC Policy Updates
IRCC Policy Update — June 11, 2026
Jun 11, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — June 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — June 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
Get immigration updates in your inbox
Weekly analysis. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.