IRCC Policy Update — June 1, 2026
Monday, June 1, 2026
The 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 Canada's temporary population to below 5% of the total population by end of 2027.
Eight immigration changes took effect on March 31–April 1, 2026, including increased passport fees (adult 10-year passport now $163.50), a new 30-business-day passport processing guarantee with a full fee refund if missed, and more flexible income requirements for super visa applicants sponsoring parents and grandparents.
IRCC's 2025–2026 Departmental Plan commits to making the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot permanent, creating a new agriculture/fish processing work permit stream, updating PGWP field-of-study requirements, and launching a new digital IRCC client account platform.
What You Should Do
- If you are applying for a Canadian passport, note that adult 10-year passports now cost $163.50 (from $160) as of March 31, 2026. If your passport is not processed within 30 business days, you are entitled to a full fee refund — keep your application receipt as proof. See full fee schedule at canada.ca/passport-fees.
- If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident planning to apply for the super visa for a parent or grandparent, check IRCC's updated income requirements at canada.ca/super-visa, which became more flexible as of April 1, 2026.
- If you are a temporary resident in Canada, check whether you are on track to transition to permanent residence before the end of 2027, as IRCC's stated goal is to reduce the temporary population to below 5% of Canada's total population by that date. Use the IRCC eligibility checker at canada.ca/immigrate for relevant permanent pathways.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: The 2026–2028 Levels Plan sets new temporary resident arrival targets of 385,000 in 2026, falling to 370,000 in 2027 and 2028, with an explicit goal of shrinking Canada's temporary population to below 5% of the total population by end of 2027. The plan prioritizes economic immigration and humanitarian cases.
Service Fee Adjustments: As of March 31, 2026, Canadian passport fees increased for the first time since 2013. Adult 10-year passports now cost $163.50 and 5-year passports cost $122.50. A new 30-business-day processing guarantee with automatic full refund if missed also took effect April 1, 2026.
More IRCC Policy Updates
IRCC Policy Update — June 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — June 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — May 30, 2026
May 30, 2026
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