IRCC Policy Update — June 25, 2026
Thursday, June 25, 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, 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 for the first time since 2013 (e.g., 10-year adult passport now $163.50), and a new '30 days or free' passport processing guarantee took effect.
Permanent residence fees also increased on April 30, 2026, and the right of citizenship fee is rising soon, according to IRCC notices.
What You Should Do
- If you are planning to sponsor parents or grandparents for a super visa, review the updated income requirement calculation rules that took effect March 20, 2026, at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices.html.
- If you need a Canadian passport, apply now to take advantage of the '30 days or free' guarantee (full fee refund if processing exceeds 30 business days). Submit your application at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports.html and confirm the new fee schedule before paying ($163.50 for a 10-year adult passport as of March 31, 2026).
- If you are planning to pay permanent residence fees, note they increased on April 30, 2026. Confirm the current fee schedule at ircc.canada.ca before submitting payment to avoid surprises.
- If you are an international student or temporary foreign worker, monitor IRCC's Levels Plan page (canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels/supplementary-immigration-levels-2026-2028.html) for your category's arrival targets and any sector-specific adjustments related to tariff-impacted industries.
- Post-secondary international students: Check if your co-op work permit requirements have changed under the April 9, 2026 simplification notice at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices.html.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada published its 2026–2028 Levels Plan, setting new temporary resident arrival targets at 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027 and 2028, with a commitment to reduce the temporary population to below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Service Fee Adjustments: Canadian passport fees increased on March 31, 2026 (first increase since 2013), permanent residence fees rose on April 30, 2026, and the right of citizenship fee is also increasing, all noted in official IRCC notices.
Parents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities: A March 20, 2026 IRCC notice announced changes to how the income requirement for the parents and grandparents super visa is calculated, potentially affecting sponsor eligibility across different regions.
Student Work Authorization Simplification: An April 9, 2026 IRCC notice announced simplification of co-op work permit requirements for post-secondary international students, and the 2025-2026 Departmental Plan outlined a framework for updating field of study requirements for Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs).
More IRCC Policy Updates
IRCC Policy Update — June 22, 2026
Jun 22, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — June 18, 2026
Jun 18, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — June 15, 2026
Jun 15, 2026
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