IRCC Policy Update — August 24, 2026
Monday, August 24, 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 total population by end of 2027.
IRCC launched public consultations (open August 4 – September 1, 2026) on economic priorities for Express Entry category-based selection for 2027, following earlier consultations on broader Express Entry reforms that received over 17,000 submissions.
IRCC overhauled its application inventory reporting dashboard in July 2026, making it harder to directly compare current backlog data with earlier months; total applications in the system stand at over 1.5 million.
What You Should Do
- Submit your feedback on Express Entry category-based selection priorities for 2027 via the IRCC consultation page at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/consultations/2026-consultations-express-entry-selection.html — the consultation window closes September 1, 2026.
- Review IRCC's new application inventory dashboard ('Inside IRCC's application processing system', published July 21, 2026 with data as of May 31, 2026) at canada.ca to understand how backlog reporting has changed before drawing conclusions about your application's processing momentum.
- If you are a French-speaking international student with minimum NCLC 5 French proficiency, prepare your study permit application for the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot's new intake opening August 26, 2026 (up to 2,970 spots available).
- If you hold a Palestinian passport, confirm your eligibility for the extended temporary humanitarian measures (fee-exempt permits and status extensions) now running through December 30, 2027, by checking your current permit status on your MyCIC account at canada.ca.
- Canadian citizens renewing or applying for a passport: note that as of April 1, 2026, IRCC guarantees processing within 30 business days or your fee is fully refunded ('30 days or free' initiative). Apply via canada.ca/passport and keep your receipt as proof of submission date.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: The 2026-2028 Levels Plan sets new temporary resident arrival targets of 385,000 in 2026 and 370,000 in 2027 and 2028, with a goal of reducing Canada's temporary population to under 5% of total population by end of 2027.
Service Fee Adjustments: As of March 31–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-business-day processing guarantee with automatic full refund was introduced.
Category-Based Selection System: IRCC opened public consultations from August 4 to September 1, 2026 on which economic categories should be prioritized in Express Entry's category-based selection draws for 2027, following over 17,000 submissions received in earlier Express Entry reform consultations.
More IRCC Policy Updates
IRCC Policy Update — August 31, 2026
Aug 31, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — August 27, 2026
Aug 27, 2026
IRCC Policy Update — August 17, 2026
Aug 17, 2026
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