Work Permits Update — September 10, 2026
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 380,000 new permanent residents annually, with temporary worker admissions (TFWP and IMP) set at approximately 230,000 in 2026, decreasing to 370,000 overall temporary residents by 2027-2028.
Many temporary residents holding work permits issued during the COVID-era surge face expiring documents in 2026, making it critical to act early to maintain legal status.
Open work permits remain a flexible option for eligible foreign nationals, including Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders, spouses of workers/students (with 2025 changes to spousal open work permits), and Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) applicants awaiting PR decisions.
What You Should Do
- If your work permit expires in 2026, check its expiry date immediately and apply for a renewal or new permit before it expires. Submit your renewal application before expiry to maintain 'maintained status' (implied status) in Canada. Visit canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/renew.html to begin.
- If you are a spouse of a foreign worker or student, review the 2025 changes to the Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) eligibility rules at immigration.ca/open-work-permit-in-canada to confirm you still qualify before applying or renewing.
- If you have a pending permanent residence application, check whether you qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) to keep working legally while your PR is processed. Review eligibility criteria at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/bridging-open-work-permit.html.
- Review Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets at canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-levels-plans.html to understand how temporary worker admission volumes may affect processing times and program availability over the next three years.
Sources
Topics Covered
LMIA-Exempt Work Permit Expansion: Open work permits — including PGWPs, spousal open work permits, and bridging open work permits — continue to allow eligible foreign nationals to work without an LMIA, with 2025 changes having updated spousal open work permit eligibility rules.
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada has set its temporary resident worker admissions (TFWP and IMP) at approximately 230,000 for 2026 as part of its 380,000 annual permanent resident target framework, with overall temporary resident levels declining from 385,000 in 2026 to 370,000 in 2027-2028.
TR-to-PR Open Work Permit Extension: Temporary residents with expiring work permits in 2026 are urged to act early, and bridging open work permits remain available for those with pending PR applications to maintain work authorization during the transition.
How these topics connect
Employers and workers should recognize that the shift toward LMIA-exempt permits is a top-down federal strategy embedded in the Levels Plan, meaning it is unlikely to reverse in the near term and signals where hiring flexibility will grow.
The open work permit extension is a practical bridge measure tied to the Levels Plan's TR-to-PR transition commitment — eligible workers from the 2021 pathway who haven't yet received PR decisions benefit directly from this plan-driven provision and should verify their eligibility before the December 2026 deadline.
More Work Permits Updates
Work Permits Update — September 7, 2026
Sep 7, 2026
Work Permits Update — September 3, 2026
Sep 3, 2026
Work Permits Update — August 31, 2026
Aug 31, 2026
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