Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its comprehensive 2025–26 Departmental Plan, outlining strategic priorities, funding allocations, and policy measures for the upcoming year. Below, we break down the key takeaways and explain how they will affect prospective and current immigrants to Canada.
Major Spending Boost for Permanent Applicants
Core Responsibility 2: Immigrant & Refugee Selection & Integration receives nearly $4 billion—by far the largest budget area.
IRCC plans enhanced funding for economic-class applicants, family reunification, and refugee protection.
Settlement support services (language training, employment assistance, etc.) are also seeing continued investment, aiming to strengthen newcomers’ integration.
Impact: Immigrants—especially in the economic and family streams—can expect more robust support networks and processing capacity.
New Permanent Pathways & Streamlined PR Access
The popular Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) is set to become a permanent stream by the end of 2025.
A proposed PR pathway tailored to refugee students is also under development.
Impact: Skilled refugees and refugee-background students will gain more stable, permanent routes to residency.
Focus on In-Canada Temporary Residents → PR
Over 40 percent of PR spots in 2025 will be reserved for individuals already in Canada—students and temporary workers.
This aligns with IRCC’s broader goal to stabilize and strategically grow the temporary-resident population to 5 percent of total Canadian population by 2026.
Impact: Those already on Canadian soil are being given preferential access to PR—good news for current students, workers, and those on bridging visas.
New Work Permits for Critical Sectors
A dedicated agriculture and fish-processing labour stream is being developed to help fill key labour shortages.
IRCC is also advancing new Free-Trade Agreement (FTA)-based permit pathways (e.g., with Indonesia and Ecuador, with further ASEAN/CPTPP developments underway).
Impact: Skilled workers in these sectors may access specialized permits, potentially speeding up employment opportunities and PR eligibility.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Revisions
IRCC will update PGWP eligibility, focusing on fields of study tied to labour market needs.
The Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) program will also be revised for spouses of both international students and foreign workers.
Impact: International students and their family members should expect changes in paperwork, timelines, and qualifying programs. Studying in high-demand fields will become even more advantageous.
Policy Shifts & Regulatory Adjustments
IRCC is holding steady on caps for overseas study visas and limiting temporary resident admissions to manage population and infrastructure growth.
A 50 percent reduction in Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allocations has already been introduced in 2025—though individual provinces are negotiating adjustments.
Caps on LMIA-based work permits dropped significantly—from ~184 000 in 2023 to ~80 000–84 000 in 2025.
Impact: Internationally applying candidates should expect tighter quotas—those already in Canada may find clearer paths through provincial or FTA-based streams.
What This Means for Immigrants
| Area | Opportunity | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Economic & Skilled Immigrants | New permanent streams (EMPP & sector-specific permits) | Competing with domestic applicants; choose high-demand occupations |
| International Students | Updated PGWP linked to labour market; spousal work access | New eligibility criteria—consult Titan Law early |
| Temporary Workers | In-land PR priority; targeted sector streams | Lower LMIA quotas—FTA or in-Canada paths may bypass caps |
| Refugees & Humanitarian | Pathways for student-refugees; settlement funding | Still subject to selection criteria and backlogs |
| Family Reunification | Continued budget and support | PNP and overseas intake reduced—expect slower processing |
How Titan Law Can Help
Early Pathway Planning
Whether economic, student, or refugee, your clients can benefit from tailored strategies: choosing in-demand studies, leveraging provincial/FTA streams, or navigating specialized refugee routes.Quota & Restriction Forecasting
IRCC’s new caps, reductions and repurposed quotas demand expert planning. Titan Law can forecast pipeline pressures and suggest alternatives.Timely Program Alignment
Changes to PGWP and SOWP programs mean eligibility will evolve. Legal review of fields, coursework, and permit status is essential to avoid pitfalls.Strategic Document Prep
With new selection streams, accurate, complete applications—including labour-market arguments and stream-specific evidence—are more critical than ever.
IRCC’s 2025–26 planning reflects a clear shift: prioritizing in‑Canada temporary‑to‑permanent transitions, and deploying sector‑targeted streams to address labour shortages, while reining in overall admissions growth to support infrastructure. For immigrants and their advisors, a proactive, informed approach will be essential.
Titan Law stands ready to guide clients through this changing landscape—with expert pathway advice, application services, and policy insight to navigate evolving PR, student, work, and family options.
You might also find our article intriguing:
The grace period ensures that students enrolled in, or who applied for, affected programs between June 25 and July 4, 2025 are still eligible for a PGWP. This transitional period will remain in place until early 2026.
No. The update applies to both:
Students who submitted study permit applications between June 25 and July 4, 2025, and
Students who were already enrolled in affected programs during that window.
No. If your program was removed on June 25 but reinstated on July 4, and your study permit application was submitted during that time, you will still be eligible for a PGWP under the grace period.
You can verify PGWP eligibility by checking the CIP code of your program and comparing it with the official list published on IRCC’s website. Your educational institution can provide your program’s CIP code.
