On June 20, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its 2025–2026 Departmental Plan, outlining a forward-looking strategy to rebalance immigration levels, modernize service delivery, and align immigration with Canada’s economic and social priorities. The plan introduces several new initiatives and reaffirms key commitments that will shape the future of Canadian immigration.
Key New Initiatives and Policy Changes
1. New Permanent Pathways
- Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) will become a permanent program by the end of 2025, offering a new route to permanent residence for skilled refugees.
- IRCC is exploring a new PR pathway for refugee students, expanding access to long-term settlement options.
2. Sector-Specific Work Permits
- A new foreign labor stream and work permit will be introduced for the agriculture and fish processing sectors, addressing labor shortages in these essential industries.
3. Education-Linked Immigration Reforms
- A new framework for updating PGWP field of study requirements will be implemented, aligning eligible programs with labor market needs.
- Eligibility for spousal open work permits (SOWPs) will be revised for spouses of foreign workers and international students.
4. Trade and Mobility Agreements
- IRCC will implement new free trade agreements (FTAs) with Indonesia and Ecuador.
- Negotiations will continue for FTA-based work permits with CPTPP accession candidates and ASEAN member states.
5. Digital Transformation
- A new online account system for all IRCC clients will be rolled out throughout 2025–2026, streamlining application management and communication.
- The department is piloting GeoMatch, an AI tool developed with Stanford University, to help Express Entry candidates choose settlement locations.
6. Francophone Integration
- The Welcoming Francophone Communities Initiative (WFCs) will be fully operationalized, supporting French-speaking newcomers outside Quebec.
Ongoing Commitments and Strategic Priorities
- Express Entry will continue to prioritize healthcare, trades, education, and French-speaking candidates through category-based selection.
- At least 40% of permanent resident admissions will come from temporary residents already in Canada.
- The temporary public policy allowing Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates to obtain special work permits will be expanded.
- Family sponsorship processing will be accelerated for applicants with family members abroad.
- Annual LMIA-based work permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program will be reduced to 80,000–84,000, down from 184,000 in 2023.
- Study permit intake caps will be maintained to manage system capacity.
- The share of French-speaking PRs outside Quebec will increase to 8.5%.
- Settlement services funding will be expanded to support newcomer integration.
- Online passport renewal services will be broadened.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.