Canada immigration: 1.4 million work permits expire in 2026, says IRCC

More than half of the expiries will hit by June, even as PR spots remain limited

1.4 million temporary residents in Canada will see their permits expire in 2026, taking the total number of expiries over two years to 2.9 million, according to the latest data shared by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The figures do not include study permit or study permit extension holders.

 

Of the 1.4 million permits expiring this year, 55 per cent are due to lapse by June alone. In 2025, permits for 1.49 million temporary residents expired. Indians are expected to be heavily affected, as they consistently account for nearly half of Canada’s annual temporary resident approvals.

 

IRCC says 395,000 permanent residence spots were available last year, with another 380,000 planned this year. Even if some of the 2.9 million temporary residents transition to permanent status, at least 2.1 million people are expected to be left with expired or expiring visas.

 

“Temporary residents in Canada must comply with the requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and must leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for their stay,” IRCC said in a statement.

 

“Having a temporary status does not guarantee that a person will eventually be accepted as a permanent resident.”

 

IRCC added that people who fall out of status may be able to apply for restoration. Foreign nationals have 90 days from the date they lose their temporary resident status to seek reinstatement.

 

Why work permit expirations are becoming a national issue

 

For years, Canada relied on temporary workers and international graduates to fill labour gaps across sectors such as healthcare, construction, food services, logistics and technology. Many built lives in the country, paying taxes, renting homes and settling into local communities.

 

With work permit expirations now accelerating, pressure is building across the system. Recent policy changes have narrowed permanent residence pathways, particularly for international students and low-wage workers. While the federal government has cited housing and intake pressures, the situation on the ground is proving harder to manage.

 

When permits expire without an onward pathway, people do not simply vanish.

 

“Little is known about the undocumented population in Canada, and gathering data is very challenging as this population generally tries to stay undetected due to their fear of removal,” IRCC said.

 

“However, research indicates that there may be 200,000 to 500,000 undocumented migrants in Canada.”

 

Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC said permanent resident admissions will remain below 1 per cent of the population after 2027. The total number of temporary residents is expected to fall to under 5 per cent of the population by the end of 2027.

 

“Canada is regaining control of its immigration system in order to restore balance and sustainability, while continuing to meet its humanitarian commitments,” IRCC said.

 

Why is it becoming a problem for immigrants

 

Toronto-based immigration lawyer Lou Janssen Dangzalan told CBS News that the government appears to be operating on the assumption that people with expiring permits will return home.

 

“It assumes too much of a good faith behaviour from everyone that everyone’s going to simply follow the rules as it is,” he said.

 

For years, Dangzalan said, Canada was promoted globally as a country where permanent residence was relatively accessible. Many migrants, he said, sold assets back home, took out high-interest loans or accumulated heavy debt to make the move.

 

As pathways narrow, some risk slipping out of status.

 

Canada Border Services Agency data shows that more than 18,000 people were removed in 2024–25, or nearly 400 per week, at a cost of $78 million. Most were asylum seekers whose refugee claims were rejected.

 

“It’s the canary in the coal mine. If you see people getting deported and you’re out of status, you might as well just leave yourself. But not everyone’s going to do that,” Dangzalan told CBS.

 

“Is it realistic to do that for 2.1 million? I don’t think so. From an administrative perspective, it is just impossible. This is going to be a very painful process.”

 

Dangzalan said the coming year will test both migrants and a government with limited enforcement capacity.

 

“There’s a human tragedy that comes with this… It’s going to get rougher before it gets better,” he said.

 

He added that some foreign nationals are already resorting to desperate measures, from forging immigration documents to going underground, in an effort to remain in Canada.

 

“The fear of going home is colloquially called the walk of shame because a lot of people back home are depending on them,” he said.

 

“People are panicking now because they know that the walls are closing in. Their options are quite limited.”