Internal data released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) show that almost half of all temporary work permits that expired in 2025—or are set to lapse this year—belong to Indian citizens. According to figures highlighted by The Indian Express on February 15, between 1.05 million and 1.49 million temporary resident permits, including Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs), reached their end-date last year. A further 927,000 are scheduled to expire in 2026, with roughly 315,000 due to lapse before the end of March alone. (indianexpress.com)
Most of those affected are former international students who transitioned to PGWPs and then to employer-specific work permits in sectors ranging from information technology to retail. Many now face tight timelines to secure permanent residence (PR) or leave the country. The IRCC’s current inventory backlog—estimated at 2.2 million files—means that processing times for PR streams such as Canadian Experience Class routinely exceed 12 months.
![‘Status cliff’ looms as 1 million Indian work permits expire in Canada through 2026]()
During this period of heightened complexity, VisaHQ can act as a valuable ally. Through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the company helps workers and employers prepare extension or renewal applications, track key expiry dates and assemble supporting documents—reducing the risk of status lapses while IRCC backlogs are resolved.
Employers complain that policy uncertainty is compounding labour shortages. Tech start-ups in Toronto’s “Silicon Waterfront” report turnover rates of up to 30 % as foreign talent depart rather than risk falling out of status. Meanwhile, immigration lawyers warn that overstaying—even inadvertently—can lead to multi-year re-entry bans, jeopardising both individual careers and corporate project schedules.
The data add pressure on the federal government, which last month promised a “comprehensive reset” of Canada’s temporary resident programmes after overall temporary resident numbers ballooned to 2.6 million—almost 7 % of the population. Possible fixes under discussion include a one-time PGWP extension, occupation-specific open work permits and faster bridging-permit issuance for PR applicants. Until firm measures are announced, employers are encouraged to audit expiry dates proactively, file PR applications well before work permits lapse and explore provincial nominee pathways that offer priority processing.
Most of those affected are former international students who transitioned to PGWPs and then to employer-specific work permits in sectors ranging from information technology to retail. Many now face tight timelines to secure permanent residence (PR) or leave the country. The IRCC’s current inventory backlog—estimated at 2.2 million files—means that processing times for PR streams such as Canadian Experience Class routinely exceed 12 months.
During this period of heightened complexity, VisaHQ can act as a valuable ally. Through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), the company helps workers and employers prepare extension or renewal applications, track key expiry dates and assemble supporting documents—reducing the risk of status lapses while IRCC backlogs are resolved.
Employers complain that policy uncertainty is compounding labour shortages. Tech start-ups in Toronto’s “Silicon Waterfront” report turnover rates of up to 30 % as foreign talent depart rather than risk falling out of status. Meanwhile, immigration lawyers warn that overstaying—even inadvertently—can lead to multi-year re-entry bans, jeopardising both individual careers and corporate project schedules.
The data add pressure on the federal government, which last month promised a “comprehensive reset” of Canada’s temporary resident programmes after overall temporary resident numbers ballooned to 2.6 million—almost 7 % of the population. Possible fixes under discussion include a one-time PGWP extension, occupation-specific open work permits and faster bridging-permit issuance for PR applicants. Until firm measures are announced, employers are encouraged to audit expiry dates proactively, file PR applications well before work permits lapse and explore provincial nominee pathways that offer priority processing.
