A policy brief published on November 6 by immigration portal Moving2Canada reveals that Ottawa has quietly moved its goal of reducing temporary residents to “less than 5 % of Canada’s population” from the end of 2026 to the end of 2027. The article, based on background briefings, also confirms that Statistics Canada—not IRCC—will supply the baseline population figures used to calculate compliance.
The shift gives federal and provincial governments an extra 12 months to wind down thousands of study-permit and work-permit holders or convert them to permanent residence. For businesses relying on employer-specific LMIA permits, it means at least one more year before stricter allocation formulas bite; nonetheless, companies should track expiring permits carefully because renewal criteria are tightening.
![IRCC pushes 5 % temporary-resident cap to 2027 and clarifies data source]()
Education providers are already recalibrating recruitment targets for the 2026-27 academic year. International student admissions will fall to 155,000 next year—half the 2025 ceiling—and hover at 150,000 thereafter. Colleges that depend on tuition from India, Nigeria and the Philippines are racing to diversify into francophone markets that Ottawa continues to court.
For mobility managers, the headline is that temporary-resident inventories—International Mobility Program, TFWP and study permits—will be scrutinised against a moving numeric ceiling rather than demand-driven issuance. Early workforce planning and permanent-residence strategies (PNP, Express Entry) will be essential to keep critical talent in Canada beyond 2027.
IRCC is expected to release quarterly progress reports starting in January 2026; organisations should subscribe to those updates and adjust assignment durations accordingly.
The shift gives federal and provincial governments an extra 12 months to wind down thousands of study-permit and work-permit holders or convert them to permanent residence. For businesses relying on employer-specific LMIA permits, it means at least one more year before stricter allocation formulas bite; nonetheless, companies should track expiring permits carefully because renewal criteria are tightening.
Education providers are already recalibrating recruitment targets for the 2026-27 academic year. International student admissions will fall to 155,000 next year—half the 2025 ceiling—and hover at 150,000 thereafter. Colleges that depend on tuition from India, Nigeria and the Philippines are racing to diversify into francophone markets that Ottawa continues to court.
For mobility managers, the headline is that temporary-resident inventories—International Mobility Program, TFWP and study permits—will be scrutinised against a moving numeric ceiling rather than demand-driven issuance. Early workforce planning and permanent-residence strategies (PNP, Express Entry) will be essential to keep critical talent in Canada beyond 2027.
IRCC is expected to release quarterly progress reports starting in January 2026; organisations should subscribe to those updates and adjust assignment durations accordingly.
