CANADA VIBES NEWSROOM · ÉDITION DU SOIR | EVENING EDITION
July 20, 2026 · 9:30 PM ET
The federal government confirms plans to welcome about 500,000 new immigrants over two years, with a policy more tightly focused on labour-market needs and a sharp cut to study permits.
The federal government has confirmed plans to welcome roughly 500,000 new immigrants over the next two years, under a migration policy more tightly focused on labour-market needs rather than volume alone.
The number of permanent residents admitted is expected to reach 380,000 by 2028, with new priorities that could favour skilled workers, French-speaking applicants, and those with prior Canadian experience.
New rules governing the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants took effect July 15, tightening oversight of licensed immigration consultants in Canada.
The number of new study permits will also be cut to 155,000 for 2026, then 150,000 for both 2027 and 2028 — a sharp drop from caps of 360,000 in 2024 and 437,000 in 2025.
The adjustments continue a trend begun last year to tighten temporary immigration streams while holding permanent-resident targets steady, as Ottawa tries to ease pressure on housing and public services.
What to watch
How the drop in study permits affects postsecondary institutions, and how Quebec — which manages its own economic immigration thresholds — responds.
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