Multiple Changes to Canada’s Immigration and International Education Policies Set for 2026: Graduate Students Exempted from the Cap, PNP Targets Rise, and a New Physician Allocation
Beginning January 1, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will implement major changes for international graduate students. Master’s and doctoral students at public DLIs will be excluded from the international student enrolment cap and will not need to submit a PAL/TAL as part of their study permit application. Separately, online study permit applications submitted from outside Canada for PhD students will be targeted for approximately 14-day processing, and this expedited timeline will also apply to accompanying family members when they apply together as part of the same submission.
In parallel, the federal government’s 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets the 2026 PNP target at 91,500 admissions. Beyond that baseline, Ottawa will set aside an additional 5,000 admission spaces for provinces and territories to nominate licensed physicians with job offers through PNP streams—spaces that are in addition to (and do not reduce) regular provincial/territorial PNP allocations. Budget 2025 also outlined an intent to launch an accelerated pathway for U.S. H1-B visa holders, but the program’s design has not yet been publicly detailed.
Graduate Study Permit Changes: Public Master’s/PhD Exemptions and Faster PhD Processing
(1) Public master’s and graduate students excluded from the cap; PAL/TAL no longer required
Under the new rules, master’s and doctoral students at public universities will be exempt from the enrolment cap. Practically, this means eligible students will no longer need a PAL/TAL, a requirement introduced alongside the cap.
What this changes for applicants:
- Fewer documents required for qualifying public-institution graduate applicants (no PAL/TAL).
- Graduate applicants at public institutions are no longer counted within capped enrolment volumes.
(2) PhD study permits targeted for ~14-day processing, including accompanying family (when filed together)
IRCC’s policy also introduces accelerated processing for PhD study permit applications, with a stated target of 14 days. This expedited timeline extends to accompanying family members if they are applying together with the PhD student in the same submission.
Practical implication:
- A significant reduction in lengthy study permit timelines for PhD applicants, provided the file is complete and submitted in the required manner.
(3) Private institutions: no change
For private institutions, the announcement indicates the framework remains the same:
- The enrolment cap still applies, and
- Existing documentation requirements remain in place.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 2026 Target Increased to 91,500
Canada’s federal allocation for Provincial Nominee Programs rises sharply in 2026. The Immigration Levels Plan sets the 2026 PNP target at 91,500, up from the 2025 projected target of 55,000 noted in the policy context provided.
Context provided in the source material:
- In 2025, provincial allocations were reduced by 50% from 2024, with an original expectation of 55,000 PNP spaces that was adjusted during 2025 following the election of a new government.
- In 2026, the planned target is 91,500, representing a substantial increase.
Dedicated PNP Capacity for Physicians: Additional 5,000 Admission Spaces
Separately from the regular PNP allocation, the federal government will reserve an additional 5,000 admission spaces for provinces and territories to nominate licensed physicians with job offers through their PNP streams.
Key detail:
- These spaces are in addition to existing PNP allocations, meaning physician nominations under this set-aside will not reduce provinces’ and territories’ standard annual nomination quotas.
Proposed Accelerated Pathway for U.S. H1-B Visa Holders: Details Still Limited
Budget 2025 signaled that Canada plans to introduce an accelerated pathway for H1-B visa holders in the United States. The stated objectives are to:
- Address labour shortages,
- Attract top talent in key sectors, and
- Strengthen Canada’s innovation ecosystem.
However, the available information remains limited. The proposal has also drawn criticism in the context described—particularly amid higher-than-average unemployment in Canada, including in parts of the tech sector—and its final form (or timing) has not been confirmed in the provided material.
Friendly reminder: There are many pathways to immigrate to Canada. We recommend first using UNA AI to generate an objective and neutral immigration plan, so you can gain an initial understanding of the possible immigration pathways and their requirements, and then choose to proceed with one-on-one consultations with a licensed Canadian immigration consultant partnered with UNA.
Canada Changes How Super Visa Income Requirements for Parents and Grandparents Are Calculated, with New Rules Taking Effect on March 31
The Canadian federal government announced in Ottawa on March 20, 2026, that it will change how income requirements are calculated for the Parents and Grandparents Super Visa starting March 31, 2026. The new policy, to be implemented by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is intended to make it easier for more families to qualify while ensuring that family members receive adequate financial support during their stay in Canada. Under the updated rules, a host’s income will no longer be assessed based only on the tax year immediately preceding the application. Instead, hosts may qualify by meeting the requirement in either of the two preceding tax years. In addition, if the host and co-signer have already met the required minimum percentage of income, the income of the visiting parent or grandparent may also be used to make up the remaining amount. IRCC said that all applications already in processing as of March 31, 2026, as well as those submitted on or after that date, will be assessed under the new criteria.
03/21/2026
Ontario Resumes Provincial Immigration Invitations for Master’s and PhD Graduates, with Over 1,100 Candidates Invited
On March 18, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted its third round of invitations of the year and completed six targeted draws on the same day, issuing a total of 1,243 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Among them, 1,107 ITAs were issued through the Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams, marking the first invitations under these two streams since September 17, 2024. The draws mainly targeted international student graduates and foreign workers with Canadian work experience in specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) occupations. At the same time, Ontario also issued 136 ITAs through its Employer Job Offer streams. These invitations came as the province moves ahead with a major restructuring of its immigration system, with several current categories scheduled to be revoked on May 30, 2026, and replaced by a new framework.
03/20/2026
Canada’s Latest Express Entry French-Language Draw Issues 4,000 Invitations, With Cut-Off Score Falling to 393
On March 18, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence through the Express Entry system to candidates with French-language proficiency. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required in this round was 393, dropping below the 400-point threshold and marking a notable development in recent French-language category-based draws. This selection was not only the 17th Express Entry draw of 2026, but also the third consecutive day of invitations this week, and the third draw this year targeting candidates with French-language ability. Although only three French-language draws have been held in 2026 so far, the category has already received 18,000 ITAs, ranking second among all draw types after the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
03/19/2026
Latest Express Entry CEC Draw Issues 4,000 Invitations, With Score Dropping to the Lowest Level in 18 Months
On March 17, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence through an Express Entry draw targeting Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required in this round was 507, marking a further decline compared with recent CEC draws and representing the lowest cut-off score for the category in the past 18 months. As Canada continues in 2026 to focus more heavily on candidates already in the country, applicants with Canadian work experience are emerging as one of the main beneficiary groups in the Express Entry system.
03/18/2026
Latest Express Entry Draw Issues 362 Invitations to Provincial Nominees
On March 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 362 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence to candidates under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) through the Express Entry system. In this round, candidates were required to have a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 742 and to have created their Express Entry profile before 8:35 p.m. UTC on October 5, 2025. This was the 15th Express Entry draw of 2026 and the sixth targeted draw for provincial nominees this year. Overall, IRCC’s selection pattern in 2026 continues to show a clear preference for candidates already in Canada, particularly those with provincial nominations or Canadian work experience. For more information on past Express Entry draws, readers can visit UNA’s dedicated page.
03/17/2026
British Columbia Invites Two Types of Entrepreneur Immigration Candidates in Latest Draw, Issuing Invitations Under Both Base and Regional Streams
British Columbia recently held a new draw under the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) program of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), issuing invitations to eligible candidates under both the Base and Regional streams. Those invited were mainly business applicants planning to establish a new business in British Columbia or acquire and expand an existing one. In this round, the minimum invitation score was 117 for the Base stream, with 7 invitations issued, while the minimum score for the Regional stream was 129, with fewer than 5 invitations issued. Since the start of 2026, British Columbia has completed five entrepreneur-category draws, reflecting the province’s continued steady pace in attracting business immigrants and supporting regional economic development.
03/16/2026
Canada Eases Hiring Limits for Low-Wage Temporary Foreign Workers in Rural Areas
The Canadian federal government has announced a temporary easing of rules for rural employers using the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027. Under the new policy, eligible rural employers in participating provinces and territories will not only be allowed to maintain their current number of low-wage temporary foreign workers, but will also be able to increase the cap on these workers from 10% to 15% of their total workforce. The move is being seen as a targeted policy adjustment aimed at addressing persistent labour shortages in rural and remote communities. However, the measure will apply only in provinces and territories that choose to participate, and the federal government has not yet released a list of those jurisdictions.
03/14/2026
Canada’s Immigration Reform Bill C-12 Passes Key Legislative Stage, Expanding Powers Over Work Permits, Study Permits, and Permanent Residence Documents
Bill C-12, introduced by the federal government, has become one of the most significant immigration reform measures in Canada in recent years. According to public legislative records, the bill, titled the Strong Borders Act, passed third reading in the Senate on March 12, 2026, and is now listed on the official legislative tracker as “awaiting royal assent.” The immigration-related provisions of the bill are concentrated in three main areas: granting the Governor in Council broader authority to pause, terminate, or alter immigration applications and issued documents; reshaping asylum eligibility rules in Canada; and expanding the scope of personal information sharing between the immigration department and other government institutions. For international students, work permit holders, permanent resident visa applicants, and potential refugee claimants, the bill could bring substantial and far-reaching changes once it formally comes into force.
03/13/2026
Northwest Territories Opens Employer-Driven and Francophone Immigration Streams, First EOI Draw Set for March 25
The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) officially opened its Employer-Driven and Francophone Streams on March 9, 2026. The Employer-Driven Stream has transitioned to an Expression of Interest (EOI) selection model, with its inaugural draw scheduled for March 25, when up to 65 eligible candidates will be invited to submit full applications. The Francophone Stream will continue accepting direct applications on a first-come, first-served basis. For the 2026 cycle, the federal government has allocated 197 nomination spaces to the Northwest Territories.
03/11/2026
Canada Introduces Two New Facilitated Work Permit Pathways for Youths from Taiwan and Portugal
Canada has recently introduced two new facilitated work permit pathways under the International Experience Canada (International Experience Canada, or IEC) program for young people from Taiwan and Portugal. These are the TGPI program for Taiwanese youth and the Inov Contacto program for Portuguese youth. Both new pathways offer employer-specific work permits and include tailored arrangements in terms of program structure, financial support, and eligibility requirements. At the same time, applicants from Taiwan and Portugal may still continue to apply under the regular criteria for the IEC Young Professionals category. The new policy suggests that Canada is further expanding youth talent exchange and short-term employment cooperation with specific countries and regions through bilateral youth mobility arrangements.
03/10/2026
