🍁 Canada Study & Immigration Weekly Digest
Week 4, February 2026 (Feb 22–28) | Based on IRCC, CBC, and official provincial releases
📉 New International Students Drop ~90% | New Temporary Foreign Worker Permits Down Nearly 70%
(Dec 2023 vs Dec 2025)
(same period)
December 2025
According to the latest IRCC temporary resident statistics (released Feb 26, 2026), new study permit holders in Dec 2025 fell ~90% compared to Dec 2023. New work permits saw a similar sharp contraction. This reflects the Carney government’s rapid tightening of temporary resident inflows to ease pressure on housing, healthcare, and infrastructure.
⚡ This Week’s Key Policy Updates (with Official Links)
Federal Express Entry Adds Five New Priority Categories – Work Experience Requirement Doubles to 12 Months
On Feb 18, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced 2026 category adjustments, prioritizing “plug-and-play” high-skilled talent.
- Foreign doctors with Canadian work experience
- Researchers (with Canadian experience)
- Senior managers (specific NOC senior management classes)
- Transport sector roles (pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, inspectors)
- High-skilled military personnel recruited by Canadian Armed Forces (military doctors, nurses, pilots)
Continuing Categories: French language proficiency, healthcare/social services, trades, education, STEM. Agriculture category removed.
• All categories now require at least 12 months full-time Canadian work experience in past 3 years
• CRS score still matters, but category-based draws significantly boost ITA chances
C-12 “Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Border Act” – Senate May Remove “Over 1 Year in Canada Bars Refugee Claim” Clause
Senate committee, after hearing from refugee councils and others, leans toward deleting the key clause (barring refugee claims for those in Canada >1 year). Originally aimed at preventing temporary residents/students from using refugee route to avoid removal.
Estimated Impact: ~37% of asylum claims (≈19,000) from Jun–Oct 2025 could be affected.
Study Permit Financial Threshold $22,895/year + Full PAL Enforcement – Most Master’s/PhD Exempt
Single applicant living expense proof (excluding tuition): CA$22,895/year (effective Sep 1, 2025).
National new study permit cap: 155,000 (excluding master’s/PhD).
From Jan 1, 2026, master’s/PhD applicants at public DLI exempt from PAL (Provincial Attestation Letter).
- Ontario: ≈104,780
- Quebec: ≈93,069
- British Columbia: ≈32,596
IRCC Releases First Artificial Intelligence Strategy – Quaid Chatbot Handles ~80% Routine Inquiries
AI to assist with document summarization, application triage, fraud detection, and low-risk acceleration – but all refusal decisions remain human-made.
Rule-based Quaid chatbot now independently answers ~80% of website queries.
🏛️ Provincial Nomination & Core Data Overview (2026 Official)
Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) 2026: Total allocation 197 places. Introduces EOI scoring system. First draw Mar 25 (max 65 invites). Employer-driven stream opens Mar 9.
| Metric | 2026 Latest Figure | Trend | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| New study permit annual cap | 155,000 (new arrivals) | Total issuances ~408,000 (incl. extensions) | IRCC Nov 25 Announcement |
| Study permit living expense proof | $22,895/year (single) | Tuition separate | IRCC Official |
| Express Entry work experience requirement | 12 months in past 3 years | Doubled from 6 months | IRCC Feb 18 Announcement |
| Overall temporary resident target | Continued tightening | <5% of population by 2027 | 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan |
🔮 Weekly Policy Recap + Applicant Action Guide
📉 Contraction Phase: Sharp Temporary Resident Reductions
New international student inflows down ~90% in two years – businesses feel labour shortages, but housing/public service pressures eased. Quebec PEQ closure lawsuits ongoing.
🎯 Precision Shift: Express Entry Fully Targets “In-Demand” Talent
Agriculture removed, some trades (e.g., cooks) impacted – major opportunities open in healthcare, research, transport, military sectors.
📚 This Week’s Key Authority Sources (Clickable)
- IRCC temporary resident drop data → The Indian Express / IRCC
- Express Entry 2026 new categories → IRCC Official
- 2026 Study Permit Cap & PAL → IRCC Nov 25 Announcement
- C-12 Bill Progress → CIC News
- IRCC AI Strategy & Quaid → IRCC Official
