Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s
Forward Regulatory Plan

Regulations amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (language testing requirements for certain work permit applicants under the International Mobility Program)

Enabling Acts: Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

Description

The International Mobility Program (IMP) is a temporary workers program managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), which facilitates the entry of individuals in support of Canada’s broad economic, social, and/or cultural objectives.

An amendment is being proposed to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (the Regulations) to authorize the Department to require applicants to submit language test results from a designated third-party organisation to demonstrate that they meet applicable language proficiency requirements.

The objective of the amendment is to improve the reliability, transparency, and efficiency of language assessments under the IMP, and to help ensure only those who are best positioned to successfully integrate the labour market and potentially transition to permanence residence obtain a work permit.

Regulatory cooperation efforts (domestic and international)

Regulatory cooperation efforts are not required.

Potential impacts on Canadians, including businesses

The proposed regulatory changes could impact businesses who recruit temporary workers, as the introduction of language testing requirements as an eligibility criteria under certain IMP streams may reduce the pool of eligible candidates. However, it could also increase employer confidence in hiring as test-validated language proficiency has proven to support foreign nationals’ workforce integration and long term economic outcomes. This change could also support greater worker retention for employers over the long-term as official language proficiency increase the ability of workers to transition from temporary to permanent residence.

Consultations

The target date for pre-publication of the final amendments in the Canada Gazette, Part I, is spring/summer 2026, for a 30-day comment period.

Broad consultations with provinces and territories were undertaken in February 2025 and private sector stakeholders were consulted in November 2025.

Further information

Additional information that supports this regulatory initiative can be requested from the departmental contact.

Departmental contact information

Tooba Housany
Director, Temporary Workers
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Email: IRCC.IMPProgramDesign-ConceptionduprogrammePMI.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

Date the regulatory initiative was first included in the Forward Regulatory Plan: July 2, 2025