Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s 2025–26 Departmental plan: At a glance
A departmental plan describes a department’s priorities, plans, and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years.
Key priorities
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) top priorities for the next three years include:
- well-managed and coordinated migration
- nimble and equitable humanitarian response
- client service excellence
- program integrity and evidence-driven policies that translate into public confidence in the immigration system
- sound internal management
Reconciliation, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts underpin IRCC priorities and remain fundamental to our work. Digital modernization is a key component that will significantly help simplify and modernize IRCC programs.
These priorities will help us achieve our mandate and objectives and will help IRCC with its day-to-day work. It comes at a pivotal point, as various external and internal factors shape the work of IRCC, including for example decisions to reduce annual immigration levels and introduce caps to the international student program. These priorities build on earlier consultations and reviews, such as the Strategic Immigration Review, and the transformation underway via the Digital Platform Modernization programme, which will help IRCC meet growing expectations in a digital age.
By focusing on these priorities over the next three fiscal years, IRCC is confident that it will be able to provide an immigration system that is nimble, and balances policies and programs to meet Canada’s immigration and citizenship needs.
Highlights
In 2025–26, total planned spending (including internal services) for IRCC is $5,174,027,652 and total planned full-time equivalent staff (including internal services) is 12,689. For complete information on IRCC’s total planned spending and human resources, read the Planned spending and human resources section of the full plan.
The following provides a summary of the department’s priorities and planned achievements for 2025–26 according to its approved Departmental Results Framework. A Departmental Results Framework consists of a department’s core responsibilities, the results it plans to achieve, and the performance indicators that measure progress toward these results.
Core responsibility (CR) 1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers
Planned spending: $427,247,353
Planned human resources: 3,210
Departmental results:
DR1: Entry to Canada of eligible visitors, international students and temporary workers is facilitated
DR2: Facilitation of temporary entry helps to generate economic benefits
Temporary residents including visitors, international students, and temporary workers provide contributions to Canada’s social, cultural, and economic landscape. However, the country is experiencing system-wide pressures across critical sections, including housing and access to social services. The Government acknowledges these pressures and is ensuring we have the capacity to deliver key services. To ensure a well-managed migration system, the Government is reducing the share of temporary residents to 5% of the total population by the end of 2026. Setting these targets and reducing volumes strengthens the integrity and quality of Canada’s temporary resident programs.
More information about CR1: Visitors, International Students and Temporary Workers can be found in the full plan.
Core responsibility 2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration
Planned spending: $3,999,913,801
Planned human resources: 4,557
Departmental results:
DR3: Potential permanent residents are selected for immigration to Canada
DR4: Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports
DR5: Immigrants and refugees achieve economic independence and contribute to labour force growth
DR6: Immigrants and refugees feel part of and participate in Canadian society
This year’s Levels Plan reduces permanent resident targets starting in 2025 and forecasts decreases for the next two years. These reductions will pause short-term population growth and help to achieve well-managed, sustainable growth in the long term. The Department’s economic immigration streams will be adjusted to prioritize transitioning workers already in Canada to permanent residency. Labour shortages in specific areas will continue to be filled through programs that target rural and Northern communities.
More information about CR2: Immigrant and Refugee Selection and Integration can be found in the full plan.
Core responsibility 3: Citizenship and Passports
Planned spending: $117,646,909
Planned human resources: 1,844
Departmental results:
DR7: Eligible permanent residents become Canadian citizens
DR8: Canadians’ international travel is facilitated
In 2025–26, the Citizenship Program will continue to facilitate and modernize its activities and improve processing efficiencies. The Passport Program will implement new strategies, including moving towards digital solutions for passport modernization.
More information about CR 3: Citizenship and Passports can be found in the full plan.
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