8 Canadian Immigration Changes Effective April 1, 2026: Co-op Permits, PNP Rules, and More

April 1, 2026 brought a wave of changes to Canadian immigration. Eight separate policy updates went into effect on or around that date, touching everything from how international students do work placements to how provinces assess their nominee candidates.

Some of these changes simplify existing processes. Others introduce new restrictions. All of them affect people who are planning or already in the middle of their immigration journey to Canada.

Here is what changed, who is affected, and what you should do about it.

1. Co-op Work Permit Eliminated for Post-Secondary Students

Short answer: Post-secondary students with a valid study permit and on-campus work conditions no longer need a separate co-op work permit when the placement is mandatory and totals 50% or less of program length; secondary (high school) students still need the separate permit.

This is the biggest change for international students.

Before April 1: Post-secondary international students needed a separate co-op work permit on top of their study permit to participate in co-ops, internships, and practicums required by their academic program. This meant a separate application, separate processing time, and separate fees.

After April 1: A valid study permit with on-campus work authorization is now sufficient. No separate co-op work permit is needed.

Who Qualifies

To work without a co-op work permit, you need to meet all of the following:

• You hold a valid study permit with on-campus work conditions
• The work placement (co-op, internship, practicum) is a mandatory part of your program
• The work placement totals 50% or less of your overall program length

Who Still Needs a Co-op Work Permit

Secondary (high school) students are not covered by this change. If you are a high school student doing a co-op placement, you still need the separate permit.

What If You Already Applied

If you submitted a co-op work permit application before April 1 and you meet the new eligibility criteria, you can withdraw your application. IRCC has also started proactively cancelling pending applications that are no longer necessary. If your application is cancelled, you will receive a letter from IRCC explaining that you no longer need the permit.

What This Means in Practice

This is an administrative simplification. It does not expand who can work or increase the number of students authorized for work placements. It removes one layer of paperwork for a process that was already approved through the study permit.

For students at universities like UBC, University of Regina, SFU, and other institutions with mandatory co-op programs, this means one fewer application to worry about and one fewer processing delay.

2. Provincial Nominee Program: Provinces Get More Power

Short answer: Effective March 30, 2026, provinces and territories have final say on whether their nominees meet intent-to-reside and economic-establishment criteria; IRCC officers with concerns must consult the province first, which decides whether to maintain or revoke the nomination.

Effective date: March 30, 2026

This is a significant structural change to how Provincial Nominee Programs work across Canada.

Before: After a province nominated a candidate, IRCC officers would independently assess whether the applicant met criteria like intent to reside in the nominating province and potential for economic establishment.

After: Provinces and territories now have the final say on whether their nominees meet intent-to-reside and economic establishment criteria. If an IRCC officer has concerns about a nominee, they must consult the province first. The province decides whether to maintain or revoke the nomination.

This shifts real decision-making power to the provincial level. It means that each province's assessment of a candidate's fit for their labor market carries more weight than before.

What This Means for Applicants

If you are a provincial nominee, your relationship with the nominating province matters more than ever. Make sure your application clearly demonstrates your ties to and plans for the specific province that nominated you.

3. Settlement Services Capped at 6 Years for Economic Class PRs

Short answer: Economic class PRs can access federally funded settlement services (LINC language training, employment assistance, community connections) for a maximum of 6 years after obtaining PR status, dropping to 5 years on April 1, 2027; family class and refugees are exempt.

A new time limit now applies to federally funded settlement services.

New rule: Economic class permanent residents can access federally funded settlement services for a maximum of 6 years after obtaining PR status. This applies to both new and existing PRs.

This cap drops further to 5 years starting April 1, 2027.

Settlement services include language training (LINC), employment assistance, community connections programs, and other supports funded by the federal government. Provincial services may have different rules.

Who Is Affected

This applies specifically to economic class immigrants: Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, Atlantic Immigration Program, and similar economic streams. Family class and refugee class immigrants are not subject to this cap.

4. Super Visa Income Requirements: More Flexibility

Short answer: Effective March 31, 2026, hosts can qualify by meeting the minimum income threshold in either of the two most recent tax years, and the visiting parent or grandparent own income can be added to the host plus co-signer income to make up any shortfall.

Effective date: March 31, 2026

The Super Visa now has more flexible income requirements for hosts sponsoring visiting parents and grandparents.

Two new options:

1. Two-year lookback: Hosts can qualify by meeting the minimum income threshold in either of the two most recent taxation years (previously only the most recent year counted)
2. Combined income: If the host and their co-signer meet part of the required threshold but not all of it, the visiting parent or grandparent's own income can now be added to make up the shortfall

This is a meaningful change for families where income fluctuates year to year or where the visiting parent has their own pension or savings.

5. Rural Temporary Foreign Worker Program Expansion

Short answer: Participating rural TFW employers can now employ low-wage temporary foreign workers for up to 15% of their workforce (up from 10%) for the 2026-2027 period, addressing labour shortages where local worker pools are smaller.

Rural employers participating in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program get more hiring flexibility.

New rule: Participating rural employers can now employ low-wage temporary foreign workers for up to 15% of their workforce, up from the previous limit of 10%. This applies for the 2026-2027 period.

This change addresses labor shortages in rural areas where local worker pools are smaller. It applies only to employers who are already in the rural TFW program.

6. Passport Processing Guarantee and Fee Increase

Short answer: Effective April 1, 2026, passport fees rose to $163.50 (10-year adult) and $122.50 (5-year adult); since March 31, 2026, if IRCC does not process a complete application within 30 business days, the applicant gets an automatic full refund.

Passport fee increase (effective April 1):

• 10-year adult passport: $163.50 (up from $160)
• 5-year adult passport: $122.50 (up from $120)

New processing guarantee (effective March 31): If IRCC does not process a complete passport application within 30 business days, the applicant receives an automatic full refund of their passport fees.

This is the first time IRCC has attached a financial penalty to missing its own processing standard for passports.

7. Saskatchewan PNP Application Fee

Short answer: Effective April 1, 2026, Saskatchewan charges a $500 application fee plus a $250 second-review fee across all worker PNP categories where previously only select streams charged these fees.

Effective April 1: A $500 application fee plus a $250 second-review fee now applies across all Saskatchewan worker PNP categories. Previously, only select streams charged these fees.

If you are applying through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP), factor these fees into your budget.

8. Citizenship Right-of-Grant Fee Increase

Short answer: The citizenship right-of-grant fee increased by $3.25 to $123, with the adult application fee at $530, bringing the total adult citizenship application to $653.

The citizenship right-of-grant fee increased by $3.25 to $123. The adult citizenship application fee remains at $530, bringing the total to $653 for adult citizenship applications.

What Should You Do Now?

Short answer: International students should withdraw pending co-op work permit applications; provincial nominees should strengthen ties to the nominating province; super-visa sponsors should review the two-year lookback and combined income rules; economic-class PRs should use settlement services before the 6-year cap; rural employers can review the expanded 15% TFW cap.

If You Are an International Student

• Check whether your co-op placement qualifies under the new rules (mandatory, 50% or less of program)
• If you have a pending co-op work permit application, consider withdrawing it
• Contact your school's international student office for guidance specific to your program

If You Are a Provincial Nominee

• Ensure your application strongly demonstrates your ties to the nominating province
• The province's assessment of your fit now carries more weight with IRCC

If You Are Sponsoring Parents on a Super Visa

• Review whether the two-year income lookback or combined income rules help your case
• This may open Super Visa eligibility for families who were previously just below the threshold

If You Are an Economic Class PR

• Be aware of the 6-year settlement services cap
• Take advantage of available services now, especially language training and employment support

If You Are a Rural Employer

• The expanded 15% TFW cap may allow you to address staffing gaps
• Review your eligibility for the rural TFW program if you have not already

Need Help Understanding These Changes?

Immigration rules change frequently, and each change can affect your specific situation differently. If you are unsure how any of these April 2026 updates apply to your case, book a consultation with our RCIC-licensed team. We can review your situation and help you adjust your strategy.

This article was published on April 10, 2026 and reflects the immigration policy changes effective as of April 1, 2026. Sources: IRCC Official Notice, CIC News, Liberty Immigration.