Immigration Minister Lena Diab unveiled new Express Entry categories during a speech and question-and-answer session at the Canadian Club Toronto Wednesday, outlining plans to attract global talent while continuing policies that reduce temporary residents.
These proposed changes could shape pathways to permanent residency for international students.
Canada’s immigration minister said the federal government is attempting to “restore control and balance” to the country’s immigration system after pandemic-era growth strained housing, infrastructure, and social services.
“We needed a reset,” Diab said. “Canadians gave our government a clear mandate to reduce and stabilize immigration, and that is what we are doing.”
The government met its 2025 immigration targets, admitting 393,500 permanent residents, while also reducing the number of temporary residents, including international students and foreign workers, she said during the question-and-answer session.
The changes come as international students remain central to Canada’s long-term immigration strategy, but face tighter controls following recent caps and policy adjustments.
New Express Entry categories
Diab announced that existing category-based Express Entry draws will continue for sectors such as health care, trades, STEM, and French-speaking candidates.
However, new categories introduced for 2026 include:
- researchers and senior managers with Canadian work experience
- transport occupations such as pilots and aircraft mechanics
- skilled foreign military recruits with job offers from the Canadian Armed Forces
The minister also highlighted a previously announced category targeting foreign medical doctors with Canadian experience, with invitation rounds already underway.
Express Entry, launched in 2015, manages applications for the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program, and Federal Skilled Trades Program. Candidates are ranked based on education, work experience, language ability, and other factors.
Diab said the program will continue to support Canada’s labour shortages and innovation strategy, including a $1.7 billion federal initiative to attract world-leading researchers.
“Tomorrow’s economy will be driven by innovation and technologies like artificial intelligence,” she said. “Growing these industries creates jobs and opportunities for the future.”
Impact on international students
For many students at Humber Polytechnic, Express Entry remains one of the main pathways to permanent residency after graduation, particularly for those transitioning from post-graduate work permits into the labour market.
During the Q&A, Diab emphasized that international students remain a “big asset” to Canada but acknowledged recent reforms were necessary after some students across the country failed to receive promised education or adequate supports.
“We value the contributions international students make, not just to our economy, but also to our social fabric,” she said. “But adjustments needed to happen.”
The government introduced caps on study permits in 2024 and 2025 to ensure institutions and communities have capacity for housing and services, a policy shift that affected enrolment planning at colleges and universities, including Humber.
However, Diab said a key change for 2026 includes removing caps on graduate-level and career-focused programs, a move intended to attract high-skilled researchers and talent.
The policy could benefit Humber’s growing postgraduate certificate and applied research programs, which often serve as stepping stones for international graduates seeking Canadian work experience.
“We want the best and brightest in the world to be able to come to our institutions and stay,” she said.
Temporary vs. permanent pathways
The minister also stressed that temporary visas, including study permits, should not be viewed as automatic pathways to permanent residency.
“When you come here on temporary visas, it is temporary until such time you apply for permanent residency and find a path for it,” Diab said.
At the same time, she noted Express Entry and targeted immigration categories are designed to provide those pathways for candidates with skills Canada needs.
Immigration recalibration
The policy changes reflect a broader federal strategy to stabilize population growth while maintaining economic immigration.
Diab said asylum claims declined by one-third in 2025 and fewer temporary residents arrived compared with the previous year, contributing to easing housing pressures in some cities.
Despite tighter measures, she said Canada remains open to immigrants.
“The door is open,” Diab said. “We are just doing some recalibration.”
