Canadian immigration readjustment under Minister Lena Metlege Diab

by Michael Scott

In her first year of service the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lena Metlege Diab introduced several changes that included processing of permanent residence applications, streamlining of temporary residence processing and increased stricter screening for asylum seekers. The changes are worth noting because Diab was made minister just over one year ago on May 13, 2025.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Carney and his first minister of immigration the department moved away from the centralized approach of the past. Minister Diab started by increasing planning numbers for permanent residence to 91,500 for the current year up from 55,000 in 2025. The actual numbers of landing targets decreased to 109,000 down for the operational year 2026 down from 124,680 in 2025. However, economic admissions rose slightly from 232,800 in 2025 to an estimated 239,800 in 2026. The new immigration minister is fundamentally restructuring Canada’s economic immigration. The broad occupation-wide lists of the past are being reduced. IRCC is shifting the focus to high-wage, specialized career sectors and French-speaking candidates along with accelerated permanent residency for 33,000 existing in-Canada workers.

The In-Canada Workers Initiative was first introduced in November 2025. The targeted occupation strategy for Canadian immigration focuses on identifying labour gaps and boosting high-wage talent. Her policies emphasize healthcare, trades, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and rural-focused shift for temporary workers. Minister Diab spoke about this initiative in an interview with the Toronto Star in May 2026.

“Part of this initiative,” the minister reported, consists of “initially accelerating eligible applications from existing inventories of work permit holders who have applied for permanent residence through programs like PNP and Atlantic Immigration Program.”

The initiative hoped to land 3,600 temporary workers in January and February with the remaining 13,000 to be landed by 2027.

In terms of ongoing recruitment targeted occupations such as Physicians with Canadian work experience, senior managers with Canadian experience, researchers with Canadian experience as well as transport managers and skilled military recruits. There are still occupations for the spouses of skilled PGWP holders, but the principal applicant must have a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation. To date, IRCC has held two draws from their existing inventory with the new categories and invited 250 service managers, 391 physicians, and the recent Canadian Experience Class invitations number between 2,000 to 8,000 ITAs.

Diab’s approach should reduce spousal sponsorships with the family included with the primary applicant and lead to faster processing and backlog reductions. It is expected that Minister Diab will continue her reforms with an emphasis on in-demand occupations like education, healthcare, and trades. It is expected that lower PR targets will lead to an increase in competition for the spots and potentially new draw categories or CRS points requirements. The overall modernization of family reunification may see reduced processing times, more digital intakes, and expansion of open work permits for waiting spouses and partners. Canada is considering a 12-month processing goal under the family stream. In terms of study permits IRCC will continue tightening of the student visa system included caps on intake, higher financial proof thresholds and PGWP restrictions. The minister’s intention is to provide genuine students with stricter oversight on Designated Learning Institutions and introduction of pathways to PR for graduations in key sectors of the economy. Canada plans to reduce temporary residents to five per cent of the total population to reduce the pressure on housing, healthcare and infrastructure. The government should benefit from the experience of Minister Diab with Atlantic immigration. IRCC has a well-qualified minister to see IRCC through the difficult readjustment period.

Michael Scott is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, R525678) who has 30 years of experience with Immigration Canada and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. He currently works as a licensed consultant with Immigration Connexion International Ltd. Contact him at 204-691-1166 or 204-227-0292. E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail.com.