Overview
- IRCC-derived figures reported Jan. 2 show about 1,053,000 work permits expired by the end of 2025 and roughly 927,000 more are set to expire in 2026.
- Nearly 315,000 expiries are expected in the first quarter of 2026, up from more than 291,000 in the last quarter of 2025, raising warnings of a processing bottleneck.
- Temporary residents lose legal status when permits lapse unless they secure another visa or transition to permanent residency, options that have become more restrictive.
- A consultant projects up to two million people could be out of status by mid-2026, with Indians potentially accounting for about half, noting the estimate is conservative.
- Local strains are emerging in parts of the Greater Toronto Area, and worker advocates including the Naujawan Support Network plan January protests calling for reform.