Canada is heading toward a serious immigration challenge as a huge number of temporary work permits expire. More than one million work permits ended by the end of 2025, and another 927,000 will expire in 2026. Experts warn this could create a sharp rise in undocumented immigrants, with Indians making up nearly half of them.
These figures were shared by Mississauga-based immigration consultant Kanwar Seirah, who obtained the data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Millions Risk Losing Legal Status
When a work permit expires, a person immediately loses legal status unless they secure another visa, move to permanent residency, or receive refugee protection. But all these options are now harder to access.
Canada has tightened immigration rules for temporary workers and international students and has also added new limits to control asylum claims. This has made it very difficult for many people to stay legally in the country.
Huge Wave of Expiries Coming in 2026
Kanwar Seirah warned that Canada has never faced such high numbers of people losing legal status at one time.
In the first quarter of 2026 alone, nearly 315,000 work permits are expected to expire, creating what he described as a “bottleneck” in the immigration system. By comparison, the last three months of 2025 saw over 291,000 expiries.
Seirah estimates that by mid-2026, at least two million people could be living in Canada without legal status. Indians could make up about half of this number. He called this a “very conservative estimate”, noting that many study permits will also expire and a large number of asylum applications may be rejected.
Social Problems Already Visible in Some Areas
The impact is already being felt in parts of the Greater Toronto Area, especially Brampton and Caledon. Tent encampments have appeared in wooded areas, where undocumented people are living.
Brampton-based journalist Nitin Chopra, who visited one such tent settlement, said there was anecdotal information that many out-of-status immigrants from India were working for cash. He also said that fly-by-night operators were running offices that arrange marriages of convenience.
Activists Demand Change
Groups such as the Naujawan Support Network, which supports workers’ rights, are planning protests in January to highlight the growing crisis.
Toronto-based activist Bikramjit Singh said they are trying to “build momentum” to address the problems faced by immigrant workers who have no legal way to stay in Canada.
The group’s slogan, “Good enough to work, good enough to stay,” reflects their demand for fair immigration reforms that would allow temporary workers and students to remain in Canada legally.
As millions of permits expire and legal options shrink, Canada is facing what experts warn could become one of the biggest undocumented immigration crises in its history — with Indian migrants likely to be among the most affected.
