The permanent residence fees will increase on April 30, 2026, to account for inflation and the rising costs of program delivery. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, these adjustments occur every two years to ensure the immigration system can manage growing demand while maintaining reliable service standards. The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) will see a $25 increase, bringing the total to $600. Other significant adjustments include the Provincia

Nova Scotia has refined its immigration priorities to address critical labour shortages, with a primary focus on healthcare and skilled trades. Effective April 27, 2026, candidates in these sectors at TEER levels 0–4 are prioritized, including both international applicants and temporary residents already working in the province. Additionally, the province may consider candidates already working in Nova Scotia in selected sectors, including natural sciences, education, natural

On April 28, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #413, the cut-off score was 514 points, one point fewer than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was September 24, 2025, at 14:18:43 UTC. As of April 26, 2026, 234,452 profiles were registered in the Express Entry po

Parti Quebecois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is under fire from federal ministers and advocacy groups following remarks made at a recent town hall regarding "frerism" and Muslim immigration. St-Pierre Plamondon suggested that an ideology linked to the Muslim Brotherhood is a documented reality in Europe but remains undocumented in Canada because it aligns with the Federal Government's "post-national" agenda. Federal ministers Jean-Yves Duclos and Marc Miller dismissed the

Effective May 1, 2026, Nova Scotia will implement a 12-month validity period for all Expressions of Interest (EOI) to enhance inventory management and ensure alignment with current labour-market needs. Under the new measures, EOIs submitted before May 1, 2024, will be closed immediately on the effective date. Those submitted between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026, will remain active until April 30, 2027, unless selected sooner. For all new submissions moving forward, profile

On April 27, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #412 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 473 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the round’s cut-off score was 795 points, nine points more than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was April 13, 2026, at 23:10:05 UTC. As of April 26, 2026, 234,452 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. This ye

Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From April 11 to April 24, Canada invited 4,447 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of April 24, 28,471 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 530 ITAs for Australia, 8 ITAs for Austria, 60 ITAs for Belgium, 60 ITAs for Chile, 14 ITAs for Costa Rica, 8 ITA

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) has issued a formal letter to Immigration Minister Lena M. Diab, expressing grave concerns over the "piecemeal" release of details regarding the upcoming Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident (TR to PR) Program. CILA reports that significant program signals are reaching the public through social media interviews and commercial platforms before official IRCC channels. This information gap has led to widespread anxiety amon

On April 23, 2026, the Government of Ontario conducted more invitation draws in the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream (EJO FW), International Student Stream (EJO IS), and In-Demand Skills Stream (EJO IDS) of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). In these draws, the province targeted candidates living in Eastern, Northern, and Southwestern Ontario. The OINP issued 697 invitations to apply (ITAs) under the EJO FW Stream, 686 ITAs under the EJO IS Stream, and 719

Canada’s longstanding commitment to multiculturalism is facing a critical test as temporary residents remain in prolonged legal limbo. While the Federal Government provides robust support for Francophone communities, non-official language ethnocultural groups often lack similar institutional recognition. Current policies frequently prioritize overseas applicants over integrated temporary workers and students who have already proven their success within the Canadian economy. E

On April 23, 2026, Manitoba held the invitation round #269 under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). The province invited 308 candidates under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba stream. The draw invited 192 candidates under the occupation-specific selection and 116 candidates under the Skilled Worker pathway. In this round, 105 invitations were extended to candidates with a valid Express Entry profile number and a job seeker validation code. In 2026, the MPNP invited

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has overhauled its selection criteria to align with the province’s "Look West" strategy, focusing on three pillars: Care, Build, and Innovate. Effective immediately, the program will prioritize 36 healthcare and education roles, 9 skilled trades for infrastructure projects, and high-impact talent across all sectors. The Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) stream has officially closed, and no new international student st

As of April 23, 2026, the Employer Position Assessment (EPA) replaces the Job Approval Form (JAF) under SINP, introducing a more structured and time-sensitive process. Employers must submit EPAs through their OASIS account with complete documentation, as incomplete applications will not be accepted. The system now distinguishes between capped sectors, which are limited to intake windows and one candidate per EPA, and non-capped sectors, where submissions are open and can incl

On April 22, 2026, the Government of British Columbia held the third Skills Immigration invitation draw under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) and issued invitations to apply to 484 skilled candidates with the potential to create high economic impact in the province. The selection criteria targeted two distinct groups: 252 candidates in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 positions earning a minimum wage of $62 per hour and $125,000 per year while working full-time

On April 22, 2026, the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) issued 674 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a general draw for the Masters Graduate stream. The minimum score of this round was 61 points, 31 points more than it was in the previous draw. In addition, Ontario has invited 244 candidates under the PhD Graduate Stream. The minimum score for this draw was 56 points (+7). The profiles of selected candidates were created between April 22, 2025, and April 20, 2026. In t

The Government of Saskatchewan has utilized approximately 26% of its 2026 Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) allocation, issuing 1,223 of its 4,761 total available spots. Data reveals that priority sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and technology, have seen the highest activity, accounting for 689 nominations so far. To maintain labour market balance, the province continues to manage capped sectors through specific intake windows, with the next scheduled

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its data on application inventories and backlogs, reporting that as of February 2026, there were 2,092,700 applications across permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship streams in all IRCC inventories. Approximately 55% of applications are currently within service standards, while IRCC continues to aim to process 80% of applications within established timelines, noting that more complex cases may

Recent data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals a sharp downward trend in temporary resident arrivals, with a 72% decrease in new student and worker permits issued in early 2026 compared to the same period in 2024. This decline follows several federal measures, including an annual cap on international student study permits and a 10% limit on low-wage temporary foreign worker hiring. While the total number of permit holders currently in Canada rema

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) has sent an open letter to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, highlighting systemic failures in the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. Representing over 540 lawyers, CILA argues that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has shifted toward a culture of refusal, where officers apply subjective criteria and unpublished benchmarks to deny applications. Key issues identi

The fourth annual Premier’s Summit on Fairness for Newcomers recently convened in Alberta, bringing together employers, educators, and newcomers to address barriers to professional integration. Under the theme of unlocking newcomer skills, Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the importance of improving foreign credential recognition and expanding mentorship opportunities to ensure immigrants can contribute to their full potential. The provincial government highlighted recent l