Genuineness of the job offer (Sept 17). IRCC has substantially rewritten its officer instructions for assessing whether a job offer is genuine on work permit applications. The instructions now separate the IMP and TFWP assessment steps. They add a procedural fairness process for getting information directly from the employer when genuineness is in doubt, and they address how officers handle extrinsic information. Expect more direct employer contact, so prepare employer client

IRCC ran three rounds in mid-September. On September 14 (#442), a PNP round invited 576 candidates at a CRS cut-off of 734. On September 15 (#443), a CEC round invited 2,000 at 519. On September 16 (#444), IRCC held the first round under the new "Senior managers with Canadian work experience" category, inviting 250 candidates at a CRS of 389. For managerial clients with Canadian experience, that low cut-off makes profile eligibility under this category a priority to check now

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has updated its guidance for Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) applications, allowing applicants to submit their forms, supporting documents and written submissions online through Canada Post Connect. IRCC encourages applicants to use the online option rather than mail, noting that electronic submissions are received immediately and can allow an eligible stay of removal to be registered faster. Applicants must first receive a PRRA

The provincial Government of Manitoba announced that the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) database is currently experiencing technical issues that are affecting several processing systems. Technical teams are actively working to resolve the system disruptions and restore full functionality as quickly as possible. The program announced the outage on September 28, 2026, advising applicants and stakeholders of the temporary technical difficulty. Further updates are exp

On September 28, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held Express Entry draw #445 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 733 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 725 points, nine points fewer than in the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was September 17, 2026, at 01:36:17 UTC. As of September 27, 229,904 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool.

Canadians made 342 million domestic trips and 14.3 million overseas visits in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, according to new data from Statistics Canada. Travel to the United States declined significantly, dropping to 23.1 million visits, largely driven by a 21.5% drop in leisure and recreation trips. Overseas travel increased, with Mexico, the Dominican Republic, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy ranking as the top international destinations for Canadian travelle

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its operational instructions for study permit renewals under the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP). To qualify for renewal, applicants must hold a valid study permit issued under the pilot and provide a valid letter of acceptance (LOA) or letter of enrolment confirming continued full-time study in an eligible post-secondary program of at least two years at a participating institution, leading

On September 25, 2026, Newfoundland and Labrador held its 16th selection round through the Enhanced Expression of Interest (EOI) system and issued 41 invitations, all under the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP). This was the province’s fourth selection round in September and the third this month exclusively for NLPNP candidates. The other September draws were held on September 4, when 97 NLPNP invitations were issued; September 10, with 36 NLPNP inv

On September 24, 2026, the Government of British Columbia conducted new draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Programs (BCPNP). The province held the largest draw under the High Economic Impact pathway and issued invitations to apply to 714 skilled candidates with the potential to create a high economic impact in the province. The selection criteria targeted two distinct groups: 426 candidates in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 positions earning a minimum wage of $52 per

Alberta released the results of the recent Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) immigration draws. On September 10, 15, and 18, the province invited 166 candidates under the Alberta Express Entry Stream – Priority Sectors (manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare) pathway. On September 21, the province invited up to 10 candidates under the Law Enforcement Pathway, followed by 100 candidates under the Accelerated Tech Pathway on September 22. Additionally, the provin

Canada's population reached an estimated 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, according to the latest quarterly demographic estimates from Statistics Canada. The population grew by 80,343 people, or 0.2%, during the second quarter of 2026. Permanent immigration served as the primary growth driver, adding 99,148 newcomers to the country, while the population of non-permanent residents decreased by 18,875 due to fewer international study and work permit holders. Natural increase contrib

New Brunswick published the results of its recent draws using an expression of interest system to streamline immigration applications for the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). From September 10 to September 18, 2026, the province conducted four new draws and issued 610 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to qualified candidates. The new draws were conducted under the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream – Employment in New Brun

Canada's population reached an estimated 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, according to the latest quarterly demographic estimates from Statistics Canada. The population grew by 80,343 people, or 0.2%, during the second quarter of 2026. Permanent immigration served as the primary growth driver, adding 99,148 newcomers to the country, while the population of non-permanent residents decreased by 18,875 due to fewer international study and work permit holders. Natural increase contrib

Newfoundland and Labrador has launched public consultations to guide the development of the province's 2026 – 2031 Population Growth Strategy. Designed to address labour shortages, support economic expansion, and build resilient regional communities, the government policy initiative focuses on four key pillars: growing the workforce, growing families, expanding regional settlement, and increasing overall in-migration. Public feedback gathered through the EngageNL platform, al

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its operational instructions to clarify eligibility criteria under the temporary public policy (TPP) exempting select in-Canada applicants from completing an Immigration Medical Examination (IME). Operating until October 5, 2029, the policy permits applicants residing in Canada who completed an IME within the five years prior to submitting their application to provide their previous IME or Unique Medical Identifi

Manitoba: EOI Draw #279 (September 10) issued 233 Letters of Advice to Apply to profiles in Broad Occupational Category 3 (Health occupations) and to candidates whose MPNP language of communication is French with a valid French test result; a further 508 LAAs went to top-scoring profiles where the applicant or spouse completed Manitoba post-secondary education, at a ranking score of 825 for the lowest-ranked candidate invited; candidates in regulated, fully licensed Manitoba

IRCC held three rounds of invitations in the past week. On September 14, a Provincial Nominee Program-specific round issued 576 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 734. On September 15, a Canadian Experience Class round issued 2,000 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 519. On September 16, a category-based round for Senior Managers with Canadian Work Experience (2026-Version 1) issued 250 ITAs at a CRS cut-off of 389. Clients close to these cut-offs, particularly in the CEC and PNP streams, should

Hundreds of Iranian nationals residing in Canada face potential inadmissibility after receiving procedural fairness letters from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) about mandatory military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Since Ottawa designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, former conscripts who performed non-combat, administrative duties risk losing work permits and permanent residency status. Iranian nationals and immigrat

Canada's official languages education sector experienced a 13% year-over-year decline in student enrolments and a 19% drop in student weeks during 2025, according to Languages Canada's annual survey. The downturn was primarily driven by cumulative immigration policy shifts, study permit restrictions, and visa uncertainties introduced between 2023 and mid-2025. Data show that only 13% of 2025 language students entered via study permits, while 40% used Electronic Travel Authori

Escalade Transportation Inc. and Hafiz Tariq Ayub face three charges each under Section 22 of Saskatchewan's Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act for alleged violations occurring between November 2022 and August 2023. The Regina-based employer is accused of distributing false or misleading information, misrepresenting job duties, pay, and terms of employment, and taking unfair advantage of foreign workers' fear or lack of experience. The provincial Ministry