Employers who break the rules of Canada's temporary foreign worker program now face much steeper penalties. Fines have jumped from $102,250 across 74 companies in 2018-19 to $4.8 million for 147 companies last fiscal year. McMaster University professor Catherine Connelly notes the government shifted from an educational approach to a deterrence strategy. The change comes as public scrutiny of the program intensified. Despite larger penalties, experts believe many violations s

Canada stands at a crossroads as experts debate the country's immigration future amid a shrinking working-age population. Economic analysts suggest the government's plan to maintain near-zero population growth through 2028 represents a necessary correction following rapid expansion that strained housing, healthcare, and public services. However, policy advocates warn that without a comprehensive national strategy, this pullback threatens long-term economic prosperity and lea

Statistics Canada has released a comprehensive analysis examining the demographic characteristics and socioeconomic experiences of Chinese populations throughout the country. Published on February 13, 2026, the report finds that this community doubled in size between 1996 and 2021, reaching 1.7 million individuals, representing 4.7% of Canada's total population. The study highlights significant diversity in immigration patterns, with nearly half born in China and over one-qu

Canada's immigration system is under increasing strain as backlogs continue to grow. A year after initial job cuts, the department has seen permanent and temporary immigration applications rise by 2.6 percent to over 2.1 million, while backlogged cases exceeding service standards jumped 12.7 percent. Citizenship application backlogs increased from 17 to 23 percent, and refugee claims awaiting decisions climbed to more than 300,000. The situation appears set to worsen, with 3

Canadian immigration tribunals are ordering the deportation of numerous clients who used the services of Sunny Wang, a Richmond-based immigration consultant at the center of what authorities call the country's largest immigration fraud case. Wang generated $10 million over eight years by creating falsified Chinese passports and fraudulent documents for hundreds of clients seeking permanent residency. While some family members are being permitted to remain on humanitarian gro

Canada's immigration security apparatus is struggling with fundamental structural weaknesses that have allowed security threats to slip through multiple agency checkpoints, according to recent policy analysis . The system involves four separate federal bodies – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – each maintaining distinct databases and risk assessme

A new poll shows that Canadian attitudes toward immigration have shifted dramatically, with 48 percent now viewing it negatively – marking the lowest level of support in eight years. The survey , conducted in mid-January 2026, reveals that only 34 percent believe immigration has a positive effect on the country, down from 54 percent in early 2022. This decline spans all age groups and most regions, though British Columbia remains slightly more favourable than other provinces.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a comprehensive affordability package designed to help all Canadians, including newcomers, manage rising costs. The centrepiece is the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, which boosts support by 25% over five years starting July 2026, with families of four receiving up to $1,890 this year. The government is also dedicating $500 million to prevent businesses from passing supply chain costs to consumers, creating a $150 million Foo

Ministers Gary Anandasangaree and Sean Fraser released comprehensive National Commitments to Combat Antisemitism on January 26, following the devastating Bondi Beach attack in Australia that claimed fifteen lives during Hanukkah celebrations. The framework strengthens law enforcement training, expands hate crime units, and enhances security for vulnerable communities. Building on last year's National Forum, the strategy includes legislative reforms through Bill C-9, which cr

Despite pledges to double housing construction to 500,000 homes annually, Canada managed only 259,028 housing starts last year, according to data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Toronto saw a sharp 31% decline in starts compared to 2024, while other major Ontario cities experienced a 13% drop. With CMHC estimating that 430,000 to 480,000 units per year are needed to address demand, the shortfall remains significant. High development charges – exceeding $1

Canada has once again demonstrated its commitment to strengthening Francophone communities outside Quebec by exceeding its 2025 immigration target. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced that the country welcomed French-speaking permanent residents at a rate of 8.9%, surpassing the 8.5% goal and marking the fourth straight year of achieving the target. This success stems from coordinated efforts among federal, provincial, and territorial governments and community p

A new global study has ranked Ottawa as the city with the highest quality of life in North America, surpassing major hubs like New York, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. The annual index, which evaluates factors such as safety, healthcare, purchasing power, and environmental quality, placed Canada’s capital at the summit of the continental rankings for 2026. Other Canadian cities also performed strongly, reflecting the country's high standards for public infrastructure and soci

Statistics Canada reports that population growth in major urban centres slowed dramatically between July 2024 and July 2025, marking a significant shift from recent trends. Canada's 41 census metropolitan areas grew by just 1.0%, down sharply from 3.5% the previous year. The decline stems primarily from a reduction in the number of non-permanent residents following new federal immigration policies. Toronto saw virtually no population change, while Montreal and Vancouver expe

On January 13, 2026, the Government of Canada announced a $640,000, three-year investment to support the "Culture d’entreprise" project, an initiative led by the Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF) and Culture pour tous. This funding aims to facilitate the integration of French-speaking newcomers into the workforce by developing intercultural toolkits that bridge the gap between business environments and Francophone culture. As part of the Action Plan for Offic

Canada saw a decrease in international arrivals in December 2025, with combined figures for returning residents and foreign visitors down 12.7% from the previous year. Statistics Canada reported that 4.6 million people entered the country by air and automobile, continuing an 11-month streak of year-over-year declines. Non-resident air arrivals totalled 752,700, down 1.1%, driven primarily by an 8.9% drop in U.S. visitors, though overseas travellers increased by 6.6%. Canadia

Statistics Canada's latest census data reveals the country's remarkable linguistic landscape, tracking language knowledge across immigrant populations from various periods. While English and French remain Canada's official languages, the data highlights significant growth in other major languages spoken at home. Mandarin leads among Chinese languages with 987,300 speakers, followed by Cantonese at 724,925. Punjabi speakers number 942,165, while Hindi reaches 761,425. Tagalog

Statistics Canada's latest quarterly data show that Canada admitted 102,867 immigrants in the third quarter of 2025, maintaining steady immigration levels compared with previous quarters. However, the period also saw a significant increase in emigration, with 41,203 Canadians leaving the country—nearly double the Q2 2025 figure. Meanwhile, 21,147 former emigrants returned home during the same period. Net emigration reached 20,056, reflecting growing outward migration pattern

According to a new Statistics Canada report , October 2025 marked a turning point for cross-border travel as US visitors to Canada rose 3.0% year-over-year, ending an eight-month decline. Meanwhile, overseas arrivals jumped 11.7%, driven by European and Asian travellers, with France, the UK, and China leading source countries. However, Canadian trips abroad fell sharply by 18.4%, particularly automobile trips to the US, which dropped 30.2%. The data reflect shifting travel pa

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated the data on immigration inventories and backlogs. According to the last update, there were 2,182,200 applications for permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship approvals in all IRCC inventories. According to the new data, 53.8% of applications in the inventory are within service standards. IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within its service standard; however, some complex cases may require a

Canada's job market saw vacancies fall by 14,000 positions in the third quarter of 2025, marking a 2.8% decrease to 492,500 openings. This decline follows similar drops earlier in the year and extends a downward trend that began after vacancies peaked at nearly 986,000 in mid-2022. Full-time and permanent positions bore the brunt of the reduction, while part-time and temporary roles remained relatively stable. Year-over-year figures show even steeper declines, with full-time