The Government of Canada has announced temporary border measures in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and growing regional concerns involving Uganda and South Sudan. Beginning May 27, 2026, Canada plans to temporarily suspend the issuance of certain immigration documents to residents of affected countries for 90 days. Starting May 30, some travellers who have recently been in high-risk regions will also be required to complete a 21-day self-is

Statistics Canada has released new travel data for March 2026, showing an increase in international visitors. The total number of non-resident travellers entering Canada exceeded 1.6 million, marking a 4.7 percent increase over last year. Trips to Canada by United States residents rose by 4.4 percent to reach 1.3 million arrivals. Most American visitors travelled by automobile, and over half of those drove across the border for same-day trips. Overseas resident arrivals also

A group of American applicants are reporting significant delays and a lack of transparency regarding their Canadian citizenship-by-descent applications. Despite applying as soon as interim measures were introduced in March 2025, many early applicants have found their files stalled in the Immigration Department’s program support unit – a division typically reserved for complex cases. Meanwhile, newer applicants who submitted their files after the formalization of the "lost Can

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Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has shifted toward a culture of refusal, where officers apply subjective criteria and unpublished benchmarks to deny applications.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

Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), recently concluded Citizenship Week 2026 by hosting ceremonies across Ottawa, Lunenburg, and Halifax. From April 12 to 18, approximately 6,000 individuals from 40 different countries took the oath of citizenship in over 80 ceremonies nationwide. This year’s events emphasized the importance of reconciliation, with many ceremonies featuring Indigenous Elders who shared land acknowledgements and

The Government of Saskatchewan has passed The From Many Peoples, Strength Act, establishing a permanent framework to celebrate the province's diverse cultural and faith groups. This legislation eliminates the requirement for communities to request formal proclamations annually for their specific heritage days, weeks, or months. By codifying these recognitions into law, the province ensures they are automatically observed each year, supported by standalone documents that deta

Newly released data from March 2026 shows a significant shift in Canada’s refugee and immigration processing, marked by a record 8,584 finalized protection claims that outpaced new intakes for the first time in years. This surge in productivity led to the first notable decrease in the pending claim inventory since 2024, bringing the total down to 295,522. However, while initial claim backlogs eased, the Refugee Appeal Division faced its highest volume of new filings to date

The Federal Government is moving to update immigration rules to allow for the digital capture of passport information. This technology would allow applicants to scan their electronic passports (ePassports) remotely to automatically fill out their forms. By using this system, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to reduce manual data entry errors and verify the authenticity of travel documents when an application is submitted. While the new process adds an

The Federal Government has introduced a series of regulatory amendments under the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration Systems and Borders Act to modernize the in-Canada asylum system. These changes focus on addressing system-wide bottlenecks caused by a surge in refugee claims through several key measures, including a new single online application process and the enforcement of stricter timelines for ministerial due diligence. Notably, the reforms ensure that eligible claiman

A new commentary from the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association argues that international law has an important, but limited, role in Canadian immigration decisions. The commentary says countries still control who may enter under domestic rules, while universal human rights standards set real boundaries, including non-discrimination, protection from inhuman treatment, and respect for family life. In practice, tribunals interpret the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act u

Thunder Bay has completed a Welcoming Communities Analysis aimed at improving support for newcomers and advancing long-term population growth under the city’s Growth Action Plan. The work was led by the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission with Community Services and the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association. Leaders say recent immigration strengthened the workforce, but expected policy shifts could slow arrivals, making retention essential. The analysis poi

The Canada Border Services Agency announced it has paused all deportations to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar due to dangerous conditions in those countries. The temporary measure applies to anyone facing removal from Canada, except those convicted of serious crimes or linked to security threats. Officials say the situation has become too risky for civilians across these nations. The suspension will stay in place until conditions improve and the risk to

The Ministry of Immigration and Career Training has secured $96,000 in compensation for a victim of unlicensed immigration consulting. Yan Wang, operating without proper authorization, collected fees for services but never filed the required documents with the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program. Instead, Wang provided falsified paperwork to the client. After a thorough investigation, ministry officials, exercising their authority under the Immigration Services Act, issue

The Government of Canada announced temporary measures allowing rural employers to increase the proportion of low-wage temporary foreign workers they can hire from 10% to 15% of their workforce. The change is intended to help rural businesses address persistent labour shortages and will apply from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, following a request from a province or territory. At the same time, sector-specific rules will remain in place: employers in the health care,

Prince Edward Island saw exceptional tourism performance in 2025, welcoming 1.87 million visitors, a 10% increase over the previous year. Visitor spending jumped 12.4%, outpacing the national average of 4.4%. The province recorded 1,126,108 paid overnight stays, its highest total ever. Four coastal regions reached new milestones, while shoulder-season travel increased 18% since 2019. Food and beverage receipts grew 6%, golf rounds rose 155, and museum visits climbed 29%. Tou

Starting March 31, 2026, Canadians will see modest increases in passport and travel document fees as the government adjusts pricing to reflect inflation and rising operational costs. A 10-year adult passport will cost $163.50, up $3.50 from the current rate, while 5-year adult passports increase by $2.50 to $122.50. Child passports rise by $1.50 to $58.50. This marks the first fee adjustment in 13 years. The government also announced a new service guarantee: beginning April

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association has published a comprehensive report recommending the creation of a Canadian Business Immigration Council to reshape how the country approaches entrepreneur and investor immigration. The report, titled "Engine of Growth," addresses Canada's declining business immigration numbers—from 30,000 annual admissions to just 500 under current plans. CILA's proposal centers on adaptive governance rather than fixed policies, calling for coll

A Quebec-based resort is facing serious legal consequences after a lengthy investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Authorities laid charges on February 26 at the Granby courthouse against company directors and an employee for hiring 21 foreign workers without proper authorization. The violations allegedly took place between May 2022 and April 2024. The investigation began in December 2022 following a public tip, and a search in September 2024 yielded suffi

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