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,

Kelowna has broadened its Francophone Community Immigration Pilot by introducing eight new occupations and launching a dedicated business and finance sector. French-speaking professionals can now pursue permanent residence through 25 priority roles that offer hourly wages of $21- $28 across six economic sectors. The program features seven intake periods beginning June 2026, with applications accepted from the 15th to the 30th of each month. Applicants need NCLC Level 5 Frenc

A recent Postmedia-Leger poll reveals that most Albertans back Premier Danielle Smith's plan to limit temporary immigrants' access to provincial services. The survey found 63% support for restricting healthcare, education, and social programs to citizens, permanent residents, and provincially approved immigrants. This comes as Alberta faces a $9.4-billion deficit and strained public systems due to record immigration. Smith plans to present 9 referendum questions later this y

Canada's International Experience Canada program has introduced two new opportunities for young professionals. The Inov Contacto initiative now welcomes participants from Portugal, while Taiwan's Global Pathfinder Initiative opens doors for Taiwanese applicants. Both programs fall under the Young Professionals stream of the International Mobility Program, which promotes cultural exchange and work experience between Canada and partner countries. These bilateral arrangements s

On March 6, 2026, 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 March 3 to March 6, 2026, the province conducted four new draws and issued a total of 622 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to qualified candidates. The new draws were conducted under the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream – E

Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new  draws  under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From February 21 to March 6, Canada invited 8,676 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of March 6, 28,404 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 645 ITAs for Australia, 20 ITAs for Austria, 70 ITAs for Belgium, 68 ITAs for Chile, 23 ITAs for Costa Rica, 7

The Government of Alberta has launched nominations for the 2026 Alberta Immigrant Impact Awards, a program honouring immigrants who have made meaningful contributions across the province. The awards span eight categories, including Arts and Sports, Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Young Leader. Associate Minister of Multiculturalism Muhammad Yaseen emphasized the importance of recognizing how newcomers support businesses, drive innovation, and volunteer in communities. Nomination

On March 4, 2026, the Government of Canada announced that it will continue offering temporary immigration relief to Iranian nationals already living and working in the country. The measures, first introduced in February 2023 due to ongoing instability in Iran, now allow Iranians holding valid work permits issued on or before February 28, 2025, to apply for extensions. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated these provisions will remain in effect until March 31, 2

On March 4, 2026, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)  updated  the processing times for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under various streams. Based on statistics from all processing centres, the average LMIA processing time has decreased for all streams except the Global Talent and High-wage streams. Global Talent Stream - 12 business days (+1 day) Agricultural stream – 15 business days (-4 days) Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program - 10

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 Saskatchewan Government announced it will continue offering tuition relief to Ukrainian students until March 2030. Students who arrived through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) measures can pay domestic tuition rates at provincial institutions instead of international fees. Saskatchewan remains the only Canadian province to provide this level of support. Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said the extension gives students the stabil

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) introduced new contact procedures effective March 2, 2026. Applicants must now submit inquiries via designated web forms instead of email. This shift aims to make the application process more efficient and cut down response times. French-speaking applicants can still reach out through the immigreraumanitoba.com mailbox. Program officials ask those waiting for replies to earlier emails not to resubmit requests, as duplicate subm

Saskatchewan launched the second intake window for 2026 on March 2, accepting applications across capped sectors including accommodation and food services, retail trade, and trucking. While the intake window filled quickly for accommodation and food services (240 positions) and retail trade (80 positions), the trucking sector remains open with 40 positions still available out of the original 80-position limit. Only workers with six months or less on a valid work permit were

On March 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the fifth Express Entry draw #399 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 264 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the round’s cut-off score was 710 points, 79 points fewer than the previous PNP-targeted draw, and it was the lowest of the year. The tie-breaking rule for this round was August 07, 2025, at 18:02:56 UTC. As of March 15, 2026, 232,534 profiles were regi

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 temporary public policy allowing Iranians in Canada to apply for open work permits has officially expired. The policy , which was available to Iranian nationals who arrived in Canada by February 28, 2025, ended at midnight on March 1, 2026. It had offered open work permits, priority processing, and the option to apply for study permits from within Canada. Originally introduced in February 2023 following civil unrest in Iran after Mahsa Amini's death, the policy was part of

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

A joint study by Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reveals that provincial nominees screened through the Express Entry system achieve better economic outcomes than those admitted through base streams. Enhanced provincial nominees earned 7% to 16% more one year after arrival and 12% more three years later, even after accounting for demographic differences. The research, which analyzed data from 2016 to 2024, shows that 78% of enhanced nominees

On the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Parliamentary Secretary Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk highlighted Alberta's support for displaced Ukrainians. Since the conflict began, the province has welcomed almost 65,000 Ukrainian evacuees who now live in 213 communities across Alberta. Armstrong-Homeniuk noted that millions have been forced from their homes due to the ongoing war, which has become Europe's largest conflict since World War II. She emphasized that U

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has clarified how work permits will be issued to applicants under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) in 2026. Candidates who have submitted a complete permanent residence application under either pilot and hold a valid job offer may qualify for a work permit valid for up to two years while their PR application is processed. These work permits are exempt from t