The Canadian Government partnered with the Northwest Territories to enhance the integration and long-term retention of French-speaking and bilingual newcomers. Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced an allocation of approximately $860,000 under the Francophone Immigration Support Program. This funding targets areas outside Yellowknife to improve regional employer engagement, streamline foreign credential recognition, and raise awarenes

The Canadian Government will launch the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge to extend temporary work permits for thousands of foreign workers. Announcements from Winnipeg Members of Parliament Kevin Lamoureux and Terry Duguid confirm that roughly 2,700 provincial nominee candidates can extend their status until December 31, 2027. This temporary measure serves as a follow-on to previous public policies, preventing critical work authorizations from expiring while the provincia

The Federal Court of Canada recently ruled that a study permit refusal was procedurally unfair when an immigration officer failed to question an applicant about credibility concerns. An IRCC officer rejected a study permit because they doubted the family relationship between the applicant and her brother, who provided financial support. The officer did not give the applicant a chance to address this specific doubt before making a final decision. Justice Tsimberis found that t

On July 7, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in this draw. In round #424, the cut-off score was 517 points, one point more than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was December 29, 2025, at 17:49:27 UTC. As of July 5, 2026, 235,127 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. So fa

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are partnering to strengthen French-speaking minority communities and address local labour shortages. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced a $1.3 million investment to support promotional initiatives, targeted research, and enhanced skills recognition for bilingual candidates. This project will be managed in collaboration with the Economic Development Council for Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities to streamline the immigrati

On July 6, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #423 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 534 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 708 points, 22 points fewer than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was June 4, 2026, at 14:49:51 UTC. As of July 5, there were 235,127 profiles registered in the Express Entry pool. This year, th

Many Iranian nationals who came to Canada under special humanitarian measures are struggling to reunite with their families due to tightening immigration rules. Federal data reveals that immigration officials approved only 25 spousal open work permits for Iranian applicants over the past two years. The Federal Government recently introduced stricter eligibility requirements to manage the temporary resident population. Spousal applicants must show that their partners have at l

As of July 2, IRCC has updated its estimated processing times for several immigration and temporary residence applications. Applications for work permits submitted from within Canada are currently processed in 129 days, while study permits take approximately 7 weeks and visitor visas 38 days. For applicants outside Canada, work permit processing ranges from 4 weeks in the United States to 9 weeks in India, while study permit processing ranges from 4 weeks in the Philippines t

IRCC has updated its internal guidance for officers assessing whether international students are complying with their study permit conditions. While the underlying regulations have not changed, the revised instructions provide clearer direction on how officers should evaluate enrolment at the designated learning institution (DLI), changes of school or program, academic progress, authorized leaves, and work during periods of leave. The guidance also reinforces that officers sh

On June 24, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the second Express Entry draw for Physicians with Canadian Work Experience. IRCC issued 271 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #421, the cut-off score was only 223 points. The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 31, 2026, at 18:13:49 UTC. As of June 21, 2026, 239,645 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. So far in 2026, the Government of Canada has issued 85,067 invita

On June 23, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in this draw. In round #420, the cut-off score was 516 points, two points fewer than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was April 14, 2026, at 00:03:10 UTC. As of June 21, 2026, 239,645 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. So f

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is sending surrender letters to some people who received Canadian citizenship by descent under Bill C-3. The letters ask these individuals to return their citizenship certificates. The government is questioning the third-party genealogy records used in their applications. Many affected people live in the United States. They relied on these certificates to make major life decisions. Some people even gave up their American cit

On June 22, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #419 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 955 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 730 points, 75 points fewer than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was March 09, 2026, at 01:02:28 UTC. As of June 21, there were 239,645 profiles registered in the Express Entry pool. This year

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is temporarily lifting the twelve-month waiting period for some Ugandans to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA). This change comes because of the worsening security and human rights situation in Uganda. A PRRA checks if a person faces danger or persecution if they return home. Normally, people must wait one year after a negative immigration decision to apply. Now, eligible Ugandan nationals who received a negative

Canada's Immigration Minister, Lena Metlege Diab, marked World Refugee Day on June 20, 2026. This year also represents the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The minister highlighted Canada's proud history of helping those who flee danger and stated that refugees make valuable contributions to local neighbourhoods and the economy. Canada aims to welcome refugees through fair and well-managed programs. The government will continue working with partners to build l

The number of new international students and temporary workers arriving in Canada has declined sharply. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), total arrivals fell by 73 percent between January and April 2026 compared to the same period in 2024. New study permits dropped by 84 percent following strict annual caps and enhanced fraud prevention measures. Work permits fell by 67 percent due to a ten percent limit on low-wage hiring. Meanwhile, the gover

Recent data shows a major shift in Canadian international student demographics following federal cap restrictions on post-secondary levels. The overall number of international students in secondary schools or lower remained stable between 115,000 and 125,000 from 2023 to 2025. In contrast, post-secondary international student numbers fell drastically from 544,000 to 263,000 during the same period. Other study sectors also dropped from 47,000 to 21,000, causing the relative sh

On June 10, 2026, Newfoundland and Labrador held the seventh round of selection through the Enhanced Expression of Interest (EOI) system, issuing a total of 108 invitations. Of these, 89 were sent to candidates under the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP), while 19 went to applicants through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Last year, Newfoundland and Labrador invited a total of 3,376 applicants under the NLPNP and AIP. So far, the province ha

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has increased its daily capacity for online passport renewals to help travellers ahead of the summer season. The immigration department raised the daily application limit to 1,500 submissions. This adjustment follows previous caps of 1,250 applications per day. The government first launched this online renewal pilot program in late 2024 for a limited group of citizens. Officials stated that a gradual rollout allows staff to

Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From May 23 to June 5, Canada invited 3,179 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of June 5, 33,227 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 656 ITAs for Australia, 3 ITAs for Austria, 20 ITAs for Belgium, 18 ITAs for Chile, 10 ITAs for Costa Rica, 8 ITAs for