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

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

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 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

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

The Government of the Northwest Territories has announced the final 2026 Expression of Interest (EOI) draw for the Northwest Territories Nominee Program's Employer-Driven Stream, scheduled for September 25, 2026. Prospective applicants must submit their EOI profiles by September 22, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. MT to be considered, with approximately 100 profiles set to be selected. The upcoming draw follows three previous intake rounds held in March, June, and August 2026, which yiel

New international student and temporary worker arrivals to Canada fell by 66% between January and July 2026 compared to the same period in 2024, representing a decrease of 275,010 arrivals. Official government data shows that new international student arrivals reached 28,200 during the first seven months of 2026 against an annual target of 155,000, down 80% from 2024 levels. Total active study permit holders declined to 590,205 by July 31, 2026, dropping from over one million

The total number of pending refugee protection claims before the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) fell to 259,085 by the end of August 2026, marking a continuous decline from a peak exceeding 300,000 cases in late 2025. Official monthly statistics provided by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) show that intake of new claims remained low at 2,898 in August 2026, down sharply from 13,235 claims reported in August 2024. Meanwhile, RPD finalizations reached 11,590

On September 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the third Express Entry draw for senior managers with Canadian work experience. IRCC issued 250 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in the third draw of the week. In round #444, the cut-off score was 389, 3 points fewer than the previous draw for senior managers. The tie-breaking rule for this round was September 01, 2026, at 23:05:13 UTC. As of September 13, 2026, 226,793 profiles were registered in the E

On September 15, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada held Express Entry draw #443 for Canadian Experience Class candidates. IRCC issued 2,000 invitations to apply, with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System score of 519. The tie-breaking rule was March 26, 2026 at 00:16:39 UTC. This was the second CEC draw in September: on September 1, IRCC also invited 2,000 candidates, but the CRS cut-off was 521. The latest round therefore kept the number of invitations unc

IRCC has released updated application processing data as of July 31, 2026. Since the beginning of the year, the department has finalized 1,832,065 temporary residence applications, including 126,230 study permit applications and 1,530,125 visitor visa applications. Another 394,325 temporary residence applications had not yet been finalized. In permanent residence processing, IRCC reported 255,325 pending economic immigration applications, 165,445 family-class applications and

Canada has ended a temporary public policy that allowed certain permanent residents to sponsor immediate family members who had not been declared or examined when the sponsor originally immigrated to Canada. The policy applied primarily to certain resettled refugees, protected persons and people who had obtained permanent residence as sponsored spouses, partners or dependent children. Under the exemption, eligible sponsors could sponsor a spouse, partner, or dependent child e

On September 14, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held Express Entry draw #442 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 576 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 734 points, 37 points higher than in the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was August 29, 2026, at 21:39:50 UTC. As of September 13, 226,793 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool, incl

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a temporary public policy allowing foreign nationals with valid work permits to pursue short-term studies of six months or less without a study permit, including those who received a subsequent work permit while already in Canada. The ability to study for up to six months without a study permit already exists under section 188(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, but the program must no

Following the official entry into force of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) between Canada and the United Kingdom on September 1, 2026, eligible British citizens can now access LMIA-exempt work permits in Canada. Under exemption code T52, UK professionals with pre-arranged Canadian employment in qualified fields can obtain work permits without Canadian employers completing a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The updated a

The Government of Quebec has updated its guidance for people recognized as refugees or persons in need of protection who are living in the province. After a positive decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) or approval of a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment by IRCC, applicants should submit an application for permanent selection to Quebec and an application for permanent residence to the federal government at the same time. A Quebec permanent selection applic

Surging immigration security screening volumes have caused significant backlogs, leaving thousands of citizenship and permanent residence applicants facing multi-year delays. According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), screening requests rose from 356,200 in 2019 to a peak of 538,100 in 2024, then eased to 438,600 after federal intake reductions. The Canada Border Services Agency currently manages tens of thousands of active files. At the same time, the Im

On September 4, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the third occupation-specific Express Entry draw of the year for candidates working in healthcare and social services occupations. In round #441, IRCC issued 3,500 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the cut-off score was 475 points (the same as it was in the last draw for this category). The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 26, 2026, at 00:26:14 UTC. As of August 30, 2026, 226,673 profiles wer