The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has highlighted the important contribution immigrants and migrant workers make to municipalities across Canada. During a panel discussion held at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual meeting in Edmonton, municipal leaders warned that recent immigration reductions are creating labour shortages and increasing pressure on local services. Many immigrants and migrant workers are employed in sectors that communities depend o

Ontario is introducing major updates to its provincial immigration regulation starting May 30, 2026. These new changes allow the government to completely redesign the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The province will now have the legal power to easily create or remove individual immigration streams based on local needs. Officials aim to simplify the application process and better target current labour shortages. The new rules also strengthen program integrity. For i

A joint study by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Statistics Canada shows that only 20% of recent immigrants worked in their intended occupation in 2021. The data reveal that occupational match rates were higher for individuals with graduate degrees, applicants from developed source countries, and those with pre-admission Canadian work experience. Among the individuals who did not secure a matching position, a large share shifted into lower-skilled employment.

A British Columbia forestry enterprise currently facing insolvency proceedings has been penalized $429,000 and banned from employing migrant workers for two years following a federal investigation. Inspectors determined that Vancouver-based San Industries Ltd. breached five sections of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. The violations included failing to provide advertised wages and working conditions, failing to match positions with approved labour market as

A recent analysis of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) argues that Canada’s use of age-based criteria is an outdated policy that contradicts national values regarding non-discrimination. Under current regulations, applicants receive zero points for age if they are over 45, a practice critics compare to prohibited forms of bias in employment. Research indicates that the assumption of older immigrants being a burden on social services is empirically incorrect, as pension b

In a new report titled Resetting Expectations: Canada’s Economy in a Lower-Immigration Era, economists Don Drummond and Parisa Mahboubi warn that Canada's reduced immigration targets represent a fundamental structural shift. They project that real GDP growth could fall to just 0.4% in 2026, significantly trailing official forecasts from the Bank of Canada and the Federal Government's recent economic updates. The authors emphasize that upcoming monthly employment declines, est

The number of payroll employees in Canada decreased by 60,200 in February 2026, marking a 0.3% decline that followed a modest gain in January. Despite the employment losses, average weekly earnings grew by 1.4% month-over-month to reach $1,338.24, representing a 3.4% increase compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, job vacancies remained relatively stable at 497,200, though they have decreased by 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio edged up

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced some details on the In-Canada Workers Initiative to transition 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residence by 2027. Minister Lena Metlege Diab confirmed that the initiative prioritizes individuals who have lived in smaller or rural communities for at least two years and have already applied for PR through regional programs such as the Provincial Nominee Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, or various

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly announced $6 billion Team Canada Strong program signals a significant federal commitment to the skilled trades, creating a development that prospective immigrants should monitor closely. While the initial framework focuses on domestic recruitment, the goal of adding 100,000 Red Seal workers highlights a critical labour shortage that has traditionally driven skilled immigrants into the country. As Canada aims to fill 1.4 million trade positio

Nova Scotia has refined its immigration priorities to address critical labour shortages, with a primary focus on healthcare and skilled trades. Effective April 27, 2026, candidates in these sectors at TEER levels 0–4 are prioritized, including both international applicants and temporary residents already working in the province. Additionally, the province may consider candidates already working in Nova Scotia in selected sectors, including natural sciences, education, natural

Effective May 1, 2026, Nova Scotia will implement a 12-month validity period for all Expressions of Interest (EOI) to enhance inventory management and ensure alignment with current labour-market needs. Under the new measures, EOIs submitted before May 1, 2024, will be closed immediately on the effective date. Those submitted between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026, will remain active until April 30, 2027, unless selected sooner. For all new submissions moving forward, profile

Canada’s longstanding commitment to multiculturalism is facing a critical test as temporary residents remain in prolonged legal limbo. While the Federal Government provides robust support for Francophone communities, non-official language ethnocultural groups often lack similar institutional recognition. Current policies frequently prioritize overseas applicants over integrated temporary workers and students who have already proven their success within the Canadian economy. E

The Government of Saskatchewan has utilized approximately 26% of its 2026 Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) allocation, issuing 1,223 of its 4,761 total available spots. Data reveals that priority sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and technology, have seen the highest activity, accounting for 689 nominations so far. To maintain labour market balance, the province continues to manage capped sectors through specific intake windows, with the next scheduled

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

The fourth annual Premier’s Summit on Fairness for Newcomers recently convened in Alberta, bringing together employers, educators, and newcomers to address barriers to professional integration. Under the theme of unlocking newcomer skills, Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the importance of improving foreign credential recognition and expanding mentorship opportunities to ensure immigrants can contribute to their full potential. The provincial government highlighted recent l

Garnett Genuis, Conservative Shadow Minister for Employment, has criticized the Liberal Government’s latest youth employment announcement as a repackaging of old commitments that fail to address rising job losses. Highlighting that Canada recently lost over 50,000 youth jobs, the Conservatives are proposing a Youth Jobs Plan centred on aligning immigration with housing and labour market realities. The plan advocates for fixing foreign credential recognition and adjusting stu

In response to persistent labour shortages, the Manitoba Government has officially opted into two federal temporary measures for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to support employers outside the Winnipeg area. Effective from April 14, 2026, until March 31, 2027, these measures allow eligible rural and northern employers to bypass standard restrictions on low-wage positions. Specifically, businesses can maintain their current proportion of temporary foreign workers

Statistics Canada’s latest analysis highlights how immigrants and non-permanent residents who arrived between 2019 and 2024 navigated a fast-changing labour market shaped by post-pandemic job vacancies. Using a 2024 Labour Force Survey supplement, the report examines core working-age newcomers (aged 25 to 54) and compares them with earlier immigrant cohorts. Many newcomers secured their first job quickly, with 42.5% of recent immigrants and 48.5% of recent non-permanent resi

Alberta has introduced Bill 26, the Immigration Oversight Act, to restore confidence in the immigration system by increasing provincial oversight of employers, foreign worker recruiters, and immigration consultants. If passed, the legislation would require employers to register before using federal temporary foreign worker programs and would create a licensing framework for recruiters and consultants. The province says these measures will help curb fraud, exploitation, and l

Canada has extended certain temporary work permit measures for Ukrainians in response to Russia’s ongoing war. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said Ukrainians who arrived under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) and related measures will get an additional year to apply to extend their work permit. Eligibility includes Ukrainians and family members who arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024, as well as some CUAET holders permitted to a