Canadian immigration tribunals are ordering the deportation of numerous clients who used the services of Sunny Wang, a Richmond-based immigration consultant at the center of what authorities call the country's largest immigration fraud case. Wang generated $10 million over eight years by creating falsified Chinese passports and fraudulent documents for hundreds of clients seeking permanent residency. While some family members are being permitted to remain on humanitarian gro

The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission wrapped up a strong first year of its Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), issuing 475 recommendation certificates to skilled workers across priority sectors, including healthcare, business, and trades. The employer-driven program, which runs through 2029, designated 358 employers across the Thunder Bay region and reviewed nearly 900 applications. CEO Jamie Taylor emphasized the pilot's role in tackling local lab

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has revised its Skills Immigration application fee structure as of January 22, 2026. Workers seeking permanent residency through the program can now apply across three streams – Skilled Worker, Entry Level and Semi-Skilled, and Health Authority – with an application fee of $1,750 CAD. Registration remains free of charge, while review requests cost $500 CAD. The program continues to prioritize candidates who address Bri

Alberta's Advantage Immigration Program has issued 111 nominations from its 2026 allocation of 6,403 spaces, leaving 6,292 spots available as the province continues processing 1,386 applications across multiple streams. The Alberta Opportunity Stream leads with 70 nominations issued and 741 applications under review, currently assessing submissions from October 2025. Meanwhile, the Tourism and Hospitality Stream has granted 10 nominations with 73 applications pending, and th

Canada's immigration system continues to show robust activity , with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada processing over 414,000 permanent residence decisions between January and November 2025, welcoming 367,500 new permanent residents during this period. The citizenship program also demonstrated significant momentum, granting citizenship to 181,600 individuals from April through November. On the temporary residence front, IRCC finalized substantial numbers of applic

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has revised its Instrument of Designation and Delegation, effective December 15, 2025. The update broadens authority across multiple roles, including Director Generals and case processing agents, while introducing three key changes. Officers in Resettlement Operations can now refuse permanent resident visas when Quebec selection criteria are not satisfied. The Director General of the Migration Health Branch regains the auth

The Government of Canada has announced new measures to support Ukrainian nationals who applied through the family reunification pathway to permanent residence. Effective immediately, eligible applicants and their family members can extend their stay in Canada until March 31, 2027, while awaiting decisions on their applications. This extension allows them to apply for new or extended work permits, study permits, or temporary resident status from within Canada—even without rec

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced new guidelines for processing family class permanent residence interviews. The updated procedures address situations where applicants living in Canada cannot attend overseas visa office interviews. Officers now have the authority to evaluate whether concerns can be addressed remotely from Canada or require an in-person meeting at the visa office abroad. The changes, effective January 16, 2026, apply to both f

On January 13, 2026, British Columbia held a draw for business candidates in the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP). In the first draw of the year, the province invited seven candidates in the Base Category of the Entrepreneur Stream. The lowest score of this round was 115 points, the same as in the previous draw, held on December 16, 2025. This stream targets experienced entrepreneurs who plan to establish businesses in the province's urban areas. Last yea

The Government of Yukon has confirmed an allocation of 282 nominations for its 2026 Nominee Program, with two intake periods scheduled for January 19-30 and July 6-17. Employers can submit expressions of interest online, with applications scored based on priority criteria, including regulated healthcare professionals, rural Yukon employers, and foreign nationals who have established roots in the territory. Those who received Temporary Measure Letters of Support in 2024 or 20

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association is raising serious concerns about the state of Canada's immigration framework, which appears to be buckling under systemic pressure. Rick Lamanna, a board director with the organization, points to fundamental issues beyond typical backlogs — namely, the absence of a unified national strategy and policy decisions that seem detached from ground realities. With wait times stretching past a decade in certain programs and recent propos

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued a stern warning to Canadians about a surge in marriage-based immigration fraud. The alert comes as the federal government cuts permanent residency targets by more than 21 percent, dropping from 451,000 approvals in 2024 to 380,000 this year. Officials are urging citizens to exercise caution when considering sponsoring foreign spouses, particularly in cases involving rushed engagements or individuals with multiple

Canada faces a mounting challenge as nearly one million work permits have expired by late 2025, with close to another million set to lapse throughout 2026. This could result in roughly two million individuals without legal status by mid-2026, with South Asian nationals comprising approximately half of this figure. The situation has intensified due to recent policy shifts that have narrowed pathways to permanent residency, particularly affecting international students and tem

The Canadian restaurant sector is bracing for serious challenges as federal immigration restrictions threaten to worsen an already critical staffing crisis. With Ottawa slashing temporary resident admissions by 43 percent for 2026, industry leaders warn this could add another 50,000 vacant positions to the nearly 150,000 openings expected by 2027. Restaurant operators, many of whom are immigrants themselves, say the cuts not only make it harder to recruit reliable staff but

Quebec has become the top province in Canada for retaining newcomers one year after arrival. According to Statistics Canada, 91.5% of permanent residents who landed in 2022 and initially intended to settle in Quebec were still living there 12 months later, compared with 91.3% in Ontario. This comes at a time when interprovincial mobility has been rising across the country since the pandemic. Quebec’s retention rate has grown notably from 85.9% in 2019 to 91.5% in 2022, while

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced immediate changes to its business immigration programs as part of the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan and Canada’s Talent Attraction Strategy. As of December 19, 2025, IRCC has stopped accepting applications for the optional work permit under the Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program, except for applicants already in Canada seeking to extend an existing SUV work permit. The department will also prioritize permanent residence

On December 18, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revised the eligibility criteria for Hong Kong residents applying through Stream B of the permanent residence pathways. Effective immediately, principal applicants must demonstrate at least 1,560 hours of authorized Canadian work experience obtained through paid employment at any skill level within three years prior to submission. Additionally, all applicants are required to have maintained a valid Can

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program has officially reached its 2025 allocation after issuing 10,750 nominations across all available streams. Officials confirmed that applications submitted before the cap was reached, along with new submissions, will be processed under the province's 2026 allocation. The program continues to accept applications without interruption, though processing timelines may extend into next year. Ontario remains one of Canada's most popular destinat

On December 17, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for French language proficiency candidates. In round #388, IRCC issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 399 points, nine points fewer than in the previous draw in this category. The tie-breaking rule for this round was August 24, 2025, at 23:43:05 UTC. This year, Canada issued 113,998 ITAs through 58 Express Ent

On December 16, 2025, British Columbia held two draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). The BCPNP issued 17 invitations to candidates in the Base Category of the Entrepreneur Stream, which is designed for experienced businessmen seeking to establish a new business or acquire an existing one in British Columbia. The lowest score of this round was 115 points. In addition, the province invited up to five candidates in the Entrepreneur Immigration -