Employers who break the rules of Canada's temporary foreign worker program now face much steeper penalties. Fines have jumped from $102,250 across 74 companies in 2018-19 to $4.8 million for 147 companies last fiscal year. McMaster University professor Catherine Connelly notes the government shifted from an educational approach to a deterrence strategy. The change comes as public scrutiny of the program intensified. Despite larger penalties, experts believe many violations s

Rodney Sidloski has been charged with six offences under Saskatchewan's immigration legislation for allegedly exploiting two foreign workers at HELP International Shelterbelt Center near Weyburn between 2022 and 2024. The charges include producing false payroll records, misrepresenting employment terms, and taking advantage of the workers' trust and lack of knowledge. These alleged violations occurred at the tree farm operation and involve breaches of the Foreign Worker Recr

On February 18, 2026, the Government of Ontario  conducted  new invitation draws in the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream (EJO FW) and International Student Stream (EJO IS) of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). In these draws, the province targeted candidates working in the skilled trades-related occupations. The OINP issued 951 invitations to apply (ITAs) under the EJO FW Stream and 453 ITAs under the EJO IS Stream. In total, this year, the province issued

Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new  draws  under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From January 24 to February 6, Canada invited 14,982 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of February 6, 31,632 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 2 ITAs for Andorra, 1,029 ITAs for Australia, 82 ITAs for Austria, 159 ITAs for Belgium, 525 ITAs for Ch

Canada saw a modest decline in payroll employment in November 2025, with 26,200 fewer positions recorded than the previous month, according to new data from Statistics Canada. The decrease affected ten of the twenty sectors, particularly retail trade, manufacturing, and accommodation and food services. Despite this monthly pullback, annual figures showed marginal growth, with 48,300 more payroll positions than in November 2024. Average weekly earnings climbed to $1,317.16, m

Over the last week, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the first draws of the year for the International Experience Canada (IEC) pools. From January 1 to January 23, Canada invited 12,693 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of January 23, 35,567 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 1 ITA for Andorra, 1,304 ITAs for Australia, 83 ITAs for Austria, 370 ITAs for Belgium, 2

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a freeze on eligible fields of study for Post-Graduation Work Permits for the remainder of 2026. International students planning to work in Canada after graduation should note that no programs will be added to or removed from the current list of eligible CIP codes this year. This decision provides stability for students already enrolled in qualifying programs, but means those in non-eligible courses will not s

New federal statistics reveal that work permit issuances under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) plummeted to just 2,615 in November 2025, marking the lowest monthly intake since early 2024. This sharp decline follows commitments from federal ministers to "rebalance" the program in response to concerns over housing shortages and wage suppression. While the program saw over 100,000 approvals annually during the post-pandemic peak of 2022–23, the government has since

On January 15, 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). From January 13 to January 15, 2026, the province conducted three draws and issued a total of 379 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to qualified candidates. The new draws were conducted under the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream– Employment in New Brunswick (20 ITAs),

A new global study has ranked Ottawa as the city with the highest quality of life in North America, surpassing major hubs like New York, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. The annual index, which evaluates factors such as safety, healthcare, purchasing power, and environmental quality, placed Canada’s capital at the summit of the continental rankings for 2026. Other Canadian cities also performed strongly, reflecting the country's high standards for public infrastructure and soci

Three co-owners of Marina Dosa and Tandoori Grill in Calgary were sentenced to 90-day weekend jail terms this week after being convicted of defrauding temporary foreign workers from India. Manikandan Kasinathan, Chandramohan Marjak, and Mary Roche were found guilty of fraud over $5,000 for illegally collecting $44,000 from three immigrant employees under false pretenses. Justice Sandra Mah ordered the offenders to repay the stolen funds and serve 18 months probation. The wor

As Canada prepares for its next national census in May 2026, Statistics Canada has announced a massive hiring initiative to fill approximately 32,000 positions across the country. These roles are open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and individuals with valid work permits, providing a unique temporary employment opportunity for newcomers and residents alike. Census workers will play a critical role in gathering the demographic, social, and economic data that direct

On January 5, 2026, Saskatchewan announced an urgent change to the first application intake window for sectors subject to the 2026 caps. The opening date for these sectors has been moved to January 13, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., replacing the previously scheduled date of January 6. This update affects candidates in the Trucking, Retail Trade, and Accommodation and Food Services sectors, which now share a limited portion of the total SINP allocation. For 2026, the intake windows are

Ontario is introducing new labour mobility and free-trade rules starting January 1, 2026. These reforms will make it easier for certified professionals from other Canadian provinces to start working in Ontario without delays. More than 300 regulated occupations will benefit, helping employers fill critical shortages faster. The changes also support health-care staffing by simplifying recognition for out-of-province professionals. Under these new rules, certified professional

Starting January 1, 2026, Ontario employers with 25 or more employees will need to follow updated job posting rules under the Employment Standards Act. Employers must now include clear compensation ranges in all publicly advertised job ads, and these ranges may not exceed $50,000 unless the job pays more than $200,000. Employers are also not allowed to require Canadian work experience in job postings, helping reduce barriers for international talent. If artificial intelligen

Following major changes to Ontario's immigration system, many newcomers pursuing permanent residency are in limbo , uncertain about their future in Canada. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, which offers a fast-track pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers and international students, is undergoing significant restructuring. The province has suspended its skilled trades stream and is reducing entry categories from nine to four, while Ottawa has cut provincial no

The Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) is advocating for a new “trusted employer” certification within Canadian immigration programs to prevent worker abuse and strengthen protections for foreign workers in the trucking sector. The MTA’s executive director, Aaron Dolyniuk, has met with provincial labour and immigration officials to propose a program that would require companies to prove they can properly onboard foreign employees — including helping them obtain driver’s lic

Canada added 21,200 payroll positions in October, a modest 0.1% gain that reversed September's decline , according to Statistics Canada. Healthcare led growth with 10,300 new jobs, while finance, public administration, and transportation also posted gains. However, job vacancies dropped to 467,000—the lowest level since 2017—falling 3.9% from the previous month. Average weekly earnings reached $1,312, up 2.2% year-over-year, though the job vacancy rate slipped to 2.6%. The un

Canada's efforts to reduce temporary resident numbers are showing measurable results, with new data revealing a 53% decrease in student and worker arrivals between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The government has implemented stricter caps on international student permits and tightened eligibility for temporary foreign workers as part of its commitment to bring the temporary population below 5% of the total population by late 2027. Only 3,030 n

Canada's job market saw vacancies fall by 14,000 positions in the third quarter of 2025, marking a 2.8% decrease to 492,500 openings. This decline follows similar drops earlier in the year and extends a downward trend that began after vacancies peaked at nearly 986,000 in mid-2022. Full-time and permanent positions bore the brunt of the reduction, while part-time and temporary roles remained relatively stable. Year-over-year figures show even steeper declines, with full-time