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

The provincial Government of Manitoba announced that the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) database is currently experiencing technical issues that are affecting several processing systems. Technical teams are actively working to resolve the system disruptions and restore full functionality as quickly as possible. The program announced the outage on September 28, 2026, advising applicants and stakeholders of the temporary technical difficulty. Further updates are exp

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its operational instructions for study permit renewals under the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP). To qualify for renewal, applicants must hold a valid study permit issued under the pilot and provide a valid letter of acceptance (LOA) or letter of enrolment confirming continued full-time study in an eligible post-secondary program of at least two years at a participating institution, leading

Canada's population reached an estimated 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, according to the latest quarterly demographic estimates from Statistics Canada. The population grew by 80,343 people, or 0.2%, during the second quarter of 2026. Permanent immigration served as the primary growth driver, adding 99,148 newcomers to the country, while the population of non-permanent residents decreased by 18,875 due to fewer international study and work permit holders. Natural increase contrib

Canada's population reached an estimated 41,798,407 on July 1, 2026, according to the latest quarterly demographic estimates from Statistics Canada. The population grew by 80,343 people, or 0.2%, during the second quarter of 2026. Permanent immigration served as the primary growth driver, adding 99,148 newcomers to the country, while the population of non-permanent residents decreased by 18,875 due to fewer international study and work permit holders. Natural increase contrib

Newfoundland and Labrador has launched public consultations to guide the development of the province's 2026 – 2031 Population Growth Strategy. Designed to address labour shortages, support economic expansion, and build resilient regional communities, the government policy initiative focuses on four key pillars: growing the workforce, growing families, expanding regional settlement, and increasing overall in-migration. Public feedback gathered through the EngageNL platform, al

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

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

Canada's official languages education sector experienced a 13% year-over-year decline in student enrolments and a 19% drop in student weeks during 2025, according to Languages Canada's annual survey. The downturn was primarily driven by cumulative immigration policy shifts, study permit restrictions, and visa uncertainties introduced between 2023 and mid-2025. Data show that only 13% of 2025 language students entered via study permits, while 40% used Electronic Travel Authori

Escalade Transportation Inc. and Hafiz Tariq Ayub face three charges each under Section 22 of Saskatchewan's Foreign Worker Recruitment and Immigration Services Act for alleged violations occurring between November 2022 and August 2023. The Regina-based employer is accused of distributing false or misleading information, misrepresenting job duties, pay, and terms of employment, and taking unfair advantage of foreign workers' fear or lack of experience. The provincial Ministry

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

The Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) submitted official feedback regarding proposed amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations published in the Canada Gazette on August 15, 2026. Welcoming the regulatory shift, the organization reiterated its long-standing stance that individuals who have experienced or face risk from gender-based violence (GBV) should be protected from immigration detention. The proposed regulatory changes aim to require Canada Borde

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

On September 17, 2026, the Government of British Columbia held a new invitation round under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). The province issued 33 invitations to apply to candidates through the Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative. The invited candidates had a minimum score of 60 points. This targeted stream supports health authority employees in eligible cleaning and security roles who work in rural or remote communities across the provin

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

Immigration New Brunswick has updated its list of authorized accounting firms providing mandatory net worth verification services for the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program Business Immigration stream. MDD Forensic Accountants is no longer accepting new clients for these financial assessment services. Entrepreneur applicants who need third-party net worth verification to complete their provincial nomination files should direct service requests to alternative approved de

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

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

A new report from Royal Bank of Canada warns that Canada's immigration system has lost its edge following recent population shocks and policy volatility. The report emphasizes that while immigration remains essential to combat population aging and shrinking workforce participation, public sentiment has turned negative due to systemic pressures. RBC argues that targeted sub-categories within Express Entry are undermining the merit-based points system by allowing lower-scoring