The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has granted Canada's Federal Government an additional two months to finalize amendments to the Citizenship Act, pushing the deadline from November 20, 2025, to January 20, 2026. This extension provides Parliament with crucial time to advance Bill C-3, legislation designed to eliminate the First-Generation Limit that currently blocks Canadians born overseas from transmitting citizenship to their foreign-born children. The court ruled this

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program has officially closed the 2025 intake after receiving sufficient applications to meet its federal nomination allocation of 300 candidates. Applicants will receive email notifications regarding the status of their submissions. The program is scheduled to reopen in 2026, with further details to be announced. In the interim, employers facing workforce challenges can explore alternative pathways such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Progr

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) has invested over $1 million to expand bilingual workforce development and Francophone entrepreneurship in southern Ontario. Funding will support Francophone-led organizations such as the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario and the Conseil régional des Mille-Îles to strengthen up to 12 businesses in tourism, sustainability, and services. The Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de

A federal initiative designed to help Canadian employers hire skilled refugees from overseas is facing serious challenges , with processing times ballooning from an initial six months to 54 months. The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot, launched in 2018 to address labour shortages by connecting businesses with qualified refugee workers, has left more than 20 companies struggling with production cuts and lost revenue while applicants remain in precarious situations abroad. Refu

Ontario's Immigrant Nominee Program has suspended the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream following a comprehensive review that uncovered widespread compliance issues and fraudulent activity. The investigation revealed systemic misrepresentation affecting applicants' eligibility assessments, prompting officials to halt new applications indefinitely. All pending applications will be returned with full refunds as authorities work to address vulnerabilities in the current syste

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has updated its operational guidelines for work-permit applications submitted by family members of military personnel, effective November 14, 2025. The revision confirms that dependent children are no longer eligible for open work permits under codes C46 or C48 for applications filed on or after January 21, 2025, where no reciprocal agreement applies. It also clarifies that spouses of TEER 4 workers are no longer eligible for open

Saskatchewan has experienced a dramatic 98 per cent surge in refugee claims over the past year, driven largely by sweeping federal and provincial immigration reductions that have left many temporary residents with few options for staying in Canada. Between April 2024 and April 2025, asylum claims in the province jumped from 683 to 1,344, according to Statistics Canada. At the same time, Saskatchewan recorded the steepest drop in permanent residents among Canadian provinces —

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada has released the latest monthly statistics, revealing that pending refugee protection claims hit 298,588 cases by October 2025. This represents a steady climb from 139,540 pending cases in October 2023, marking a significant increase in backlog over the two-year period. While monthly intake has fluctuated between roughly 7,500 and 19,800 new claims, finalizations have consistently lagged, averaging around 6,500 decisions per month.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that protected persons and their family members can now apply for study permits from within Canada, regardless of whether they have submitted permanent residency applications. This policy update, effective November 13, 2025, expands access for various groups, including students at all educational levels, work permit holders, temporary residents, refugee claimants, and families of foreign government officials. The

Canada's Express Entry system has experienced a notable transformation in recent weeks, with approximately 11% of all candidates now holding CRS scores exceeding 500 points. While the overall pool contracted by 2,547 profiles between late October and early November, the competitive landscape has intensified significantly. The number of candidates in the highest scoring bracket (601-1,200) more than doubled from 306 to 696, while the 501-600 range expanded by 417 profiles. Th

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has extended its public policy allowing certain foreign workers in Provincial Nominee Program expression of interest pools to obtain open work permits until December 31, 2025. The program, originally scheduled to end in late 2024, enables eligible foreign nationals currently employed in participating provinces to secure work permits valid for up to 2 years with provincial support letters. Manitoba and Yukon remain active participa

Quebec's Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration has introduced the province's immigration framework for 2026-2029, alongside the detailed 2026 Immigration Plan. The strategy aims to limit both temporary and permanent immigration volumes to ease pressure on the province's integration capacity. Quebec will welcome 45,000 permanent residents in 2026, while also admitting between 84,900 and 124,200 temporary residents through the Temporary Foreign Worker and Inter

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced measures to strengthen graduate student recruitment following recent enrolment restrictions. Starting January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral candidates at public universities will be exempt from the international student cap, eliminating the need for provincial attestation letters. Additionally, doctoral applicants will benefit from expedited 14-day study permit processing, extended to accompanying family mem

On November 4, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rolled out updated guidelines following regulatory amendments that took effect January 31, 2025. These changes grant designated officers the authority to individually cancel electronic travel authorizations, temporary resident visas, work permits, and study permits when circumstances warrant. The new provisions under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations apply exclusively to issued document

Canada's partial release of its 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan alongside Budget 2025 reveals a strategic recalibration of the country's immigration framework. Temporary resident admissions will decline from 516,600 to 385,000, reflecting efforts to balance infrastructure capacity with population growth amid housing pressures and institutional constraints across Canadian provinces. International student spaces will face a 50% reduction to 155,000 in 2026 (150,000 in 2027 a

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has revised the list of countries requiring medical examinations for temporary residence applications, effective November 3, 2025. Four countries—Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, and Venezuela—have been added to the requirement list, while six territories —Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Latvia, Lithuania, and Taiwan —have been removed. The changes affect individuals who have resided in or travelled to these nations for six co

A recent Abacus Data survey of nearly 3,000 Canadians reveals that public opinion on immigration has plateaued after last year's surge in skepticism. While roughly half of Canadians still view current immigration levels negatively and cite pressure on housing and healthcare, the data shows no further hardening of attitudes. With 67% saying the federal government's 2026 target of 380,000 newcomers is too high – down from 72% a year ago – there's evidence that reduced targets

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab launched the 13th National Francophone Immigration Week on November 3, highlighting the theme "Thank you for enriching our Francophonie." The week recognizes the vital contributions Francophone newcomers make to Canada's cultural and economic landscape. Minister Diab announced that the government remains on track to achieve its 2025 target of 8.5% French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec. Federal and provincial ministers are w

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program has updated its regulatory framework as of October 31, allowing officials to consider additional factors when deciding whether to return applications before issuing nominations. This amendment follows earlier changes introduced in July and gives the program greater flexibility to prioritize applications that align with Ontario's current workforce needs. Applicants whose submissions are returned will receive full refunds of their applicat

A comprehensive TD Economics report released on October 28, 2025, confirms that Canada's strategic reduction of immigration levels is achieving its intended objectives across housing and employment sectors. The analysis, authored by Chief Economist Beata Caranci and Economist Marc Ercolao, reveals that population growth has decelerated from 3.2% in Q2 2024 to 0.9% in 2025, significantly moderating rental market pressures and stabilizing unemployment rates. Purpose-built rent