On July 23, 2026, the Government of British Columbia held an invitation round under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). The province issued 60 invitations to apply to candidates through the Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative. The invited candidates had a minimum score of 50 points. This targeted stream supports health authority employees in eligible cleaning and security roles who work in rural or remote communities across the province. So f

On July 23, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the first category-based Express Entry draw targeting skilled military recruits. IRCC issued only four Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in round #430. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score for this round was set at 368 points. The tie-breaking rule applied to profiles submitted before June 2, 2026, at 20:11:26 UTC. As of July 19, 2026, there were 231,533 profiles in the Express Entry poo

New official data shows a sharp reduction in new temporary residents entering Canada. Between January and May 2026, overall new arrivals fell by nearly 70% compared to the same timeframe in 2024. New study permit arrivals dropped by almost 83%, while new temporary work permits decreased by over 62%. These figures highlight the ongoing impact of federal policy changes, including strict study permit caps and tighter work eligibility rules. The government aims to lower the tempo

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has finalized over 1.6 million applications across temporary residence, permanent residence, and citizenship categories as of May 31, 2026. The department completed more than 1.28 million new temporary residence files, including study permits, work permits, and visitor visas. In addition, IRCC finalized 111,000 economic permanent residence applications and over 45,000 family class files. To support economic needs, Canada lau

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has updated the provincial and territorial hourly wage thresholds for hiring temporary foreign workers, effective July 17, 2026. The wage offered for a position determines whether an employer must apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under the high-wage or low-wage stream. For applications received on or after July 17, 2026, the threshold increases to $36.92 in Ontario, $37.50 in Alberta, and $38.40 in British Colu

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has released the official requirements for its new Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which replaced the previous OINP pathways. The stream includes three pathways: TEER 0–3 occupations, TEER 4–5 occupations, and self-employed physicians. The published guidance confirms eligibility criteria, work experience, language, education, employer requirements, and application procedures. Officials encourage candidates and employers to revie

Conservative Shadow Minister of Immigration Michelle Rempel Garner has raised concerns about changes to Canadian citizenship laws under Bill C-3. She stated that non-citizens convicted of serious crimes in countries like the United States can now apply for Canadian citizenship by descent. Conservatives proposed an amendment to block individuals with serious criminal records from automatic citizenship, but the government removed the clause. Rempel Garner warned that the expand

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its program delivery instructions for the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot. Effective January 1, 2026, staff no longer need to manually associate organization IDs to track provincial or territorial attestation letter exceptions. The update also clarifies language testing requirements for applicants. Students must submit French language test results with a minimum score of NCLC level 5 in all four la

A recent Abacus Data poll reveals how Atlantic Canadians view regional growth and public policy under the Federal Government. While 17% of respondents identify immigration as a top national issue, the broader regional consensus links population growth directly to local infrastructure capacity. Atlantic Canadians generally support economic expansion but want future growth to align with improvements in housing affordability, healthcare access, and the overall cost of living. Th

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially marked the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) as "Paused" on its website as of July 15, 2026. No new interest to sponsor forms or invitations will be accepted until further notice, although existing applications will continue to be processed. IRCC still plans to grant permanent residence to up to 15,000 parents and grandparents in 2026 under the current Immigration Levels Plan. The department says the paus

A new report indicates that most Canadians continue to view multiculturalism and diversity as positive contributors to the national identity. 66% of respondents agree that multiculturalism strengthens Canadian society, outnumbering critics by a two-to-one margin even among non-immigrant demographics. While 36% of Canadians express mixed feelings about recent high levels of immigration, their underlying support for an accepting and diverse populace remains resilient. However,

Canada's Auditor General told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration that IRCC successfully reduced the number of new study permits issued under recent International Student Program reforms but failed to address several critical integrity weaknesses. According to the audit, more than 153,000 potential cases of study permit non-compliance were identified in 2023 and 2024, yet only about 4,000 investigations were launched. The report also found t

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) announced that compliance penalties under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) more than doubled to over 10.2 million dollars during the recent fiscal year. Of nearly 1,500 inspections completed, 12 percent of employers were found non-compliant, resulting in substantial fines and the ban of 30 employers from the program. Federal authorities also introduced stricter rules for the low-wage stream, requiring businesses to ad

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) reported a significant reduction in pending refugee protection claims for June 2026. According to the latest monthly statistics, the board finalized nearly 13,000 cases while receiving fewer than 2,700 new applications. This processing surge helped lower the total number of pending refugee claims to roughly 276,000, down from a peak of over 300,000 in late 2025. Meanwhile, the backlog for refugee appeals continued a steady mon

The Government of Nova Scotia is investing nearly CAD 890,000 in seven community projects to strengthen rural economic development and innovation across the province. Funding will support initiatives such as connecting employers with skilled international post-secondary graduates, creating a pop-up business zone, and launching a startup competition for entrepreneurs. The projects are financed through two provincial funding programs designed to improve competitiveness through

The Canadian Government partnered with the Northwest Territories to enhance the integration and long-term retention of French-speaking and bilingual newcomers. Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced an allocation of approximately $860,000 under the Francophone Immigration Support Program. This funding targets areas outside Yellowknife to improve regional employer engagement, streamline foreign credential recognition, and raise awarenes

The Canadian Government will launch the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge to extend temporary work permits for thousands of foreign workers. Announcements from Winnipeg Members of Parliament Kevin Lamoureux and Terry Duguid confirm that roughly 2,700 provincial nominee candidates can extend their status until December 31, 2027. This temporary measure serves as a follow-on to previous public policies, preventing critical work authorizations from expiring while the provincia

The Federal Court of Canada recently ruled that a study permit refusal was procedurally unfair when an immigration officer failed to question an applicant about credibility concerns. An IRCC officer rejected a study permit because they doubted the family relationship between the applicant and her brother, who provided financial support. The officer did not give the applicant a chance to address this specific doubt before making a final decision. Justice Tsimberis found that t

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) laid twelve criminal charges following an extensive investigation into an immigration scam that defrauded international students of $126,000. Investigators discovered that two individuals stole money from students by falsely promising to pay their tuition. The victims received forged enrolment letters but were never actually registered at Lambton College. Authorities executed search warrants to gather digital evidence from electronic d

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) opened targeted intake windows for capped employment sectors on July 6. Demand was exceptionally high, with all available Employer Position Assessment (EPA) spaces for the July 6 intake filled almost immediately. A total of 125 EPA applications were accepted, including 25 for Trucking, 50 for Retail Trade, and 50 for Accommodations. The remaining intake window for the Food Services sector is scheduled to open on July 7 at 12:3