The governments of Canada and Manitoba are partnering to strengthen French-speaking minority communities and address local labour shortages. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced a $1.3 million investment to support promotional initiatives, targeted research, and enhanced skills recognition for bilingual candidates. This project will be managed in collaboration with the Economic Development Council for Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities to streamline the immigrati

Many Iranian nationals who came to Canada under special humanitarian measures are struggling to reunite with their families due to tightening immigration rules. Federal data reveals that immigration officials approved only 25 spousal open work permits for Iranian applicants over the past two years. The Federal Government recently introduced stricter eligibility requirements to manage the temporary resident population. Spousal applicants must show that their partners have at l

As of July 2, IRCC has updated its estimated processing times for several immigration and temporary residence applications. Applications for work permits submitted from within Canada are currently processed in 129 days, while study permits take approximately 7 weeks and visitor visas 38 days. For applicants outside Canada, work permit processing ranges from 4 weeks in the United States to 9 weeks in India, while study permit processing ranges from 4 weeks in the Philippines t

The Government of New Brunswick extended the Private Career College Graduate Pilot in a limited capacity until the end of 2027. This extension offers an immigration pathway to international students currently enrolled in specific programs who cannot graduate before the original deadline. Provincial officials confirmed that no new nominations will be issued once this revised period concludes. Students who do not qualify are encouraged to explore alternative streams, such as pa

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) outlined four critical interventions to reform the newly enacted Bill C-12. Association members argue that the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act pushes vulnerable individuals into an unstable legal limbo. To resolve these systemic issues, the group proposes that Parliament clearly define the public interest to eliminate arbitrary ministerial discretion. Legal experts also demand that authorities resto

Two Canadian Conservative Members of Parliament launched a fundraising initiative to support LGBTQ+ refugees. Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman and MP Scott Aitchison are leading a fundraising boat cruise scheduled for July 15. The event aims to raise money for Rainbow Railroad. This organization helps resettle persecuted gender and sexual minorities from around the world into safe countries like Canada. Tickets for the cruise cost $150 each. The announcement video generated mix

A new national survey highlights a complex shift in public sentiment as Canada Day approaches, with 77% of citizens feeling proud of their country despite deep anxieties about the future. This 12-point increase in national pride over the last two years comes amid increasingly intense political debates over Canadian identity, social cohesion, and high immigration levels. While younger demographics express growing worry over housing affordability and economic mobility, a strong

The Ontario Government introduced major changes to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) by replacing eight existing streams with the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream. This regulatory update aims to streamline permanent residence pathways for individuals with job offers in the province. The new program introduces higher language and education benchmarks to strengthen overall program integrity. It also lowers revenue thresholds for employers in rural communities to

The Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration met to discuss the upcoming 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan. Ministers focused on returning immigration to sustainable levels while addressing regional labour shortages. The Federal Government reiterated its plan to reduce the temporary population to less than 5 percent by late 2027. Provincial and territorial ministers emphasized that the Provincial Nominee Program is the best tool for local economic needs. They requested

A record 30,092 Canadian citizens and permanent residents emigrated from Canada in the first quarter of 2026. This is the highest first-quarter emigration count ever recorded by Statistics Canada. During the same period, nearly 200,000 temporary residents also left the country. These departures led to an overall population loss of over 55,000 people. Rising housing costs, high taxes, and cost-of-living pressures are driving this trend. Many skilled professionals are leaving t

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is sending surrender letters to some people who received Canadian citizenship by descent under Bill C-3. The letters ask these individuals to return their citizenship certificates. The government is questioning the third-party genealogy records used in their applications. Many affected people live in the United States. They relied on these certificates to make major life decisions. Some people even gave up their American cit

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is temporarily lifting the twelve-month waiting period for some Ugandans to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA). This change comes because of the worsening security and human rights situation in Uganda. A PRRA checks if a person faces danger or persecution if they return home. Normally, people must wait one year after a negative immigration decision to apply. Now, eligible Ugandan nationals who received a negative

Canada's Immigration Minister, Lena Metlege Diab, marked World Refugee Day on June 20, 2026. This year also represents the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The minister highlighted Canada's proud history of helping those who flee danger and stated that refugees make valuable contributions to local neighbourhoods and the economy. Canada aims to welcome refugees through fair and well-managed programs. The government will continue working with partners to build l

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) launched a new online tool, the Eligibility Explorer, on June 17, 2026. This interactive tool helps prospective immigrants find pathways that fit their unique backgrounds. Users answer a few quick questions about their employment history, education, and language skills. The tool then displays the specific immigration streams they might qualify for. This self-assessment takes only a few minutes, and the system does not save any

According to Statistics Canada’s recent report, Canada's population decreased in the first quarter of 2026. The total population fell to 41,417,056 on April 1, 2026. This represents a drop of 55,025 people from January 2026. The decline is due to lower immigration targets and a drop in the number of temporary residents. Canada welcomed 83,149 permanent immigrants in this quarter. This is a 20% decrease compared to last year. The number of non-permanent residents also fell by

The number of new international students and temporary workers arriving in Canada has declined sharply. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), total arrivals fell by 73 percent between January and April 2026 compared to the same period in 2024. New study permits dropped by 84 percent following strict annual caps and enhanced fraud prevention measures. Work permits fell by 67 percent due to a ten percent limit on low-wage hiring. Meanwhile, the gover

The Manitoba Government announced key changes to the International Education Stream (IES) – Career Employment Pathway (CEP). Candidates with active profiles who possess at least six months of local work experience must now transition into the Skilled Worker in Manitoba pathway. This update aims to align post-secondary education with provincial labour market demands. Eligible candidates should update their profiles immediately to remain under consideration for regular draws. T

Thousands of Canadians signed an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney calling for the protection of refugee rights. The letter arrives ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, amidst rising anti-immigrant sentiment across the country. Advocates expressed deep concern over recent policy changes, including lower refugee admission targets and stricter asylum rules. The group urged the Federal Government to maintain fair hearings and expand private sponsorship pathways for vul

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) published an opinion piece proposing a major system redesign. The CILA argues that growing application backlogs require Canada to consider using artificial intelligence to make initial immigration and refugee decisions. Under this proposed model, AI would generate initial reasoned outcomes for high-volume, rule-bound applications like study permits and citizenship grants. Human adjudicators and judges would remain at the bac

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is now accepting registrations for the Temporary Rural or Remote Health Support Initiative. This new program will nominate up to 250 candidates to help fill critical support roles in regional healthcare facilities. Eligible individuals must submit their registration online before the deadline on August 31, 2026. The provincial government will issue the first round of immigration invitations in the coming weeks. Official