On August 7, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the first round of invitations in the Express Entry system for newcomers with work experience in transport occupations. Express Entry draw #434 was the fourth consecutive draw of the week, and 300 Invitations to Apply (ITA) were issued to skilled workers with work experience in the transport sector. The cut-off score was 470 points. The tie-breaking rule for this round was October 11, 2025, at 14:55:4

On August 6, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the 9th Express Entry draw of the year for French-language proficiency candidates. In round #433, IRCC issued 5,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 391 points – 8 points fewer than the last draw, and it was the lowest for the category in 2026. The tie-breaking rule for this round was March 18, 2026, at 23:32:40 UTC. This year, Canada has issued

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced the Manitoba Workforce Transition Bridge Temporary Public Policy, allowing Manitoba to continue issuing provincial nominations for eligible workers until December 31, 2027. The measure is expected to benefit up to 2,700 foreign workers who previously received work permit support letters under the 2024 or 2025 temporary public policies and are still awaiting provincial nomination. To qualify, applicants must cu

On August 5, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted Express Entry draw #432, inviting 3,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. This was the second draw of the week, following the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) round, and the 13th CEC-specific draw of 2026, bringing the total number of ITAs issued through CEC draws this year to 48,250. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score remained at 516,

An evaluation report published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) found that the federal Self-Employed Persons Program is no longer fit for purpose. Designed as a permanent residence pathway for world-class athletes and cultural talent, the program has been hindered by vague eligibility criteria, high refusal rates averaging 69%, and a processing backlog exceeding ten years. Application intake was paused in April 2024 and extended indefinitely in December

On August 4, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #431 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 507 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 768 points, 24 points more than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 15, 2026, at 15:58:19 UTC. As of August 3, there were 229,100 profiles registered in the Express Entry pool. This year,

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has instructed immigration officers to increase their scrutiny of study permit applicants' financial documentation. While official cost-of-living thresholds remain unchanged, officers are now required to examine the source and stability of funds for every application rather than focusing solely on flagged regions. New guidelines direct officers to evaluate up to six months of bank statements and supplementary family employme

The Government of Canada is inviting select passport holders to participate in a client experience survey to help evaluate and improve national passport services. Individuals who received a passport issued between January 1 and June 30, 2026, may receive an email invitation or a physical notice included with their new document. Running from August through October 2026, the voluntary 15-to-20-minute survey is being conducted in both official languages. Officials emphasize that

The Canadian Government has officially expanded its online passport renewal service to all eligible adult citizens nationwide. The update removes previous application limits to make the process more accessible and efficient. Canadians can now submit their renewal applications, digital photos, and fees entirely online without visiting a Service Canada Centre or mailing physical documents. Traditional in-person and mail-in methods remain fully operational for individuals who pr

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated the public guidance for study permits and post-graduate work permits (PGWP) to clarify compliance and eligibility requirements. The revised files detail strict conditions regarding institution transfers, periods of leave, and the automatic invalidation of study permits 90 days after program completion. Officials also confirmed the expiration of a temporary policy that previously allowed certain work permit holder

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

On July 22, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the 8th Express Entry draw of the year for French-language proficiency candidates. In round #429, IRCC issued 5,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 399 points – 21 points fewer than the last draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was November 19, 2025, at 21:21:56 UTC. So far this year, Canada has issued 104,612 ITAs across 41 Express Entry d

Around 1,500 international graduates, including many students from India, may be denied Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs) after IRCC clarified that non-credit programs are not eligible for the permit. The clarification did not introduce a new policy but reaffirmed an existing requirement that only eligible degree, diploma, and certificate programs qualify for a PGWP. Many affected graduates argue they enrolled believing their programs met the eligibility requirements and o

On July 21, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in this draw. In round #428, the cut-off score was 516 points, one point fewer than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 26, 2026, at 17:33:03 UTC. As of July 19, 2026, 231,533 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. So far

On July 20, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #427 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 511 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 744 points, 36 points more than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 26, 2026, at 18:11:36 UTC. As of July 19, there were 231,533 profiles registered in the Express Entry pool. This year, t

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

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

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

On July 10, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the second Express Entry draw for senior managers with Canadian work experience. IRCC issued 500 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in the fourth draw of the week. In round #426, the cut-off score was 392, 37 points fewer than the previous draw for senior managers. The tie-breaking rule for this round was March 15, 2026, at 01:46:05 UTC. As of July 5, 2026, 235,127 profiles were registered in the Express Entry