Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From March 14 to March 27, Canada invited 3,167 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of March 27, 31,077 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 233 ITAs for Australia, 6 ITAs for Austria, 38 ITAs for Belgium, 4 ITAs for Chile, 4 ITAs for Costa Rica, 10 IT

Ottawa will raise key immigration fees this spring as it adjusts charges for inflation and program costs. As of March 31, 2026, the right of citizenship fee for adults will increase from $3.25 to $123, while the $530 processing fee for adult citizenship grants remains the same. A second increase follows on April 30, 2026, affecting permanent residence programs, including the right of permanent residence fee ($600) and higher rates for provincial nominees, business applican

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab responded to the Auditor General's recent report on international student reforms, acknowledging progress while committing to further improvements. The government has successfully reduced the number of non-permanent residents by over 171,000 in late 2025, working toward a target of under 5% of Canada's population by 2027. While the Auditor General praised improvements such as the letter-of-acceptance verification system and program dive

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a major policy change on March 23, 2026, expanding eligibility for open work permits for spouses of workers under Significant Investment Projects in British Columbia. The update removes previous restrictions that limited eligibility to spouses of high-skilled workers at specific TEER levels. Now, spouses of all SIP workers—whether employed in high-skilled occupations (TEER 0-3) or low-skilled positions (TEER 4-5)—

Canada has announced changes to the super visa program that will make it easier for families to bring parents and grandparents to visit. Starting March 31, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will offer two new ways to meet income requirements. Families can now use income from either of the past two tax years instead of just one. They can also include the visiting parent or grandparent's income to reach the minimum threshold. The super visa allows parents and

On March 12, 2026, the Federal Court ordered expedited reconsideration of a visitor visa application after four rounds of judicial review. Indian parents Subash Kumar and Rashmi sought to visit their children, who were studying in Canada, but faced repeated refusals despite strong financial ties and a travel history. The case was taken pro bono after multiple settlements failed to resolve the issue. Justice Grant found the visa officer's decision unreasonable for ignoring ev

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) processed 32,400 permanent residence applications and welcomed 24,100 new residents in January 2026. The department also granted citizenship to 227,300 individuals between April 2025 and January 2026. During the same month, IRCC finalized 34,200 study permit applications and 136,700 work permit applications, including extensions. These numbers reflect Canada's ongoing commitment to maintaining robust immigration pathways for

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a temporary public policy to help Quebec transition more temporary residents to permanent status. The initiative offers streamlined access to employer-specific work permits through the International Mobility Program for eligible foreign workers. Applications will be processed within 30 days, with submissions accepted until December 31, 2026. The policy targets three groups: workers with permits expiring by ye

On March 18, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the third Express Entry draw for French language proficiency candidates of the year. In round #405, IRCC issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 393 points – four points fewer than the last draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was December 29, 2025, at 12:47:31 UTC. As of March 15, 2026, 231,362 profiles were registered in the Expres

On March 17, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #404, the cut-off score was 507 points, one point fewer than in the previous CEC-targeted draw, and the lowest since August 2024. The tie-breaking rule for this round was May 11, 2025, at 18:57:31 UTC. As of March 15, 2026, 231,362 profiles were registered

On March 16, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #403 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 362 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the round’s cut-off score was 742 points, 32 points more than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was October 05, 2025, at 20:35:25 UTC. As of March 15, 2026, 231,362 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. This

The Federal Government announced a temporary measure that allows eligible skilled workers in Quebec to extend their employer-specific work permits for up to 12 months. This gives Quebec additional time to process applications for the Quebec Selection Certificate, which is required before applying for permanent residence. The measure targets workers who received invitations to submit a Demande de Selection Permanente under Quebec's Skilled Worker Selection Program. Applicatio

Over the last week, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From March 7 to March 13, Canada invited 3,496 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of March 13, 28,448 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 196 ITAs for Australia, 4 ITAs for Austria, 25 ITAs for Belgium, 4 ITAs for Chile, 2 ITAs for Costa Rica, 5 ITAs for

Canada's International Experience Canada program has introduced two new opportunities for young professionals. The Inov Contacto initiative now welcomes participants from Portugal, while Taiwan's Global Pathfinder Initiative opens doors for Taiwanese applicants. Both programs fall under the Young Professionals stream of the International Mobility Program, which promotes cultural exchange and work experience between Canada and partner countries. These bilateral arrangements s

Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From February 21 to March 6, Canada invited 8,676 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of March 6, 28,404 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 645 ITAs for Australia, 20 ITAs for Austria, 70 ITAs for Belgium, 68 ITAs for Chile, 23 ITAs for Costa Rica, 7

On March 5, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the first-ever Express Entry draw for senior managers with Canadian work experience. IRCC issued 250 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in the fourth draw of the week. In round #402, the cut-off score was 429 points. The tie-breaking rule for this round was August 19, 2025, at 15:10:18 UTC. As of March 1, 2026, 232,534 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. So far in 2026, the Government of Cana

On March 4, 2026, the Government of Canada announced that it will continue offering temporary immigration relief to Iranian nationals already living and working in the country. The measures, first introduced in February 2023 due to ongoing instability in Iran, now allow Iranians holding valid work permits issued on or before February 28, 2025, to apply for extensions. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated these provisions will remain in effect until March 31, 2

On March 3, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #400, the cut-off score was 508 points, the same as it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was June 24, 2025, at 22:35:48 UTC. As of March 1, 2026, there were 232,534 profiles registered in the Express Entry pool. So f

On March 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the fifth Express Entry draw #399 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 264 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the round’s cut-off score was 710 points, 79 points fewer than the previous PNP-targeted draw, and it was the lowest of the year. The tie-breaking rule for this round was August 07, 2025, at 18:02:56 UTC. As of March 15, 2026, 232,534 profiles were regi

A temporary public policy allowing Iranians in Canada to apply for open work permits has officially expired. The policy , which was available to Iranian nationals who arrived in Canada by February 28, 2025, ended at midnight on March 1, 2026. It had offered open work permits, priority processing, and the option to apply for study permits from within Canada. Originally introduced in February 2023 following civil unrest in Iran after Mahsa Amini's death, the policy was part of