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

Saskatchewan launched the second intake window for 2026 on March 2, accepting applications across capped sectors including accommodation and food services, retail trade, and trucking. While the intake window filled quickly for accommodation and food services (240 positions) and retail trade (80 positions), the trucking sector remains open with 40 positions still available out of the original 80-position limit. Only workers with six months or less on a valid work permit were

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

A recent study from HEC Montreal reveals that the route immigrants take into Canada matters more than their qualifications alone. Workers arriving with closed permits typically earn higher incomes than other groups, while foreign students show the fastest wage growth once they enter the job market. The research, which surveyed 2,500 university-educated immigrants in 2025, found that the current points-based selection system does not always identify candidates who will perfor

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has clarified how work permits will be issued to applicants under the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) in 2026. Candidates who have submitted a complete permanent residence application under either pilot and hold a valid job offer may qualify for a work permit valid for up to two years while their PR application is processed. These work permits are exempt from t

Over the last week, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new  draws  under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From February 7 to February 13, Canada invited 6,986 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of February 13, 28,872 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 290 ITAs for Australia, 21 ITAs for Austria, 40 ITAs for Belgium, 128 ITAs for Chile, 12 ITAs for Costa Rica

According to the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the country saw 53% fewer international student and temporary worker arrivals in 2025 compared to the previous year, marking a significant shift in immigration policy. New figures released for December 2025 show just 9,665 study permits and 9,735 work permits were issued that month, reflecting the government's commitment to reducing temporary resident numbers to below 5% of the total popul

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the continuation of a streamlined process for International Experience Canada (IEC) participants. Those currently in Canada with valid IEC work permits can now request examination and document issuance domestically when submitting subsequent applications. The extension, effective February 10, 2026, will remain operational indefinitely, offering greater convenience for young professionals, working holiday parti

Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new  draws  under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From January 24 to February 6, Canada invited 14,982 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of February 6, 31,632 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 2 ITAs for Andorra, 1,029 ITAs for Australia, 82 ITAs for Austria, 159 ITAs for Belgium, 525 ITAs for Ch

Over the last week, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the first draws of the year for the International Experience Canada (IEC) pools. From January 1 to January 23, Canada invited 12,693 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of January 23, 35,567 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 1 ITA for Andorra, 1,304 ITAs for Australia, 83 ITAs for Austria, 370 ITAs for Belgium, 2

Canada's immigration minister has filed a motion with the Federal Court seeking mass dismissal of 430 applications from Chinese nationals, citing significant irregularities. The cases, which involve study, work, and visitor permit applications, raised red flags due to identical formatting, shared contact information, and suspiciously similar wording despite claims of self-representation. Officials believe unauthorized "ghost agents" orchestrated these filings, exploiting app

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a freeze on eligible fields of study for Post-Graduation Work Permits for the remainder of 2026. International students planning to work in Canada after graduation should note that no programs will be added to or removed from the current list of eligible CIP codes this year. This decision provides stability for students already enrolled in qualifying programs, but means those in non-eligible courses will not s

Canada's immigration system continues to show robust activity , with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada processing over 414,000 permanent residence decisions between January and November 2025, welcoming 367,500 new permanent residents during this period. The citizenship program also demonstrated significant momentum, granting citizenship to 181,600 individuals from April through November. On the temporary residence front, IRCC finalized substantial numbers of applic

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association is raising serious concerns about the state of Canada's immigration framework, which appears to be buckling under systemic pressure. Rick Lamanna, a board director with the organization, points to fundamental issues beyond typical backlogs — namely, the absence of a unified national strategy and policy decisions that seem detached from ground realities. With wait times stretching past a decade in certain programs and recent propos

New quarterly demographic data from Statistics Canada reveals a notable shift in Canada's temporary resident landscape. By the fourth quarter of 2025, the country saw approximately 477,000 study permit holders, marking a substantial decrease from earlier in the year. Work permit holders numbered around 1.48 million during the same period. Meanwhile, asylum claimants and protected persons reached roughly 505,000, reflecting year-over-year growth in this category. The figures

Following major changes to Ontario's immigration system, many newcomers pursuing permanent residency are in limbo , uncertain about their future in Canada. The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, which offers a fast-track pathway to permanent residency for skilled workers and international students, is undergoing significant restructuring. The province has suspended its skilled trades stream and is reducing entry categories from nine to four, while Ottawa has cut provincial no

On December 24, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced significant updates to the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. The revisions include enhanced verification procedures for work permits, updated guidelines for medical examinations and police certificates, and refined case management protocols. Key changes involve corrections to Australian International Co-op validity periods and new provisions that allow Dutch post-secondary studen

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has announced immediate changes to its business immigration programs as part of the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan and Canada’s Talent Attraction Strategy. As of December 19, 2025, IRCC has stopped accepting applications for the optional work permit under the Start-Up Visa (SUV) Program, except for applicants already in Canada seeking to extend an existing SUV work permit. The department will also prioritize permanent residence

On December 18, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revised the eligibility criteria for Hong Kong residents applying through Stream B of the permanent residence pathways. Effective immediately, principal applicants must demonstrate at least 1,560 hours of authorized Canadian work experience obtained through paid employment at any skill level within three years prior to submission. Additionally, all applicants are required to have maintained a valid Can

Canada's efforts to reduce temporary resident numbers are showing measurable results, with new data revealing a 53% decrease in student and worker arrivals between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The government has implemented stricter caps on international student permits and tightened eligibility for temporary foreign workers as part of its commitment to bring the temporary population below 5% of the total population by late 2027. Only 3,030 n