On September 3, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the third Express Entry draw for Physicians with Canadian Work Experience. IRCC issued 229 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #440, the cut-off score was only 198 points, 25 fewer than in the previous round for this category, held on June 24. So far in 2026, the Government of Canada has issued 122,656 invitations under 52 Express Entry draws. #express_entry, #ircc, #ita, #physicians,

Students who need proof of Canadian citizenship for education purposes may request expedited processing of their citizenship certificate application. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) lists attending a school, college, or university as one of the circumstances that may qualify for urgent processing. Following the implementation of Bill C-3 on December 15, 2025, which expanded citizenship by descent beyond the first-generation limit, processing times for proo

On September 1, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted Express Entry draw #439, inviting 2,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score remained at 521, two points fewer than the previous CEC draw. In this round, the tie-breaking rule was applied to profiles submitted before August 18, 2026, at 03:24:13 UTC. The Government of Canada has now issued 122,427 Invi

A joint study by Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada released on August 26, 2026, reveals significant disparities in economic well-being across income levels. Based on pooled data from the Survey of Financial Security, recent immigrant families have less wealth than Canadian-born families across all income quartiles, with the gap widening most at higher income levels. While compositional factors such as homeownership rates, pension plan access,

On August 31, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #438 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 562 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 697 points, 63 points fewer than the previous PNP-targeted draw. It was the lowest CRS for the PNP candidates in 2026 to date. The tie-breaking rule for this round was April 12th, 2026, at 04:32:26 UTC. As of August 30, 226,673

Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From August 15 to August 30, Canada invited 1,535 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of August 27, 45,338 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 3 ITAs for Andorra, 80 ITAs for Australia, 10 ITAs for Belgium, 12 ITAs for Chile, 14 ITAs for Croatia, 45 ITA

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated the financial capacity guidelines for international students applying for a Canadian study permit. Effective September 1, 2026, single applicants must demonstrate $23,448 in available funds for living expenses, excluding tuition and transportation costs. The required amounts scale higher for accompanying family members, reaching $35,888 for a family of three. Applicants must provide clear documentation showing av

On August 18, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted Express Entry draw #436, inviting 1,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score remained at 523, seven points more than the previous CEC draw and the highest for the CEC candidates in 2026. In this draw, the tie-breaking rule was applied to profiles submitted before August 17, 2026, at 22:09:00 UTC. The Gov

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released updated application figures showing over 1.5 million temporary residence applications finalized between January 1 and June 30, 2026. The inventory of pending applications for students, foreign workers, and visitors stood at 401,280 files. Processing priorities include expedited two-week study permit processing for PhD students and 14-day work permit streams for up to 5,000 licensed doctors under provincial nominee p

Foreign home care workers in Canada are facing potential employment gaps after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) clarified that applicants under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots are not eligible for bridging open work permits. The exclusion means applicants cannot rely on a BOWP to keep working while their permanent residence applications are processed and may need to find another way to maintain their temporary status and work authorization as existi

On August 17, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #435 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 442 Invitations to Apply (ITAs), and the round’s cut-off score was 760 points, 8 points fewer than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was August 07, 2026, at 18:01:56 UTC. As of August 16, there were 226,859 profiles registered in the Express Entry pool. This

Temporary foreign workers in British Columbia’s Okanagan region are facing financial and employment uncertainty after the Bald Range wildfire near Summerland forced thousands of residents to evacuate. Migrant worker organizations estimate that around 100 workers were evacuated, with many agricultural workers going days without pay. Employment and Social Development Canada said affected workers can receive support with temporary housing and replacing identification documents,

Over the past month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From July 11 to August 14, Canada invited 4,307 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of August 14, 42,697 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 1 ITA for Andorra, 204 ITAs for Australia, 4 ITAs for Austria, 29 ITAs for Belgium, 37 ITAs for Chile, 2 ITAs for Co

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has issued an operational update regarding open work permits for permanent residence applicants under LMIA exemption code A70. The revised guidance reorganizes processing instructions under Section R207 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Separate instructions now cover spouses and common-law partners, protected persons, applicants approved on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and eligible family members in

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,