The Government of the Northwest Territories has secured an additional 103 nominee spots from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), raising its 2026 total allocation to 300. This increase restores the territorial program to its previous 2024 and 2025 capacity following ongoing government advocacy. To accommodate the additional allocations, territorial officials added a new Expression of Interest draw for August 26, 2026, with an application submission deadline o

The Government of Nova Scotia is investing nearly CAD 890,000 in seven community projects to strengthen rural economic development and innovation across the province. Funding will support initiatives such as connecting employers with skilled international post-secondary graduates, creating a pop-up business zone, and launching a startup competition for entrepreneurs. The projects are financed through two provincial funding programs designed to improve competitiveness through

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) opened targeted intake windows for capped employment sectors on July 6. Demand was exceptionally high, with all available Employer Position Assessment (EPA) spaces for the July 6 intake filled almost immediately. A total of 125 EPA applications were accepted, including 25 for Trucking, 50 for Retail Trade, and 50 for Accommodations. The remaining intake window for the Food Services sector is scheduled to open on July 7 at 12:3

Statistics Canada has released updated data on labour market outcomes for postsecondary graduates covering cohorts from 2010 to 2022. The data show that international students accounted for 26% of postsecondary graduates in 2021, compared with 7% in 2010. The study links postsecondary education records with tax data to track graduates' labour market outcomes. It also shows that 81% of international graduates could be linked to tax records two years after graduation, up from 4

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has highlighted the important contribution immigrants and migrant workers make to municipalities across Canada. During a panel discussion held at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities annual meeting in Edmonton, municipal leaders warned that recent immigration reductions are creating labour shortages and increasing pressure on local services. Many immigrants and migrant workers are employed in sectors that communities depend o

A joint study by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Statistics Canada shows that only 20% of recent immigrants worked in their intended occupation in 2021. The data reveal that occupational match rates were higher for individuals with graduate degrees, applicants from developed source countries, and those with pre-admission Canadian work experience. Among the individuals who did not secure a matching position, a large share shifted into lower-skilled employment.

A British Columbia forestry enterprise currently facing insolvency proceedings has been penalized $429,000 and banned from employing migrant workers for two years following a federal investigation. Inspectors determined that Vancouver-based San Industries Ltd. breached five sections of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. The violations included failing to provide advertised wages and working conditions, failing to match positions with approved labour market as

A recent analysis of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) argues that Canada’s use of age-based criteria is an outdated policy that contradicts national values regarding non-discrimination. Under current regulations, applicants receive zero points for age if they are over 45, a practice critics compare to prohibited forms of bias in employment. Research indicates that the assumption of older immigrants being a burden on social services is empirically incorrect, as pension b

In a new report titled Resetting Expectations: Canada’s Economy in a Lower-Immigration Era, economists Don Drummond and Parisa Mahboubi warn that Canada's reduced immigration targets represent a fundamental structural shift. They project that real GDP growth could fall to just 0.4% in 2026, significantly trailing official forecasts from the Bank of Canada and the Federal Government's recent economic updates. The authors emphasize that upcoming monthly employment declines, est

Nova Scotia has refined its immigration priorities to address critical labour shortages, with a primary focus on healthcare and skilled trades. Effective April 27, 2026, candidates in these sectors at TEER levels 0–4 are prioritized, including both international applicants and temporary residents already working in the province. Additionally, the province may consider candidates already working in Nova Scotia in selected sectors, including natural sciences, education, natural

Effective May 1, 2026, Nova Scotia will implement a 12-month validity period for all Expressions of Interest (EOI) to enhance inventory management and ensure alignment with current labour-market needs. Under the new measures, EOIs submitted before May 1, 2024, will be closed immediately on the effective date. Those submitted between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2026, will remain active until April 30, 2027, unless selected sooner. For all new submissions moving forward, profile

Canada’s longstanding commitment to multiculturalism is facing a critical test as temporary residents remain in prolonged legal limbo. While the Federal Government provides robust support for Francophone communities, non-official language ethnocultural groups often lack similar institutional recognition. Current policies frequently prioritize overseas applicants over integrated temporary workers and students who have already proven their success within the Canadian economy. E

The Government of Saskatchewan has utilized approximately 26% of its 2026 Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) allocation, issuing 1,223 of its 4,761 total available spots. Data reveals that priority sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and technology, have seen the highest activity, accounting for 689 nominations so far. To maintain labour market balance, the province continues to manage capped sectors through specific intake windows, with the next scheduled

The Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association (CILA) has sent an open letter to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, highlighting systemic failures in the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process. Representing over 540 lawyers, CILA argues that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has shifted toward a culture of refusal, where officers apply subjective criteria and unpublished benchmarks to deny applications. Key issues identi

Garnett Genuis, Conservative Shadow Minister for Employment, has criticized the Liberal Government’s latest youth employment announcement as a repackaging of old commitments that fail to address rising job losses. Highlighting that Canada recently lost over 50,000 youth jobs, the Conservatives are proposing a Youth Jobs Plan centred on aligning immigration with housing and labour market realities. The plan advocates for fixing foreign credential recognition and adjusting stu

A new regulatory proposal indicates that Canada is preparing to redesign the selection of high-skilled immigrants, replacing the current Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades programs with a single, streamlined federal category. The goal is to simplify the system and make it more responsive to labour market needs, shifting away from a universal selection model toward a more targeted approach based on occupations and economic demand. Th

Statistics Canada’s latest analysis highlights how immigrants and non-permanent residents who arrived between 2019 and 2024 navigated a fast-changing labour market shaped by post-pandemic job vacancies. Using a 2024 Labour Force Survey supplement, the report examines core working-age newcomers (aged 25 to 54) and compares them with earlier immigrant cohorts. Many newcomers secured their first job quickly, with 42.5% of recent immigrants and 48.5% of recent non-permanent resi

Canada has extended certain temporary work permit measures for Ukrainians in response to Russia’s ongoing war. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said Ukrainians who arrived under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) and related measures will get an additional year to apply to extend their work permit. Eligibility includes Ukrainians and family members who arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024, as well as some CUAET holders permitted to a

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) announced significant regulatory changes, affecting Ontario Regulation 421/17 under the Ontario Immigration Act, 2015. These amendments grant the Minister authority to redesign the OINP by creating or removing selection streams, a power approved through the Working for Workers Seven Act, 2025. The updates streamline application processing, refine program streams to address provincial labour market demands, and strengthen program i

Manitoba has updated sector eligibility requirements for its Temporary Resident Retention Pilot, effective February 4, 2026. The changes reflect shifting labour market priorities across the province. Hospitality and Food Services positions are no longer included under the program, while several skilled trades occupations have been added to meet current workforce demands. The modifications aim to better support industries experiencing critical labour shortages and ensure the