On April 23, 2026, the Government of Ontario conducted more invitation draws in the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream (EJO FW), International Student Stream (EJO IS), and In-Demand Skills Stream (EJO IDS) of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). In these draws, the province targeted candidates living in Eastern, Northern, and Southwestern Ontario. The OINP issued 697 invitations to apply (ITAs) under the EJO FW Stream, 686 ITAs under the EJO IS Stream, and 719

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

On April 23, 2026, Manitoba held the invitation round #269 under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). The province invited 308 candidates under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba stream. The draw invited 192 candidates under the occupation-specific selection and 116 candidates under the Skilled Worker pathway. In this round, 105 invitations were extended to candidates with a valid Express Entry profile number and a job seeker validation code. In 2026, the MPNP invited

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has overhauled its selection criteria to align with the province’s "Look West" strategy, focusing on three pillars: Care, Build, and Innovate. Effective immediately, the program will prioritize 36 healthcare and education roles, 9 skilled trades for infrastructure projects, and high-impact talent across all sectors. The Entry Level and Semi-Skilled (ELSS) stream has officially closed, and no new international student st

As of April 23, 2026, the Employer Position Assessment (EPA) replaces the Job Approval Form (JAF) under SINP, introducing a more structured and time-sensitive process. Employers must submit EPAs through their OASIS account with complete documentation, as incomplete applications will not be accepted. The system now distinguishes between capped sectors, which are limited to intake windows and one candidate per EPA, and non-capped sectors, where submissions are open and can incl

On April 22, 2026, the Government of British Columbia held the third Skills Immigration invitation draw under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) and issued invitations to apply to 484 skilled candidates with the potential to create high economic impact in the province. The selection criteria targeted two distinct groups: 252 candidates in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 positions earning a minimum wage of $62 per hour and $125,000 per year while working full-time

On April 22, 2026, the Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) issued 674 invitations to apply (ITAs) in a general draw for the Masters Graduate stream. The minimum score of this round was 61 points, 31 points more than it was in the previous draw. In addition, Ontario has invited 244 candidates under the PhD Graduate Stream. The minimum score for this draw was 56 points (+7). The profiles of selected candidates were created between April 22, 2025, and April 20, 2026. In t

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

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its data on application inventories and backlogs, reporting that as of February 2026, there were 2,092,700 applications across permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship streams in all IRCC inventories. Approximately 55% of applications are currently within service standards, while IRCC continues to aim to process 80% of applications within established timelines, noting that more complex cases may

Recent data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals a sharp downward trend in temporary resident arrivals, with a 72% decrease in new student and worker permits issued in early 2026 compared to the same period in 2024. This decline follows several federal measures, including an annual cap on international student study permits and a 10% limit on low-wage temporary foreign worker hiring. While the total number of permit holders currently in Canada rema

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

The fourth annual Premier’s Summit on Fairness for Newcomers recently convened in Alberta, bringing together employers, educators, and newcomers to address barriers to professional integration. Under the theme of unlocking newcomer skills, Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the importance of improving foreign credential recognition and expanding mentorship opportunities to ensure immigrants can contribute to their full potential. The provincial government highlighted recent l

Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), recently concluded Citizenship Week 2026 by hosting ceremonies across Ottawa, Lunenburg, and Halifax. From April 12 to 18, approximately 6,000 individuals from 40 different countries took the oath of citizenship in over 80 ceremonies nationwide. This year’s events emphasized the importance of reconciliation, with many ceremonies featuring Indigenous Elders who shared land acknowledgements and

The Government of Saskatchewan has passed The From Many Peoples, Strength Act, establishing a permanent framework to celebrate the province's diverse cultural and faith groups. This legislation eliminates the requirement for communities to request formal proclamations annually for their specific heritage days, weeks, or months. By codifying these recognitions into law, the province ensures they are automatically observed each year, supported by standalone documents that deta

A coalition of Canadian organizations, led by the Afghan Women's Organization, has issued an urgent open letter to federal ministers demanding immediate action to protect Afghan nationals awaiting Canadian immigration processing in Pakistan. Despite Canada's commitment to resettling over 55,000 Afghans since 2021, many individuals with active file numbers now face detention and forced removal under Pakistan’s phased deportation plan. The coalition is calling for expedited on

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

The Government of the Northwest Territories has released the upcoming schedule for its newly launched Expression of Interest (EOI) system under the Employer-Driven Stream, with the next draws set for June 25 and September 25, 2026. This competitive system ranks applicants based on skills, experience, and their likelihood of settling in the North, aiming to manage a high volume of interest against a limited federal allocation of 197 total nominations for the year. In the Marc

In response to persistent labour shortages, the Manitoba Government has officially opted into two federal temporary measures for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to support employers outside the Winnipeg area. Effective from April 14, 2026, until March 31, 2027, these measures allow eligible rural and northern employers to bypass standard restrictions on low-wage positions. Specifically, businesses can maintain their current proportion of temporary foreign workers

On April 16, 2026, Prince Edward Island conducted 2026’s fourth invitation round under the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP). In this draw, PEI issued 127 invitations to apply (ITAs) to candidates working in priority sectors based on economic impact in PEI. The province prioritized candidates with employment offers from PEI-based organizations and international graduates from recognized institutions, including UPEI, Holland College, and Collège de l'

Alberta released the results of the recent Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) immigration draws. The province invited 342 Express Entry candidates under the Priority Sectors Stream (manufacturing, construction, skilled trades), Law Enforcement and Accelerated Tech pathways. Additionally, Alberta invited 134 Rural Renewal Stream candidates and 164 Dedicated Health Care Pathway candidates (Express Entry and non-Express Entry). In total, the province has invited 640