Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has extended its public policy allowing certain foreign workers in Provincial Nominee Program expression of interest pools to obtain open work permits until December 31, 2025. The program, originally scheduled to end in late 2024, enables eligible foreign nationals currently employed in participating provinces to secure work permits valid for up to 2 years with provincial support letters. Manitoba and Yukon remain active participa

On November 5, 2025, Alberta  released  the results of the recent Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) immigration draws. On October 23, the province invited 60 candidates under the Alberta Opportunity stream, while the October 24 draw invited 142 candidates under the Dedicated Health Care Pathway – non-Express Entry stream, with a minimum score of 42. On October 28 and 29, Alberta conducted draws under the Alberta Express Entry Stream, inviting 60 construction worker

Quebec's Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration has introduced the province's immigration framework for 2026-2029, alongside the detailed 2026 Immigration Plan. The strategy aims to limit both temporary and permanent immigration volumes to ease pressure on the province's integration capacity. Quebec will welcome 45,000 permanent residents in 2026, while also admitting between 84,900 and 124,200 temporary residents through the Temporary Foreign Worker and Inter

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced measures to strengthen graduate student recruitment following recent enrolment restrictions. Starting January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral candidates at public universities will be exempt from the international student cap, eliminating the need for provincial attestation letters. Additionally, doctoral applicants will benefit from expedited 14-day study permit processing, extended to accompanying family mem

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced important updates to the provincial and territorial attestation letter framework for study permits. Effective November 4, 2025, IRCC has introduced several key clarifications affecting the 2025 allocation period, including revised protocols for PAL/TAL reuse, joint program applications, and processing criteria. The updates also address exception cases requiring Organization/Entity IDs and provide sample docume

On November 4, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) rolled out updated guidelines following regulatory amendments that took effect January 31, 2025. These changes grant designated officers the authority to individually cancel electronic travel authorizations, temporary resident visas, work permits, and study permits when circumstances warrant. The new provisions under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations apply exclusively to issued document

Canada's partial release of its 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan alongside Budget 2025 reveals a strategic recalibration of the country's immigration framework. Temporary resident admissions will decline from 516,600 to 385,000, reflecting efforts to balance infrastructure capacity with population growth amid housing pressures and institutional constraints across Canadian provinces. International student spaces will face a 50% reduction to 155,000 in 2026 (150,000 in 2027 a

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has revised the list of countries requiring medical examinations for temporary residence applications, effective November 3, 2025. Four countries—Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, and Venezuela—have been added to the requirement list, while six territories —Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Latvia, Lithuania, and Taiwan —have been removed. The changes affect individuals who have resided in or travelled to these nations for six co

A recent Abacus Data survey of nearly 3,000 Canadians reveals that public opinion on immigration has plateaued after last year's surge in skepticism. While roughly half of Canadians still view current immigration levels negatively and cite pressure on housing and healthcare, the data shows no further hardening of attitudes. With 67% saying the federal government's 2026 target of 380,000 newcomers is too high – down from 72% a year ago – there's evidence that reduced targets

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab launched the 13th National Francophone Immigration Week on November 3, highlighting the theme "Thank you for enriching our Francophonie." The week recognizes the vital contributions Francophone newcomers make to Canada's cultural and economic landscape. Minister Diab announced that the government remains on track to achieve its 2025 target of 8.5% French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec. Federal and provincial ministers are w

Ontario is introducing comprehensive reforms to its driver's licence system through Bill 60 , which links licensing eligibility directly to immigration status and work authorization. Effective early 2026, the Ministry of Transportation will verify applicants' legal status in Canada before issuing or renewing licences. The legislation prohibits temporary visitors from obtaining commercial driver's licences, ends automatic recognition of foreign licences from non-reciprocal cou

Canada's rental market is experiencing a notable shift as reduced immigration levels begin to ease the pressure on housing demand nationwide. Recent data reveals that major cities, including Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton, and Metro Vancouver, have recorded year-over-year rent decreases for one-bedroom units, with Toronto seeing the steepest drop at $176. Ontario experienced the largest decline in immigration in early 2025, receiving over 15,000 fewer newcomers than th

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program has updated its regulatory framework as of October 31, allowing officials to consider additional factors when deciding whether to return applications before issuing nominations. This amendment follows earlier changes introduced in July and gives the program greater flexibility to prioritize applications that align with Ontario's current workforce needs. Applicants whose submissions are returned will receive full refunds of their applicat

Holland College has reported a 47% decline in its international student population in 2025, from 848 students last year to 446. The college projects an additional loss of 300 students by the 2026–27 academic year, totalling a reduction of about 700 international students, over 80% of its former international enrolment. The decline stems directly from federal immigration policy changes, particularly restrictions on college graduates’ eligibility for Post-Graduate Work Permits

On October 27, 2025, Prince Edward Island held the eleventh invitation round of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP), although it was scheduled for November 20, 2025. In this round, the province issued 159 targeted invitations to international graduates from UPEI, Holland College, and Collège de l’Île who are living and working in PEI. So far, the province has invited only one business candidate and 1,239 skilled workers and graduates through the reg

Statistics Canada published a detailed demographic analysis examining Arab communities across the country, revealing significant growth and notable characteristics. The Arab population has more than tripled since 2001, reaching nearly 796,000 people in 2021, with projections suggesting it could grow to between 1.4 and 1.9 million by 2041. The study highlights that half of Arabs aged 25 to 54 hold bachelor's degrees or higher, considerably above the national average. The repo

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the last draws in International Experience Canada (IEC) pools for 2025. Since October 10, Canada has invited 2,946 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of October 27, 40,086 candidates were registered in the pool and waiting for the invitation. In the last round, there were 398 ITAs for Australia, 4 ITAs for Austria, 6 ITAs for Belgium, 3 ITAs for Chile, 6 ITAs for Costa Rica, 7 ITAs for Croatia, 6

A comprehensive TD Economics report released on October 28, 2025, confirms that Canada's strategic reduction of immigration levels is achieving its intended objectives across housing and employment sectors. The analysis, authored by Chief Economist Beata Caranci and Economist Marc Ercolao, reveals that population growth has decelerated from 3.2% in Q2 2024 to 0.9% in 2025, significantly moderating rental market pressures and stabilizing unemployment rates. Purpose-built rent

On October 29, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for French language proficiency candidates. In round #376, IRCC issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 416 points, 16 points fewer than in the previous draw in this category. The tie-breaking rule for this round was September 8, 2025, at 15:27:09 UTC. This year, Canada issued 81,485 ITAs through 46 Express Entry

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has released a comprehensive analysis addressing widespread misconceptions about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, representing over 100,000 small and medium-sized business owners nationwide. The report systematically refutes claims that businesses are addicted to foreign workers, that TFWs displace Canadians, suppress wages, strain public services, or facilitate worker abuse. CFIB emphasizes that temporary foreign workers