The British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that Mac’s Convenience Stores and three immigration consulting firms unlawfully exploited close to 880 migrant workers. Justice Sharon Matthews found that the defendants used false pretences to charge migrants up to $8,000 each for Canadian jobs that rarely existed. The retail chain brought workers to Canada to create a flexible staffing pool without any specific intention to employ them full-time. Many arrived to find no employment, w

International graduates face growing permit rejections due to confusing language requirements on the federal immigration website. Vital details about the mandatory language test remain difficult to find when applying for post-graduate work permits (PGWP). The online application survey fails to flag the test requirement on automated checklists. Applicants often miss the rule because the information stays hidden inside expandable boxes without distinct fonts or colours. Immigra

British Columbia officially raised its general minimum wage from $17.85 to $18.25 per hour on June 1, 2026. This forty-cent increase reflects a 2.1 percent adjustment tied directly to the average inflation rate from the previous year. With this update, the province now holds the highest minimum wage among all Canadian provinces. Yukon and Nunavut still maintain higher minimum wage rates overall; they are territories rather than provinces. The new rate also applies to speciali

Quebec experienced a rare population decline last year, according to the Quebec Institute of Statistics. The province lost nearly ten thousand residents in 2025 because deaths outpaced births for the second consecutive year. A massive drop in temporary immigration also contributed heavily to this negative trend. The total number of temporary residents fell by over 50,000. At the same time, thousands of residents chose to move from Quebec to other Canadian provinces, such as O

New Brunswick revealed a new economic strategy to grow its economy by 10% by 2030. The province needs more workers to reach this goal. Because of this need, immigration will play a central role in the new plan. The strategy aims to fix major labour shortages in key sectors. These sectors include mining, agriculture, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. New Brunswick also wants to attract more private investment. Businesses only invest in areas that have enough skilled

Ontario is introducing major updates to its provincial immigration regulation starting May 30, 2026. These new changes allow the government to completely redesign the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The province will now have the legal power to easily create or remove individual immigration streams based on local needs. Officials aim to simplify the application process and better target current labour shortages. The new rules also strengthen program integrity. For i

British Columbia launched major updates to its immigrant selection process. On May 28, 2026, the province released a brand-new guide for its Skills Immigration program, containing big changes that affect how workers move to the region. Crucially, the update introduces a special health worker plan to support rural and remote towns. Healthcare professionals can sign up for this one-time opportunity starting June 15, 2026. The government also simplified its main application guid

On May 28, 2026, Newfoundland and Labrador held the sixth round of selection through the Enhanced Expression of Interest (EOI) system, issuing a total of 103 invitations. Of these, 84 were sent to candidates under the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP), while 19 went to applicants through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Last year, Newfoundland and Labrador invited a total of 3,376 applicants under the NLPNP and AIP. So far, the province has i

On May 28, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the sixth Express Entry draw for French-language proficiency candidates of the year. In round #418, IRCC issued 4,500 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 409 points – nine points more than the last draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was April 29, 2026, at 22:20:00 UTC. As of May 24, 2026, 238,847 profiles were registered in the Express Entry p

Ontario announced a new $1.7 billion investment to expand postsecondary education and prepare more students for high-demand careers across the province. The funding will support the creation of 70,000 additional seats in colleges and universities, particularly in sectors experiencing labour shortages such as healthcare, skilled trades, STEM, and education. According to the provincial government, the first new spaces are expected to become available starting in Fall 2026. Earl

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.

On May 27, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #417, the cut-off score was 518 points, four points more than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw, and the highest for the category in 2026. The tie-breaking rule for this round was April 30, 2026, at 03:16:01 UTC. As of May 24, 2026, 238,847 profiles were

The Government of Canada has announced temporary border measures in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and growing regional concerns involving Uganda and South Sudan. Beginning May 27, 2026, Canada plans to temporarily suspend the issuance of certain immigration documents to residents of affected countries for 90 days. Starting May 30, some travellers who have recently been in high-risk regions will also be required to complete a 21-day self-is

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

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has launched a new portal feature that allows candidates to modify their active Worker Expression of Interest submissions. This update enables individuals to adjust their profile details without altering or extending the original one-year validity period of their submission. Additionally, candidates can now proactively decline stream invitations and return directly to the selection pool within the standard fifteen-day window. T

Conservative Shadow Minister Michelle Rempel Garner has called on Prime Minister Mark Carney to ensure Immigration Minister Lena Diab attends an upcoming parliamentary review. The official opposition selected the immigration minister for the upcoming Committee of the Whole session scheduled for Thursday night. This standard legislative procedure allows members of parliament to directly question ministers for four hours regarding departmental spending and policies. The opposit

The Canadian Government is making travel easier for eligible citizens from Indonesia and Malaysia. Starting May 26, 2026, select travellers from these countries can apply for an electronic travel authorization instead of a traditional visa. This rule applies to individuals who held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or currently hold a valid United States visa. Eligible travellers must enter or transit through Canada by air to use this streamlined process. Immigration Minis

On May 25, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #416 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 334 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the round’s cut-off score was 805 points, seven points more than the previous PNP-targeted draw and the highest in 2026. The tie-breaking rule for this round was October 16, 2025, at 18:16:33 UTC. It is important to note that IRCC has not updated the official E

Over the past month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From April 25 to May 22, Canada invited 6,223 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of May 22, 31,606 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 1 ITA for Andorra, 1,071 ITAs for Australia, 5 ITAs for Austria, 60 ITAs for Belgium, 49 ITAs for Chile, 14 ITAs for Cost

International student interest in Canada is rising again after two years of decline. New search data shows a sharp increase in prospective students looking at Canadian institutions. This turnaround follows a major policy change after officials removed master's and doctoral students from the national enrolment cap. These postgraduate applicants no longer need a provincial attestation letter to apply. Online searches for master's programs jumped by 55 percent in December 2025.