On December 18, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revised the eligibility criteria for Hong Kong residents applying through Stream B of the permanent residence pathways. Effective immediately, principal applicants must demonstrate at least 1,560 hours of authorized Canadian work experience obtained through paid employment at any skill level within three years prior to submission. Additionally, all applicants are required to have maintained a valid Can

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program has officially reached its 2025 allocation after issuing 10,750 nominations across all available streams. Officials confirmed that applications submitted before the cap was reached, along with new submissions, will be processed under the province's 2026 allocation. The program continues to accept applications without interruption, though processing timelines may extend into next year. Ontario remains one of Canada's most popular destinat

On December 12, 2025, Alberta  published  the results of the recent draws conducted through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP). On November 21 and 24, Alberta conducted draws under the Dedicated Healthcare Pathway and invited 68 and 39 Express Entry and non-Express Entry candidates, respectively. The minimum score for both draws was 49 points. These draws were the last ones conducted this year, as the AAIP reached its full 2025 allocation after receiving an addi

Canada's efforts to reduce temporary resident numbers are showing measurable results, with new data revealing a 53% decrease in student and worker arrivals between January and October 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The government has implemented stricter caps on international student permits and tightened eligibility for temporary foreign workers as part of its commitment to bring the temporary population below 5% of the total population by late 2027. Only 3,030 n

On December 17, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for French language proficiency candidates. In round #388, IRCC issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to francophone candidates. The cut-off score of this draw was 399 points, nine points fewer than in the previous draw in this category. The tie-breaking rule for this round was August 24, 2025, at 23:43:05 UTC. This year, Canada issued 113,998 ITAs through 58 Express Ent

Canada's job market saw vacancies fall by 14,000 positions in the third quarter of 2025, marking a 2.8% decrease to 492,500 openings. This decline follows similar drops earlier in the year and extends a downward trend that began after vacancies peaked at nearly 986,000 in mid-2022. Full-time and permanent positions bore the brunt of the reduction, while part-time and temporary roles remained relatively stable. Year-over-year figures show even steeper declines, with full-time

On December 16, 2025, British Columbia held two draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). The BCPNP issued 17 invitations to candidates in the Base Category of the Entrepreneur Stream, which is designed for experienced businessmen seeking to establish a new business or acquire an existing one in British Columbia. The lowest score of this round was 115 points. In addition, the province invited up to five candidates in the Entrepreneur Immigration -

On December 16, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 5,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #387, the cut-off score was 515 points, five points fewer than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw, and it was the smallest CRS score for CEC candidates in 2025. The tie-breaking rule for this round was September 9, 2025, at 18:58:59 UTC. So far in 2

On December 15, 2025, Prince Edward Island  conducted  2025’s thirteenth invitation round under the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP). In this draw, PEI issued 166 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 Collèg

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has received a welcome boost from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), with an additional 960 nominations pushing the province's total allocation to 6,214 for this year. The program will direct these nominations toward previously established priorities, focusing on healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and candidates expected to generate significant economic impact. A portion of the allocation will also ad

On December 15, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #386. In this draw, the Government of Canada issued 399 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. This round’s cut-off score was 731 points, two points more than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was October 18, 2025, at 7:18:52 UTC. As of December 15, 2025, 237,302 profiles were registered in the Express E

A group of leading Canadian economists has raised concerns about recent changes to the country's immigration framework, arguing that the 2023 introduction of category-based selection has undermined the transparency of Canada's formerly merit-driven system. The shift from the Comprehensive Ranking System to ministerial discretion has created uncertainty for prospective immigrants and may reduce the inflow of highly skilled workers. With international student applications decl

The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada reported 7,527 new refugee protection claims in November 2025, marking a continued decline from earlier months. With 6,738 cases finalized during the period, the backlog now stands at 299,452 pending claims. This represents a steady increase from 149,088 pending cases in November 2023. Meanwhile, refugee appeals climbed to 4,283 pending cases after processing 846 finalizations in November. Immigration appeals also saw growth, with

Canada's postsecondary sector faces mounting challenges as international student arrivals plunged 60% between January and September 2025 compared to the previous year, following government-imposed caps designed to ease housing pressures. The dramatic decline has triggered financial losses exceeding $140 million across just six Ontario institutions, while British Columbia anticipates annual losses surpassing $300 million. Ontario colleges have suspended 600 programs and elimi

On December 11, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published new updates to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program. The updates clarify that applicants must have held a valid study authorization within 180 days of completing their studies to remain eligible. Language and field-of-study requirements now apply equally across university and non-university programs, effective March 11, 2025. However, students who applied for their study permit befo

On December 11, 2025, 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 305 invitations to apply (ITAs) under the EJO FW Stream, 373 ITAs under the EJO IS Stream, an

On December 11, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)  held  the seventh occupation-specific Express Entry draw of the year for candidates working in healthcare and social services occupations. In round #385, IRCC issued 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the cut-off score was 476 points (14 points more than the last draw for this category). The tie-breaking rule for this round was November 26, 2025, at 07:44:30 UTC. This year, Canada issued 102,599 ITA

On December 10, 2025, the Government of British Columbia  held the third Skills Immigration invitation draws under the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) and issued invitations to apply to 410 skilled candidates with the potential to create high economic impact in the province. The selection criteria targeted two distinct groups: 96 candidates in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 positions earning a minimum wage of $87 per hour while working full-time with their suppor

On December 10, 2025, the Government of Ontario  conducted  immigration 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 healthcare professionals, early childhood educators & assistants, and candidates eligible for Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI). The OINP issued 427 invitat

On December 10, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to candidates in the CEC-targeted draw. In round #384, the cut-off score was 520 points, 11 points fewer than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was July 15, 2025, at 17:30:33 UTC. As of December 7, 2025, 242,379 profiles were registe