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Ottawa invited 2,000 candidates in the new Canadian Experience Class Express Entry draw
On April 14, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a new Express Entry draw for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. IRCC issued 2,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA) in this draw. In round #410, the cut-off score was 515 points, six points more than it was in the previous CEC-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was June 10, 2025, at 02:46:26 UTC. As of April 12, 2026, 233,555 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool.
Apr 15


Saskatchewan leads provinces with the lowest unemployment and robust job growth
Saskatchewan’s labour market showed significant strength in March 2026, recording the lowest unemployment rate in Canada at 5%, well below the national average of 6.7%. The province added 15,000 full-time jobs year over year and saw a monthly increase of 5,800 positions. Immigration and Career Training Minister Eric Schmalz highlighted the growth resulting from strategic industry partnerships designed to meet the demands of a growing economy. Major gains were reported in hea
Apr 14


Newfoundland and Labrador conducted the third invitation round under the NLPNP and the AIP
On April 13, 2026, Newfoundland and Labrador held the third round of selection through the Enhanced Expression of Interest (EOI) system, issuing a total of 210 invitations. Of these, 177 were sent to candidates under the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP), while 33 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
Apr 14


Canada held a new Express Entry draw for Provincial Nominee Program candidates
On April 13, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the Express Entry draw #409 for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. The Government of Canada issued 324 Invitations to Apply (ITA), and the round’s cut-off score was 786 points, 16 points fewer than the previous PNP-targeted draw. The tie-breaking rule for this round was November 19, 2025, at 18:53:59 UTC. As of March 29, 2026, 230,186 profiles were registered in the Express Entry pool. Thi
Apr 14


Canada proposes digital passport capture for immigration applications
The Federal Government is moving to update immigration rules to allow for the digital capture of passport information. This technology would allow applicants to scan their electronic passports (ePassports) remotely to automatically fill out their forms. By using this system, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to reduce manual data entry errors and verify the authenticity of travel documents when an application is submitted. While the new process adds an
Apr 13


IRCC held new draws under the IEC and invited over 9,400 candidates
Over the last two weeks, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new draws under the International Experience Canada (IEC). From March 28 to April 10, Canada invited 9,407 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of April 10, 27,651 candidates have registered in the pool and are awaiting the invitation. In these rounds, there were 1,019 ITAs for Australia, 8 ITAs for Austria, 99 ITAs for Belgium, 45 ITAs for Chile, 12 ITAs for Costa Rica, 5
Apr 13


New Brunswick conducted two draws under the NB Express Entry Stream and Atlantic Immigration Program
On April 10, 2026, New Brunswick published the results of its recent draws using an expression of interest system to streamline immigration applications for the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). On March 30, 2026, the province conducted a new draw and issued a total of 25 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to healthcare and IT professionals under the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream – Employment in New Brunswick pathway.
Apr 13


New asylum reforms aim to streamline claims and reduce backlogs in Canada
The Federal Government has introduced a series of regulatory amendments under the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration Systems and Borders Act to modernize the in-Canada asylum system. These changes focus on addressing system-wide bottlenecks caused by a surge in refugee claims through several key measures, including a new single online application process and the enforcement of stricter timelines for ministerial due diligence. Notably, the reforms ensure that eligible claiman
Apr 13


ESDC published decreased processing times for Labour Market Impact Assessment streams
On April 9, 2026, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) updated the processing times for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under various streams. Based on statistics from all processing centres, the average LMIA processing time has decreased for all streams except the Agricultural and Low-wage streams, which had a very slight increase. Global Talent Stream - 7 business days (-5 days) Agricultural stream – 16 business days (+1 day) Seasonal Agr
Apr 13


The MPNP conducted a new draw under the Skilled Worker Stream
On April 9, 2026, Manitoba held the invitation round #268 under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). The province invited 32 skilled workers under the Skilled Worker in Manitoba and Skilled Workers Overseas streams as part of a strategic recruitment initiative. In this round, 8 invitations were extended to candidates with a valid Express Entry profile number and a job seeker validation code. This year, the MPNP invited 295 candidates, and 49 of them received invi
Apr 13


IRCC proposed new regulatory amendments to streamline study and work authorizations
On April 7, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced proposed amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to reduce administrative hurdles for international students and apprentices. Key changes include removing the co-op work permit requirement for students and eliminating study permit mandates for foreign apprentices under specific conditions. Furthermore, the proposal allows international graduates and students to continue w
Apr 10


Ontario conducted Employer Job Offer draws under the OINP
On April 8, 2026, the Government of Ontario conducted new 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 invited physicians, healthcare workers and early childhood educators, as well as Francophone candidates and those targeted under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI).
Apr 10


Canada plans to replace key Express Entry programs with a new federal model
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
Apr 10


Canada’s newest newcomers enter a tight labour market, but gaps persist
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
Apr 8


A new language-to-academic pathway model to help Canada’s language training sector thrive
Canada’s language training sector is rebuilding language-to-academic pipelines after recent immigration policy changes sharply reduced enrolments in these pathways. With Provincial Attestation Letters concentrated at public institutions and new rules requiring students to obtain a new permit to change designated learning institutions, traditional multi-DLI pathways became difficult to sustain. In response, Languages Canada developed the Joint Pathway Program , a joint program
Apr 8


AAIP introduces $135 Worker Expression of Interest fee effective April 7, 2026
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has added a new $135 fee to submit a Worker Expression of Interest (WEOI), effective April 7, 2026. The other AAIP service fees remain unchanged for now. Under the current structure, applications to streams such as Alberta Opportunity, Alberta Express Entry, Rural Renewal, and Tourism and Hospitality are set at $1,500, while several entrepreneur streams carry a $3,500 application fee. Additional charges apply for entrepreneur
Apr 8


Manitoba and PEI announced minimum wage increases
Manitoba and Prince Edward Island have announced upcoming minimum wage increases, reflecting continued adjustments to support workers amid changing economic conditions. Manitoba’s minimum wage will rise by 40 cents to $16.40 per hour on Oct. 1, 2026, based on the province’s 2025 inflation rate and annual indexing under the Employment Standards Code. Prince Edward Island will introduce a two-step increase , moving from $17.00 to $17.30 per hour on Oct. 1, 2026, and then to $1
Apr 7


Canada introduced new special immigration measures for residents affected by domestic natural disasters
The Government of Canada has announced new temporary measures to help communities and individuals disrupted by domestic natural disasters, as climate-related emergencies become more frequent and severe. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that impacted temporary residents, including international students, temporary foreign workers and visitors, may replace lost status documents and apply to have permits restored, extended or renewed beyond the usual 90-
Apr 7


IRCC conducted 2026’s first Skilled Trades draw under Express Entry
On April 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held this year’s first occupation-specific Express Entry draw for candidates working in skilled trades occupations and issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITA). In round #408, the cut-off score was 477, 33 points fewer than the previous draw for this category-based selection, held on September 18, 2025. The tie-breaking rule for this round was February 14, 2026, at 20:53:54 UTC. This year, Canada issued 58
Apr 7


Alberta introduces Bill 26 to strengthen immigration oversight
Alberta has introduced Bill 26, the Immigration Oversight Act, to restore confidence in the immigration system by increasing provincial oversight of employers, foreign worker recruiters, and immigration consultants. If passed, the legislation would require employers to register before using federal temporary foreign worker programs and would create a licensing framework for recruiters and consultants. The province says these measures will help curb fraud, exploitation, and l
Apr 2
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