Canada Immigration

Victoria, British Columbia, has been named the most livable city in Canada for newcomers, according to The Globe and Mail. This respected national newspaper evaluates cities annually, focusing on factors like integration, amenities, and housing affordability for recent immigrants.

Justin Trudeau announced a significant cabinet reshuffle, with Marc Miller becoming the new Immigration Minister. Miller, a Quebec MP and former Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, will take over from Sean Fraser, who is now assigned to Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities.

Canada will introduce four new pathways to permanent residence in 2025, addressing labor shortages and supporting regional growth.

16 occupations will become eligible for Express Entry and three will become ineligible in November 2022.

Details of how the updated National Occupation Classification (NOC) system will affect Express Entry eligibility have been released.

On February 15, 2024, Canada introduced a significant change to the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program, enabling international students who graduate from master’s or Ph.D. programs to receive a three-year work permit, regardless of their program’s duration.

Canada's non-permanent resident population has reached 2.2 million, with a significant increase attributed to international migration. This marks a 46% year-over-year growth, primarily from work and study permits. Canada's total population now stands at nearly 40.1 million, making it a leader in G7 countries for population growth.

Between October 10 and October 23, 24,200 potential sponsors will be invited to apply. If you signed up in 2020 but didn't get an invitation in 2021 or 2022, keep an eye on your email, including your spam folder.

Alberta PNP invites candidates with CRS 318. BC holds a unique draw. PEI's monthly draw results are out.

This past week, three Canadian provinces held Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws, inviting candidates to take the next step toward permanent residence.

Most Canadian provinces and territories (except for Quebec and Nunavut) operate their own PNPs. Provincial officials who manage these programs invite interested candidates to apply for a provincial nomination. While a provincial nomination is not the same as permanent residence, it can greatly increase one’s chances of obtaining permanent residency status.

For instance, PNP candidates with Express Entry profiles who receive a nomination get 600 points added to their score. They also become eligible to be invited to apply for a PNP-specific round of invitations. In the Express Entry draw this week, Canada invited 924 PNP candidates to apply with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores of at least 754.

Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) issued over 1,400 invitations to apply for provincial nomination in May.

Canada is increasing the number of economic immigrants it welcomes through provincial nominee programs.

113,700 new immigrants arrived in Canada in the first quarter of 2022.

As of April 1, 2022, Canada’s population was estimated to be nearly 39 million people. This is a population increase of nearly 128,000 people over three months from January 1.

Canada’s population is expected to increase by 57% to 62.8 million by 2073, driven mainly by immigration, according to Statistics Canada.

The percentage of French-speaking immigrants to Canada rose to 7.21% last year, surpassing the 6% target. This marks the second consecutive year of growth. The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA) sees this as a positive step but argues that the number needs to reach 12% to restore the French-speaking population outside Quebec to its 1971 level.

Canada has seen a significant rise in refugee acceptance rates, with approved claims more than doubling from 14,000 in 2018 to nearly 37,000 in 2023. By 2024, 82% of claims were approved, up from 64% in 2018. However, a closer look reveals stark disparities based on the claimants’ countries of origin.

On March 23, 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney dissolved Parliament and announced a snap federal election for April 28. This sudden move has sparked speculation about its impact on immigration policies.

The temporary public policy for Iranian nationals in Canada is set to expire on February 28, 2025. These measures have allowed Iranian temporary residents in Canada to extend their stay, switch visa categories, and apply for work or study permits without paying fees.

IRCC data show where foreign workers got jobs in Canada under the International Mobility Program last year.
Most of Canada’s foreign workers fall under the International Mobility Program (IMP). In 2021, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued more than 315,000 work permits under the IMP alone. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) accounted for about 104,000 work permits issued.

Recent discussions around Canada’s asylum and refugee policies highlight the complex challenges of maintaining humanitarian principles while addressing domestic concerns. Immigration Minister Marc Miller recently reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to processing Syrian refugee claims, even as European nations withdraw support for Syrian asylum seekers following the fall of Bashar Assad's regime. While Canada has taken in 45,000 Syrian refugees since 2015, some voices advocate for halting new applications, citing risks of regime supporters or terrorist fighters entering the country during this transitional period.

Demand for workers is booming in Canada as unemployment declines and job vacancies rise.

Canada's labour market remains very strong for Canadian-born and immigrant workers alike.

Canada’s unemployment rate has fallen to a new all-time low once again.