Canada Immigration

IRCC has issued 1,350 invitations to apply (ITAs) through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program in its first CEC-specific Express Entry draw of the year. The minimum CRS score for this draw was 542.

Over 9,000 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) workers have reached a preliminary deal, averting a potential strike. The workers, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union, have been without a contract for two years. A vote to confirm the agreement will take place soon, with details to be released afterward.

Canada has introduced a cap of 505,162 on study permit applications for the remainder of 2025. The cap will be effective from January 22 to December 31. Applications exceeding this limit will be returned unprocessed, with fees refunded.

The government has issued its response to the CIMM committee report on specific problems facing international students.

Canada's unemployment rate was at 4.9% again in July, according to Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey.

IRCC issued 2,750 invitations to apply (ITA) and the Comprehensive Ranking System score (CRS) cut-off was 516.

Starting January 28, 2025, Super Visa applicants can buy health insurance from approved international providers instead of only Canadian insurers. This change lowers costs and increases accessibility while maintaining strict coverage standards.

Starting August 28, visitors in Canada on a temporary visa can no longer apply for work permits from within the country. This policy, initially introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2020, aimed to assist visitors stranded due to border closures.

IRCC has officially ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS) for study permits, effective immediately. The SDS allowed faster processing for eligible applicants from 14 countries. Alongside this, the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) program, which served a similar purpose exclusively for Nigerian nationals, has also been discontinued.

Today, Canada and the United Kingdom announced the signing of a new Canada-United Kingdom (UK) Youth Mobility Arrangement.

Family reunification is a core pillar in Canada’s immigration strategy and a new measure by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to make it possible for more families to be together.

Canada is set to speed up the processing of certain visitor visas. This is part of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)'s new strategy, aiming to improve services for newcomers and reduce wait times.

Canada has abruptly suspended the peer review process for its Start-Up Visa (SUV) program, according to an IRCC notice on August 22. The pause, effective since August 1, means that IRCC officers will now be solely responsible for assessing the validity of SUV applications and commitments from designated entities. This move has raised concerns among stakeholders about the potential increase in litigation, given the complexity of evaluating new business ventures without expert input.

The latest data released by Gallup shows Canada is the preferred destination for millions of potential newcomers.

Real GDP is a commonly used indicator of a country’s overall economic health.

Canada admitted 483,395 new permanent residents in 2024, nearly reaching its target of 485,000. This marks a continued trend of high immigration levels, with a focus on supporting population growth and the labor market.

Canada held its first Express Entry draw of the year today, and the first since November 23.

Rapid growing of workers and skilled workers in agriculture and agri-food in Canada is an alarming sign to select more foreigners through immigration programs in this field of expertise to work in this industry. 

Canada will process up to 25,000 sponsorship applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in 2025.

Intellectual assets can include inventions, new technologies, new brands, original software, novel designs, unique processes and more. The Government of Canada website states that is it crucial to use intellectual assets strategically to run a business and that protecting these assets can give businesses a competitive advantage in the market.