PR

With the closure of BC’s main PNP graduate streams and a 50% reduction in nominations, international students in British Columbia face new challenges for permanent residency (PR).
But strong alternatives still exist if you plan carefully.

Canada recently marked the ten-year anniversary of Canada’s first Express Entry draw. Since its launch, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued over 800,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent residency (PR), streamlining the immigration process and aligning it with labor market needs.

As Canada moves forward with more targeted immigration strategies, language proficiency, especially in french, is becoming a key pathway to permanent residency (PR). According to new guidance from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), francophone immigration outside Quebec is now a central priority, even as overall immigration levels are being adjusted to reflect infrastructure and housing capacity.

A Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) lets foreign nationals continue working in Canada while awaiting a decision on their permanent residence (PR) application. It is valid for up to two years and can be extended. Unlike employer-specific permits, BOWPs allow work for most employers.

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.

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

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

In Canadian immigration, common-law relationships are treated the same as marriages. If two individuals have lived together in a conjugal and interdependent relationship for at least one year, they are considered common-law partners.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that starting spring 2025, Express Entry candidates will no longer receive additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for having a valid job offer.

Many Express Entry applicants list their spouse as “non-accompanying” to increase their CRS score, a legal but risky move. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently increased scrutiny of such declarations, especially when the spouse is already living or working in Canada.

Canada has introduced a new category under Express Entry for individuals with work experience in education-related occupations, creating a fresh opportunity for permanent residence (PR). Professionals such as schoolteachers, early childhood educators, and others in the education sector may be selected in category-based draws with lower CRS cut-offs.

The deadline for the temporary public policy aimed at providing permanent residency to out-of-status construction workers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has been extended until December 31, 2024, or until it reaches 1,000 applications.

The Liberal Party of Canada, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, has officially won the 2025 federal election and will form a minority government.

Many newcomers look to Personal Support Worker (PSW) and Early Childhood Educator (ECE) programs as fast tracks to permanent residency (PR) in Canada. These programs are in high demand—but the course alone isn’t enough for PR.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Lena Metlege Diab as the new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, replacing Rachel Bendayan. Diab, the MP for Halifax West, brings legal and political experience, including her role as Nova Scotia’s Immigration Minister from 2013 to 2021.

People who applied for permanent residency through the TR to PR pathway can now get longer open work permits while waiting for their PR decision.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) remains a popular path to permanent residency in Canada. But in 2025, with reduced quotas and stricter monitoring, moving to another province after receiving PR through a PNP stream requires careful planning.

New Brunswick has paused its Express Entry and Skilled Worker immigration streams for the rest of the year after reaching its quota of approximately 2,000 nominations. The pause, announced by the Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Department, will continue until January 2025.

The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) has stopped endorsing several occupations under the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), effective immediately. Employers can no longer support foreign nationals for PR through the AIP for the following occupations: