PR

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Starting August 11, 2024, IRCC introduced a temporary policy allowing certain Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates to apply for an open work permit (OWP).

Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed the new "Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots" will open on March 31, 2025. These pilots replace the recently closed caregiver immigration pathways and aim to streamline permanent residence (PR) access for eligible home care workers.

In its most recent draw under the Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) invited 1,307 candidates with CRS scores between 405 and 435. The draw targeted 47 skilled trade occupations for Express Entry profiles created between October 17, 2023, and October 17, 2024.

If you are sponsoring your spouse or partner for Canadian permanent residence (PR), they can apply for an Open Work Permit (OWP) while waiting for their application to be processed.

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) officially concluded on August 31. Communities had until July 31 to recommend candidates, and recommended applicants had until August 31 to submit their permanent residence applications.

Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) is a pathway to permanent residence for foreign nationals who want to live and work in designated rural communities in Canada. Local economic development organizations in each community help identify labour shortages, approve employers, and recommend candidates for permanent residence (PR). RCIP replaces the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), which ended in August 2024.

On August 30, Saskatchewan introduced two new Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) pathways, targeting healthcare and agriculture workers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the upcoming fall immigration levels plan will, for the first time, include considerations for both permanent and temporary residents. This plan aims to respond to the ongoing challenges in the Canadian labor market, including the high unemployment rate among immigrants, which currently stands at 11.6%.

To qualify for Canadian citizenship, individuals must meet several key requirements:

When applying for Canadian PR as a couple, choosing the right principal applicant can make a big difference in your chances of success.