IRCC’s latest update shows mixed picture for temporary-residence processing times
Ontario issues 1,424 ITAs across 56 occupations in Workforce Priority Stream round
Air Canada’s 11,000 mechanics and ground staff ratify four-year contract, averting service risk
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FIFA World Cup visitors file 175 asylum claims in Canada; Ghanaian nationals top the list
IRCC has confirmed that 175 attendees of the 2026 FIFA World Cup have sought refugee protection after entering Canada on temporary visas, with Ghanaian nationals representing the largest single group. Although the claims amount to less than 1 percent of World Cup visa holders, they add pressure to Canada’s asylum system and fuel calls for stronger post-entry monitoring before future mega-events.
IRCC quietly expands Francophone Student Pilot to include open work permits—and narrows humanitarian discretion
IRCC has amended the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot to offer a three-year open work permit to graduates who apply for permanent residence, while separate guidance instructs officers that humanitarian arguments cannot override public-policy eligibility rules. The changes expand work options for French-speaking graduates but heighten the stakes for submitting complete applications.
IRCC’s weekly update shows mixed movement in temporary-residence processing times
IRCC’s July 23 processing-time update shows faster in-Canada work-permit decisions but longer overseas waits for Pakistan and the Philippines, while visitor-visa times improved slightly. The weekly shifts underscore the need for employers and relocation managers to monitor figures in real time when planning assignments and family travel.
IRCC publishes July 22 processing-time update for work, study and visitor visas
IRCC’s July 22 processing-time table shows faster decisions for in-Canada work-permit extensions and visitor visas but longer waits for work-permit applicants in Pakistan and the Philippines. Study-permit timelines are unchanged at five-to-seven weeks. The figures help employers and international students plan fall travel and onboarding.
IRCC refreshes weekly processing times: work-permit waits rise for Pakistan, visitor visas speed up for North America
IRCC’s 22 July processing-time dashboard shows a three-week jump for Pakistani work-permit applicants and faster visitor-visa decisions for files lodged in Canada and the U.S. No changes were recorded for study permits. Employers should pad timelines for Pakistani assignees but can shorten lead times for North-American visitor visas.
IRCC launches first-ever Express Entry draw for skilled military recruits
On July 23, IRCC issued four Invitations to Apply in its first Express Entry draw dedicated to skilled military recruits, with a CRS cut-off of 368. The move opens a new permanent-residence pathway for ex-service personnel in high-demand defence and cyber roles and underscores IRCC’s trend toward tightly targeted selection rounds.
Canada invites 5,000 French-speaking candidates in record-low CRS draw
IRCC’s July 22 Express Entry draw targeted French-speaking candidates, inviting 5,000 applicants at a CRS cut-off of 399—the lowest for this category since March. The round strengthens Ottawa’s push for francophone immigration and gives employers rapid access to bilingual talent.
French-language Express Entry draw sends 5,000 ITAs as CRS dips below 400
On 22 July, IRCC invited 5,000 French-speaking candidates with a record-low CRS cut-off of 399—the eighth and largest francophone Express Entry draw of 2026. The move cements French proficiency as one of the fastest pathways to Canadian permanent residence and signals continued emphasis on bilingual recruitment.
Ottawa runs micro-draw for skilled military recruits in first-ever Express Entry category
IRCC issued just four ITAs on 23 July in its first-ever Express Entry draw dedicated to skilled military recruits, with a CRS cut-off of 368. The micro-draw pilots an immigration pathway that will let the Canadian Armed Forces hire up to 1,000 foreign nationals a year in critical occupations, signalling further category-based selection to come.
International arrivals to Canada rose 11 % in May as Europe rebounds—StatCan
Statistics Canada’s July 23 Frontier Counts show overseas arrivals up 11.7 % year on year in May 2026, led by Europe and Latin America. The figures confirm a solid recovery in Canada-bound travel ahead of the autumn business-conference season.
Flight-attendant union urges Air Canada’s incoming CEO to repair ‘deteriorated’ labour relations
CUPE’s flight-attendant arm warns that relations with Air Canada have soured since last year’s strike and asks incoming CEO Anko van der Werff to prioritize dialogue. The appeal signals potential labour-relations risk that could affect schedule reliability in 2027.