Canada Extends and Expands Temporary Immigration Measures for Palestinians
IRCC quietly tightens C20 “Reciprocal Employment” work-permit rules
Alberta premier tells international students with expired visas: “You need to go home”
Latest News
June Passenger Traffic at Major Canadian Airports Inches Up 0.6 %: Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada reports that 5.2 million passengers were screened at Canada’s eight busiest airports in June 2026—up only 0.6 % year-over-year. Domestic travel rose 1.8 %, but U.S. transborder volumes slid 2 % for a 17-month losing streak. The flat numbers suggest stable but unspectacular demand and hint at possible capacity adjustments on Canada-U.S. business routes.
First business week on the Gordie Howe Bridge shows major diversion of cross-border traffic
User-reported data on 31 July indicate the Gordie Howe International Bridge has already captured significant truck traffic, cutting wait times between Windsor and Detroit. The new crossing gives supply-chain managers a faster alternative to the Ambassador Bridge and features dedicated FAST/NEXUS lanes. Companies should update routing protocols and watch for stricter U.S. inspections at the new port.
IRCC confirms freeze on citizenship-by-descent files that rely on pre-1867 ancestors
An internal e-mail leaked on 31 July reveals that IRCC has paused all proof-of-citizenship applications that hinge on ancestors born before Canada’s 1867 Confederation. The department is developing guidelines on how to assess such claims. Applicants relying on 19th-century lineage should expect significant delays and may need alternative immigration strategies.
CIBC warns that Statistics Canada may have severely under-counted temporary residents, skewing job data
CIBC economist Benjamin Tal argues that Statistics Canada’s practice of counting expired permits as departures has under-reported Canada’s population by up to 210,000 people per year, masking a weaker labour market. The finding—circulating widely on 31 July—adds pressure on Ottawa to adopt real exit-tracking and could influence future immigration caps.
WestJet flight attendants file 72-hour strike notice, threatening long-weekend travel
CUPE served WestJet with a 72-hour strike notice on July 30, putting a shutdown of Canada’s second-largest airline in play for August 3. A walkout would cancel hundreds of flights at the height of the summer rush, creating major headaches for corporate travellers and assignees. Companies should activate contingency plans and remind employees of APPR protections.
WestJet Issues 72-Hour Strike Notice; Offers Free Rebooking for 30 Jul – 4 Aug Travel
WestJet’s cabin-crew union served a 72-hour strike notice on 30 July, meaning staff could walk out as early as 2 August. To mitigate disruption, WestJet is allowing free changes or cancellations for travel between 30 July and 4 August, a period that includes the civic-holiday long weekend. Thousands of business and leisure passengers may be affected if talks fail. Companies should review itineraries and secure alternatives now.
WestJet flight attendants serve 72-hour strike notice, threatening long-weekend travel
CUPE Local 4070 has issued WestJet a 72-hour strike notice, putting the airline’s 4,300 flight attendants in a legal strike position on August 3, 2026. WestJet plans to start cancelling flights two days earlier to avoid aircraft being stranded, and is offering free rebooking or refunds. The walkout would hit peak summer and Civic Holiday travel, with significant implications for corporate mobility across Canada. Unless a deal is reached, business travellers should prepare contingency arrangements.
Prime Minister Carney, Alberta Premier Smith Clash Over International Student Hunger Strike and Immigration Policy
• During a July 29 press conference, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was unaware of an international-student hunger strike over PGWP refusals but stressed that people without status must follow established processes. • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told the same media scrum that students whose visas expire “need to go home,” underscoring provincial frustration with federal immigration allocations. • Nearly 500 Portage College graduates were refused PGWPs after IRCC clarified on June 24 that non-credit programs do not qualify; about 1,000 graduates are protesting, and several are on hunger strike. • The incident exposes gaps in federal-provincial coordination on immigration and raises business-mobility risks for employers who depend on PGWP talent.
IRCC launches nationwide client survey for 2026 Canadian passport holders
On July 30, IRCC announced an email-based client-experience survey targeting everyone who received a Canadian passport in the first half of 2026. Feedback will shape future automation and service standards—issues that directly affect assignees who rely on timely passport renewals. Employers should encourage mobile staff to participate.