Canada overhauls Express Entry CRS to reward high-wage Canadian experience
Canada overhauls Express Entry to reward high-wage Canadian experience – LMIA no longer required
Low-wage LMIA freeze expands to cover 30 Canadian cities after fresh unemployment data
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Low-wage LMIA freeze expanded to 30 Canadian cities
ESDC has added six urban areas to its low-wage LMIA refusal list, bringing the total to 30 CMAs where Service Canada will not process low-wage foreign-worker applications until at least 7 January 2027. Employers in the affected cities must switch to high-wage streams, relocate roles, or hire domestically.
Atlantic universities lose nearly half of their international students since 2024 study-permit clampdown
Atlantic Canadian universities report a 48 % collapse in international enrolment since federal study-permit curbs began in 2024, threatening campus finances and the region’s long-term labour-market needs. Institutions are pressing Ottawa for regional relief, while employers may face a tighter talent pool.
Ebola immigration order extended; 25,000 documents remain frozen
Canada has prolonged its Ebola-related suspension of immigration decisions for residents of the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda until 27 November 2026. Roughly 25,000 issued documents and 34,000 in-process applications remain on hold, affecting visitor, study and work mobility from the three countries.
Government rejects calls to cap study permits by nationality, citing Charter rights
Ottawa has ruled out nationality-based study-permit quotas, saying they would violate the Charter’s equality clause. Instead, existing system-wide reforms – higher funds thresholds, intake caps and stronger school compliance rules – will remain the levers for curbing fraud and asylum misuse.
Atlantic universities report 48 % plunge in international enrolment since 2024 reforms
New survey data show Atlantic universities have 48 % fewer international students than before Ottawa’s 2024 study-permit crackdown. The loss hurts university finances and reduces a key pipeline of future workers for a region already facing severe demographic pressures.
IRCC revives Application Status Tracker, giving applicants daily insight into file progress
IRCC has relaunched its daily-updating Application Status Tracker for Express Entry, family sponsorship, study, work and visitor files, giving applicants and employers unprecedented visibility into section-by-section progress and outstanding actions.
IRCC relaunches Application Status Tracker, giving applicants daily case updates
IRCC’s online tracker is live again, allowing applicants and their representatives to see daily updates on each step of their file. The restored visibility will help employers manage employee expectations and speed responses to IRCC document requests.