Deadline looms for final 2026 International Experience Canada invitation round
IRCC’s October processing-time update shows little relief for permanent residence or citizenship applicants
Canada records 5.3 million international arrivals in September as business travel rebounds
Latest News
British Columbia issues health-sector invitations in latest rural-remote PNP draw
B.C. invited 16 candidates in an October 15 draw targeting rural and remote health-care jobs, with results released on October 18. The specialised PNP stream accelerates permanent residence for health workers willing to serve outside major centres, helping employers combat chronic shortages.
Prince Edward Island holds second PNP draw of the month, issues 163 invitations
PEI released results of an October 16 PNP draw on October 18, issuing 163 invitations and breaking with its traditional single-draw schedule. The move reflects record-low unemployment and mounting employer pressure for skilled labour ahead of the 2027 tourism season.
CBSA to replace Remote Area Border Crossing permits with telephone reporting from December 1
CBSA will end the Remote Area Border Crossing permit on December 1, 2026, shifting low-volume remote entries to a telephone-reporting model. Businesses using RABC for cross-border fieldwork must adapt procedures and train staff before the cutoff.
Canada overhauls Express Entry CRS to reward high-wage Canadian experience
IRCC will award extra CRS points for Canadian work experience or a job offer in a newly defined list of high-wage occupations and will drop the LMIA requirement for those job offers. The recalculation begins 11 November 2026 and pauses draws for up to two weeks. The move makes it easier and faster for employers to convert key foreign workers to permanent residence, aligning Express Entry more closely with labour-market needs.
Canada overhauls Express Entry to reward high-wage Canadian experience – LMIA no longer required
Starting 3 November 2026, Express Entry will grant up to 150 CRS points for high-wage Canadian experience or job offers and will drop the LMIA requirement for such offers. The move makes it far easier – and cheaper – for employers to secure permanent residence for valued foreign talent and is expected to raise cut-off scores in the short term.
Low-wage LMIA freeze expands to cover 30 Canadian cities after fresh unemployment data
ESDC’s quarterly update expanded the low-wage LMIA refusal list to 30 Canadian cities, blocking new low-wage foreign-worker applications in those labour markets until at least 7 January 2027. Employers must either boost wages, shift locations, or use exempt streams, making workforce planning more complex.
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.