The latest processing times for temporary residence applications have been released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), with no reported increases to wait times. For wait time improvements, the most notable among the changes (in order), included Super visas: Five-week improvement for submissions from the Philippines, three-week improvement for US-based submissions; Study permits: Four-week […]

The post Temporary residence application processing times decline across the board first appeared on CIC News.

Work experience is one of the most important parts of an Express Entry profile—it is often the single greatest factor contributing to your eligibility for a program, and your competitiveness as a candidate. It’s also where many applicants make costly mistakes that can see their profiles greatly diminished or even thrown out altogether. The problem? […]

The post Six common work experience mistakes Express Entry candidates should avoid first appeared on CIC News.

If you’re planning a visit to Canada, it’s important to know that even having a misdemeanour on your record can lead to your being denied entry. Only Canadian citizens are guaranteed entry into Canada. Foreign nationals, including US citizens, may be found inadmissible under Canadian law if they have a past criminal history. Schedule a […]

The post Catching a concert in Canada this summer? Why you could be denied entry for a misdemeanor, and how to avoid it first appeared on CIC News.

Foreign workers currently residing or soon-to-reside in British Columbia (BC), who work for one of two select companies, can facilitate work permits for their spouses or partners—regardless of their compensation or seniority at the company. These two companies are: Lulu Lemon Athletica; and Microsoft Vancouver. Schedule a Free Spousal Work Permit Consultation As of March […]

The post Canada expands access to open work permits for spouses of workers at two BC companies first appeared on CIC News.

The Innovation Stream, which grants employer-specific work permits to eligible high-skilled foreign nationals, has been extended for two more years. Under this steam, foreign nationals can obtain work permits more easily, as the permits do not require Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs).  Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation Eligibility for Innovation Stream work permits Innovation […]

The post Canada extends pilot granting LMIA-exempt work permits first appeared on CIC News.

Canada is making it easier for families to qualify for the parents and grandparents super visa by changing how it calculates the minimum income requirement. Starting March 31, 2026, hosts will have more flexibility in how they can meet the financial requirement for the super visa, according to a government announcement.  Get a Free Super […]

The post Canada eases income requirement for hosting parents and grandparents on super visa first appeared on CIC News.

International students wishing to settle in Canada can get permanent residence (PR) years faster simply by planning ahead. We’ll look at a fictional example of two international students, Priya and Marco: by planning ahead, Priya gets permanent residence a full three years before Marco, even though they both start in the same place. See your […]

The post How international students can fast-track their journey to Canadian PR first appeared on CIC News.

Foreign-trained lawyers must now meet additional requirements to become accredited in common-law jurisdictions* in Canada. As of March 1, 2026, Canada’s National Committee on Accreditation (NCA)** has added two additional requirements for foreign-trained lawyers to become accredited in Canadian common-law jurisdictions—these are: Mandatory language screening; and A stand-alone Indigenous Law and Peoples knowledge requirement. Foreign-trained […]

The post Canada expands licensing requirements for internationally trained lawyers first appeared on CIC News.

Over the past three weeks, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has held six provincial immigration draws between February 26 and March. Over 1,400 invitations were issued to candidates through the following streams and pathways: Alberta Opportunity Stream; Rural Renewal Stream; Alberta Express Entry Stream – Priority Sectors pathway (Health Care); Alberta Express Entry Stream […]

The post Alberta invites rural immigration candidates and workers in health and tech sectors in latest series of draws first appeared on CIC News.

You can meet the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score for an Express Entry draw, and still not receive an invitation to apply (ITA). The date and time of your Express Entry profile submission can play a key role in determining whether your receive an ITA for permanent residence (PR). Recently, due to one specific […]

The post Why older Express Entry profiles have an advantage in getting selected first appeared on CIC News.

The three Ontario regions participating in the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) have released their priority sectors and occupations for 2026. All regions have removed certain occupations from eligibility, replacing them with newly-selected occupations that match evolving local labour demands. Consult with a lawyer at Cohen Immigration Law This article will detail the 2026 priority […]

The post These occupations qualify for permanent residence in Ontario FCIP regions first appeared on CIC News.

Canada has been ranked 25th out of 147 countries in the 2026 World Happiness Report, which evaluates global well-being by country. This year, Canada placed two spots below the US and ranked between Poland, in 24th place, and Taiwan, in 26th. Join the Angus Reid Forum and get $5 in points! The annual report was […]

The post Canada ranks among 25 happiest countries first appeared on CIC News.

Canada has announced a new initiative to support francophone international students and graduates on their path to permanent residence (PR) The initiative gives students at the Université de Hearst—a public French-language institution whose main campus is in Hearst, Ontario—access to tailored support as they explore their long-term immigration options. Consult with a lawyer at Cohen […]

The post Canada expands permanent residence pathway support for francophone students first appeared on CIC News.

The number of profiles in the Express Entry candidate pool continues its downward trend, easing competition as a net 1,172 profiles exited the pool over the latest two weeks as of March 15 (the latest data available). The most recent data on the pool’s composition, however, does not account for recent draws that issued over […]

The post Number of top-scoring Express Entry profiles dips 10% below previous low first appeared on CIC News.

Canada has published new rules applying to foreign nationals seeking entry to Canada under the work permit exemption for business visitors. For many foreign nationals, seeking entry as a business visitor can be the quickest and easiest way to gain authorization to work in Canada, as many can apply at a port of entry, although […]

The post New rules for who can work in Canada without a permit first appeared on CIC News.

On March 18, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) issued invitations to apply (ITAs) under its Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams for the first time in over a year. The province invited more than 1,100 international student graduates with Canadian work experience in targeted occupations. This is the first time the province has issued […]

The post Ontario Master’s and PhD graduates selected for provincial immigration for first time since 2024 first appeared on CIC News.

When you arrive in Canada, there are many everyday tasks to take care of. You’ll likely be looking for a place to live, setting up a phone plan, or registering for essential services. Opening a bank account is often one of the first steps. Banking in Canada may work differently from what you are used […]

The post Banking Basics for Newcomers to Canada first appeared on CIC News.

Moving countries is hard. Looking for work while adjusting to a new place can make it feel even harder. When I moved to Canada as a permanent resident (PR) in 2022, I did not have a job lined up. Like many newcomers, I had to start from scratch to understand a new labour market, a […]

The post OPINION: These 5 tips helped me land my first job in Canada first appeared on CIC News.

As of January 31, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC’s) total application backlog dropped to 990,300, falling below one million for the first time since October 2025. The most significant shifts seen in this backlog update compared to December 31, 2025, consist of the following: Study permit backlog: 14% increase. Work permit backlog: 8% decrease. […]

The post IRCC’s backlog falls below one million as work permit waits ease first appeared on CIC News.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system. The immigration department issued 4,000 ITAs in a draw for candidates with French language proficiency. To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 393; and Created an […]

The post Express Entry’s latest category draw sees cut-off score dip below 400 first appeared on CIC News.

Naturalizing as a Canadian citizen is a lengthy process, taking over four years from start to finish. The majority of wait time includes fulfilling the physical presence requirement and waiting for your citizenship application to be processed. Schedule a Free Canadian Citizenship Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm This article covers the timeline for […]

The post Why getting Canadian citizenship can take longer than you expect first appeared on CIC News.

On March 6, Newfoundland and Labrador held its first draw of the year, issuing invitations to hundreds of provincial immigration candidates. Invitations were extended through both the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams Draw summary A total of 445 invitations to […]

The post Newfoundland and Labrador’s first draw of 2026 marks highest number of invitations issued in a single round first appeared on CIC News.

If you intend to travel to Canada this spring, you could be denied entry for having a criminal record, including for minor offences. Should you wish to enter Canada in the next few months, your best bet at overcoming criminal inadmissibility is through deemed rehabilitation, if it applies to your situation. Schedule a Free Legal […]

The post A criminal record could derail your trip to Canada this spring – here’s why first appeared on CIC News.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system. The immigration department issued 4,000 ITAs in a draw for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates. To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 507; and Created an […]

The post Express Entry: CEC candidates invited at lowest cut-off score in 18 months first appeared on CIC News.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has prepared legal changes to the Ontario Immigration Act (OIA) that will facilitate a complete overhaul of all existing streams, introduce targeted draws, and formalize new steps for those whose immigration applications are supported by an Ontario employer. These changes are slated to be made on May 30, 2026, […]

The post Ontario will overhaul all immigration streams first appeared on CIC News.