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 […]

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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 […]

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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.

Taking the Canadian citizenship test is one of the final steps on the path to becoming a Canadian citizen. On March 9, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published updated instructions for officers assessing citizenship tests, confirming that the online, self-administered form of the test is now the default format. Schedule a Free Canadian Citizenship […]

The post 10 things you need to know about taking the online Canadian citizenship test first appeared on CIC News.

If Katy Perry wanted to relocate to Canada to join Justin Trudeau, she would need to acquire permanent immigration status. If Perry were one of the millions of Americans with Canadian ancestry, she could claim Canadian citizenship by descent, and apply for proof of Canadian citizenship—by far the easiest, most straightforward path to acquire permanent […]

The post How could Katy Perry join Justin Trudeau in Canada? first appeared on CIC News.

Canada’s immigration department has revealed plans to reintroduce Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for job offers under the Express Entry system. More specifically, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced their intention to award points to candidates with “job offers and Canadian work experience in high wage occupations…” under the Express Entry system. The […]

The post IRCC plans to bring back job offer points under Express Entry, as part of wider reforms 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 362 ITAs in a draw for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates. To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 742; and Created an […]

The post Provincial nominees invited in latest Express Entry draw first appeared on CIC News.

St-Pierre-Jolys, a village in Manitoba located 50 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg, has released the priority sectors and occupations it is targeting under the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) in 2026. This year, one new sector and 10 new occupations have been deemed in demand by St-Pierre-Jolys, and 10 occupations have been removed from the priority […]

The post St-Pierre-Jolys, Manitoba identifies priority occupations for permanent residence under FCIP first appeared on CIC News.

This past week, British Columbia (BC) conducted a selection round under its Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Program, inviting candidates to apply for provincial nomination through both its Base and Regional streams. Invitations were extended to qualified candidates seeking to start a new business or take over and grow an existing business in BC. Assess your eligibility […]

The post British Columbia PNP invites entrepreneurs under two streams in latest provincial draw first appeared on CIC News.

On March 12, 2026, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) held its latest immigration draw, inviting candidates through its Skilled Worker Stream. Candidates were invited if they indicated being directly invited by the MPNP as part of a strategic recruitment initiative. Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams Draw results Manitoba issued a total of […]

The post Manitoba PNP invites more skilled workers in fifth provincial draw of the year first appeared on CIC News.