Immigration News


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A third of Vermonters can get Canadian passports in wake of citizenship law changes

Around one in three Vermonters now qualifies for Canadian citizenship, following a recent change to Canada’s citizenship by descent law. On December 15, 2025, Canada eliminated its first-generation limit to citizenship by descent. Now, anyone born prior to that date who can trace their lineage back to a Canadian ancestor is legally recognized as a […]

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British Columbia and New Brunswick expand access to work permits for employers in select regions

British Columbia and New Brunswick have opted into the federal government’s temporary policy, giving rural employers more flexibility to hire low-wage temporary foreign workers. The two provinces join Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Quebec, which announced that they would be participating in the program earlier this month. Some provinces are expected to share details of their […]

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Could Canada’s new citizenship law help U.S. draft dodgers?

With the U.S. set to resume mandatory draft registration this year, Canada’s new citizenship law offers would-be dodgers the unconditional right to enter Canada. In the wake of changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act in December of 2025, which removed the generational limit to inheriting Canadian citizenship, millions of Americans with Canadian ancestry are now legally […]

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New law gives thousands of Bay Staters claim to Canadian passports

A new law has opened the door to the Canadian passport for hundreds of thousands of Bay Staters. U.S. citizens with family ties to Massachusetts are among those most likely to be able to obtain Canadian passports, now that changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act have eliminated the generational limit for inheriting Canadian citizenship for Americans […]

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British Columbia to launch limited-time pathway to permanent residence for health authority cleaners and security staff

British Columbia’s Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has announced a new one-time initiative aimed at helping certain health authority support staff get permanent residence (PR). The program, announced April 23, offers a special, targeted settlement opportunity for workers in cleaning and security occupations that are rarely targeted for PR. Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP […]

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British Columbia axes graduate, tech, and entry-level PR pathways, focuses on healthcare and trades workers

The Government of British Columbia has announced major changes to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP), including 2026 priorities, the cancelled launch of its student streams, and official immigration pathway closures. As part of its Program restructuring, British Columbia will be shifting its focus to the prioritization of healthcare and trades workers, with the […]

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Canada extends policy offering safe haven to foreign nationals stranded in Gaza

Foreign nationals who are, or were, in Gaza and who hold an approved Canadian temporary resident visa under previous special measures now have nearly two more years to make the trip Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended a temporary public policy allowing foreign nationals in Gaza to enter Canada as visitors and exempting […]

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Building Your Credit History in Canada: A Guide for Newcomers

If you are new to Canada, you may hear people talk about credit scores. But what exactly are they? A credit score is a three-digit number based on information in your credit report. It gives Canadian lenders an idea of how you have managed credit. Start Building Your Credit History with TD Businesses may also […]

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Northwest Territories holds first-ever immigration draw, announces schedule for rest of 2026

After having shifted to an Expression of Interest system in early 2026, the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) has released the results of its first immigration draw, held on March 25. The selection round saw a total of 65 candidates invited through the Employer-Driven Stream. Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams The NTNP has […]

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Ontario invites over 900 Master’s and PhD graduates to apply for provincial nomination

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has just issued more invitations under its Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams—its second such selection round in 2026. On April 22, the province invited over 900 international student graduates currently residing in Canada with a valid work or study permit to apply for provincial nomination. Assess your eligibility […]

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Prioritization of higher earning workers for permanent residence through Express Entry may come sooner than expected, officials say

Higher-earning workers may be prioritized for permanent residence sooner than previously anticipated, under the planned overhaul of Express Entry, the Canadian federal government’s flagship system for selecting skilled immigrants. Although the full suite of planned changes to Express Entry is expected to be implemented 12 – 18 months from now, the new High-Wage Occupation factor […]

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New law grants Canadian citizenship to millions of Americans: are their spouses and children also US-Canadian dual citizens?

Since Canada changed its citizenship law last December, thousands of Americans have been discovering that they became U.S.-Canadian dual citizens overnight, as did their children. If you’re an American with even one Canadian ancestor, no matter how many generations removed, you and your children are among the newly-minted U.S.-Canadian dual citizens. Get a Free Consultation […]

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New Brunswick issues more than 140 invitations across Express Entry and AIP draws

New Brunswick issued invitations to provincial immigration candidates in two draws conducted between March 30 and April 1, 2026, targeting skilled workers in healthcare, information technology (IT), transportation, and manufacturing. Invitations were issued through the New Brunswick Express Entry Stream and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams Draw results […]

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Processing times drop for work permit and Express Entry applicants

Newly released figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveal the total application backlog has continued its downward trend, decreasing by 48,900 since last month. As of February 28, IRCC’s overall backlog consisted of 941,400 applications. Compared to January 31, the most notable shifts (in order) included An 11% decrease for the work permit […]

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Saskatchewan has already used one quarter of its 2026 nomination allocation

The Government of Saskatchewan has released data regarding the number of nominations issued through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) to date in 2026. As of the time of this writing, the SINP has issued approximately 26% of its allotted nominations for the year (4,761). Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams Saskatchewan updates these […]

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Newfoundland and Labrador holds third provincial immigration selection round of 2026

On April 13, Newfoundland and Labrador conducted another round of invitations across both of its provincial immigration pathways. A total of 210 invitations were extended through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams This marks the province’s third invitation round in […]

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Manitoba expands work permit access for rural employers and workers under TFWP measures

Manitoba has become the third province, following Nova Scotia and Quebec, to opt into temporary federal measures, giving eligible rural employers more flexibility to hire and retain temporary foreign workers. The measures, which impact the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), took effect on April 14, 2026, and will remain in place […]

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British Columbia holds April draw, issues invitations to entrepreneurs

On April 14, British Columbia (BC) held a new selection round under its Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) category. Candidates were selected for their ability to start a new business or take over and grow an existing business in BC. Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams Draw results The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) […]

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As droves of Americans apply for proof of Canadian citizenship, processing times have doubled

Four months ago, millions of Americans became Canadian citizens. Today, those applying for their proof of citizenship certificates are waiting twice as long as they would have a year ago. The reason isn’t bureaucratic slowdown or staffing cuts. It’s a law that passed in December 2025, and the millions of U.S. citizens who suddenly realized […]

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Wait times for temporary residence applications improve for submissions from Pakistan, India, and the US

Canada’s immigration department has released its latest processing times for temporary residence applications, showing improvements across many application types. Consult with a lawyer at Cohen Immigration Law Over the span of about one month, the most notable changes included the following: Work permits: 13-week improvement for submissions from the Pakistan; Super visas: at least a […]

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Major Canadian cities excluded from new TR to PR pathway, minister says

Temporary workers in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal won’t be eligible for Canada’s new TR to PR pathway. Immigration Minister Lena Diab said the program will exclude all Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs), in an interview with “I’m Canada” on April 18, 2026 — a classification that covers Canada’s largest urban centres. Assess your Eligibility for Canadian […]

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Beyoncé, Madonna, and Timothée Chalamet just became Canadian. So did millions of ordinary Americans

When Canada removed the generational limit to citizenship by descent last December, millions of Americans with Canadian ancestry became eligible to claim Canadian citizenship. Most have no idea. Neither, presumably, do some of the most famous people in the United States. You don’t need to be famous to qualify. Check your eligibility for Canadian citizenship […]

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Alberta invites tech, rural, and health care workers in latest draws

The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) held four provincial immigration draws between April 8 and April 14, 2026, issuing 332 invitations to apply to candidates across multiple streams and pathways. Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams Invitations were issued through the following streams and pathways: Alberta Express Entry Stream – Accelerated Tech Pathway; Alberta […]

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You have 64 great-great-great-great-grandparents. If even one was Canadian, you might be too

Go back four generations and you have 16 ancestors to check. Go back five and you have 32. Go back six and you have 64. The further back you go, the higher the odds that at least one of them crossed a border, changed a name, or left a province that is now part of […]

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Prince Edward Island holds largest selection round of the year, invites in-demand workers

On April 16, Prince Edward Island conducted its fourth draw of the year, issuing its largest number of invitations so far in 2026. Invitations were extended to in-province individuals working in occupations and sectors deemed in high demand. Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams Draw details The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI […]

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