When conducting draws through Express Entry, the federal government does not make a decision about the cut-off score under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) at which to invite candidates to apply for permanent residence. What takes place is, in fact, the opposite. The government determines the number of candidates to invite in a given draw, […]
The post How does IRCC determine cut-off scores for Express Entry draws? first appeared on CIC News.
This week, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) issued Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) for provincial nomination through both the Skilled Worker in Manitoba and Skilled Worker Overseas pathways. The province invited candidates through both of these pathways, based on their inclusion in current strategic recruitment initiatives. See your eligibility for all Express Entry-linked […]
The post Manitoba invites skilled workers in-Canada and abroad, in first draw of the month first appeared on CIC News.
Breaking into the Canadian job market can be challenging for the many international student graduates seeking employment on their post-graduation work permits (PGWPs). Finding a job upon graduation is challenging even for native-born Canadians, let alone international students, many of whom lack skilled Canadian work experience and may not possess as extensive professional networks among […]
The post Five tips for landing your first job in Canada after graduating as an international student first appeared on CIC News.
The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has issued no fewer than 474 invitations to apply (ITAs) over two days of draws—to both skilled workers and entrepreneurs wishing to settle permanently in the province. The majority of skills immigration (SI) invitations were issued to workers who were chosen for their strong potential for economic […]
The post British Columbia issues 400+ invitations to apply for provincial nomination in back-to-back draws first appeared on CIC News.
Canadian citizenship law allows for dual citizenship, which has become a hot commodity in today’s era of increasing geopolitical instability. Many citizens of the United States, for example, have been claiming Canadian citizenship to become dual citizens in recent years. Provided that the citizenship law of your current nationality allows it, there are two ways […]
The post Two ways to get dual citizenship with Canada first appeared on CIC News.
If you have a spouse, common-law partner, or one or more dependent children, you must properly declare these family members on your permanent residence (PR) application, even if they won’t be accompanying you to Canada. If your family members will be accompanying you, including them in your application is important to ensure that they receive […]
The post What every permanent resident applicant with a spouse, common-law partner, or child needs to know first appeared on CIC News.
For many, starting a new life in Canada may mean finding work – and landing job interviews. One of the most important tools in that process is a Canadian-style resume. In Canada, a resume should include a clear summary of your skills, experience and work history at a glance. While you may bring experience from […]
The post Preparing a Resume for the Canadian Job Market: Helpful Tips for Newcomers first appeared on CIC News.
Early-career workers from countries across South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania can work in Canada by obtaining special work permits that can be issued for up to two years. Citizens aged 18–35 or 18–30 of the following countries can qualify for priority-access work permits through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program: Get help applying for […]
The post Young professionals from these countries have easier access to Canadian work permits first appeared on CIC News.
Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) applicants can increase their chances of success by keeping in mind key provisions in the instructions that immigration officers use to assess their applications. Even if they’re already familiar with PGWP eligibility criteria, applicants can benefit from learning often-overlooked nuances gleaned from internal IRCC documentation on PGWP processing, which reveals what […]
The post Important factors often overlooked by applicants for post-graduation work permits first appeared on CIC News.
Foreign nationals working in Canada on International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits will continue to be able to receive permits for subsequent participations from within the country, under a recently-extended policy. Canada’s immigration department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has extended a policy that allows qualifying IEC applicants to have their work permits mailed […]
The post IRCC extends policy allowing International Experience Canada participants to get subsequent permits from within Canada first appeared on CIC News.
Manitoba employers in all sectors can now support work permit extensions for workers in 16 skilled trades professions, under Manitoba’s Temporary Resident Retention Pilot (TRRP). Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with Cohen Immigration Law Sector-exempt occupations Prior to this change, employers had to be in one of the eligible sectors in order to support […]
The post Manitoba expands work permit options: 16 occupations now exempt from sector requirements first appeared on CIC News.
As North America’s major free trade agreement enters review, stakeholders are calling for the “modernization of the existing list of covered professionals to reflect digital and clean‑tech professions.” An expansion of the list might enable the inclusion of professions such as cybersecurity analyst, data scientist, and UI/UX designer. Get help applying for a USMCA/CUSMA work […]
The post With North American trade agreement under review, report calls for expanding list of professionals eligible for special work permits first appeared on CIC News.
The Canadian federal government has ushered in a new era of permanent residence (PR) selection, prioritizing foreign nationals with work experience in in-demand occupations. Assess your eligibility for Canadian permanent residence There are many in-demand healthcare jobs, some of which can be qualified for in less than two years, but what about PR-hopefuls who don’t […]
The post Six high-paying jobs outside healthcare that can fast-track your permanent residence journey first appeared on CIC News.
Foreign nationals who had previously sought permanent residence through the now-defunct Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) may have their best shot at permanent residence by settling outside Quebec. The Quebec government closed the PEQ to new applications on November 19, 2025, while Canada’s federal government continues to signal its intention to ramp up francophone immigration outside […]
The post Why former PEQ candidates now have better PR options outside Quebec first appeared on CIC News.
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has released its nomination allocation for the year, with the number of slots it received having increased compared to last. For 2026, the federal government has granted the OINP a total of 14,119 nominations to distribute to nominees across its eight provincial immigration streams. Assess your eligibility for enhanced […]
The post Ontario announces its nomination allocation for 2026 – and it’s higher than the year prior first appeared on CIC News.
Permanent residents seeking a grant of citizenship can currently expect to have their applications processed within approximately 13 months—a wait time of over one year. Certain individuals, however, may be eligible for urgent processing of their citizenship application if they are an “exceptional case” warranting this need. Schedule a Free Canadian Citizenship Consultation with the […]
The post You may be eligible for expedited processing of your citizenship application — here’s how first appeared on CIC News.
International students and graduates in Canada have access to multiple provincial pathways that could lead to an invitation for permanent residence (PR) faster than through Express Entry’s Canadian Experience Class (CEC). This is because many of these alternative Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams feature greatly reduced work experience requirements, as compared to the CEC’s one […]
The post ITA faster than CEC: Alternatives for international graduates and students in Canada first appeared on CIC News.
Despite not being widely known, some candidates in the Express Entry pool can and do receive invitations to apply (ITAs), despite having a lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score than the cut-off for that draw. This situation most often comes up when a candidate is within the 60-day ITA validity window of completing a new […]
The post Express Entry: Candidates in this situation can receive an ITA before their score goes up first appeared on CIC News.
The Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) has published details of its latest provincial immigration draws, held between January 26 and February 2, 2026. Over this period, Alberta issued 1,169 invitations across its: Dedicated Health Care Pathways (Express Entry and non-Express Entry); The Alberta Express Entry Stream’s Accelerated Tech Pathway; and The Alberta Opportunity Stream. Assess […]
The post Alberta kickstarts 2026 by issuing over 1,100 invitations across four draws first appeared on CIC News.
Canadian law fully recognizes dual and multiple nationalities, meaning individuals can become Canadian citizens without being expected to give up their existing citizenship(s). However, by the very nature of dual citizenship, an individual’s ability to hold two passports is subject to the laws of both countries involved. If you wish to pursue Canadian citizenship (through […]
The post Citizens of these 10 countries can hold dual citizenship with Canada first appeared on CIC News.
On February 2, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) conducted two draws, extending over 300 invitations to apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination. The province invited candidates through two provincial immigration streams, focusing on French speakers, those already working in NB or who have a qualifying job offer, and qualifying graduates or letter of interest […]
The post New Brunswick invites skilled workers, in-province graduates, and French speakers in latest draws first appeared on CIC News.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published updated instructions to officers on the processing of study permit applications with respect to provincial or territorial attestation letters (PALs/TALs), with good news for international students pursuing joint programs. Under the new instructions, published on IRCC’s website on February 6, 2026, students in joint programs only require […]
The post New rules for processing of study permit applications 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 8,500 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 400; and Created an […]
The post Canada holds largest category-based draw in Express Entry history first appeared on CIC News.
Canada is prioritizing French speakers and individuals with qualifying work experience in select sectors and occupations for permanent residence (PR) through Express Entry’s category-based selection (CBS). To qualify for a priority occupational category, you must have six months of full-time, continuous work experience in a single eligible occupation within the last three years (in Canada […]
The post This easy-to-use tool can help you build eligibility for priority permanent residence categories first appeared on CIC News.
Express Entry competition continues its cooling trend for the second month in a row, as even more top-scoring profiles leave the candidate pool. Competition within the Express Entry pool appears to be easing at the top end, even as the overall pool size has grown. Between January 4 and February 2, a total of 6,238 […]
The post Number of top-scoring Express Entry profiles falls 30% first appeared on CIC News.