An IRCC officer reviewing your proof of citizenship application tests each fact your claim depends on. For each one, the officer asks whether your evidence makes it more likely than not to be true. Lawyers call that standard the balance of probabilities. IRCC’s guidance tells officers to presume the facts and evidence you present are […]
The post What an IRCC officer looks for in your citizenship by descent application first appeared on CIC News.
In June, Gallup found that 33% of Americans are “extremely proud” to be American. That’s the lowest share since Gallup began asking in 2001. Some of those Americans are weighing an exit. If you’re one of them, you’ve likely looked at visas in Lisbon or residency in Mexico. Each comes with a catch. Portugal now […]
The post Planning to leave the US? You may already be a Canadian citizen by descent first appeared on CIC News.
Effective November 3, 2026, Express Entry candidates will compete for permanent residence under a new version of the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which will award them the higher of Up to 150* points for Canadian work experience; or Up to 100 points for a high-wage job offer. The points awarded for Canadian work experience will […]
The post Three case studies show how the new high-wage points will affect CRS scores for Express Entry candidates in Canada first appeared on CIC News.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) received roughly 6,726 proof of citizenship applications requesting urgent processing in the first eight months after Bill C-3 took effect. That’s according to internal IRCC data CIC News obtained through an Access to Information request. The data covers December 15, 2025, to August 14, 2026. Part of this data […]
The post New data shows how IRCC handled urgent proof of citizenship requests in Bill C-3’s first eight months first appeared on CIC News.
Borrowing money may be part of managing your finances in Canada. You might consider credit for a major purchase, an unexpected expense or a future goal. Learning how borrowing works may help you explore the options available to you and the costs involved. Some types of borrowing are secured by an asset, such as a […]
The post Secured vs. Unsecured Lending: What Newcomers to Canada Should Know first appeared on CIC News.
Every proof of citizenship application needs two valid pieces of identification to be submitted along with the rest of the package. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses these documents to confirm that you are the person named on the application. This article covers which documents IRCC accepts, which ones it rejects, what to do […]
The post What you need to know about IRCC-accepted identity documents for Canadian citizenship by descent applications first appeared on CIC News.
New Brunswick has selected 63 workers to advance on its Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) immigration track. On Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, the province moved forward with processing applications for endorsement certificates from workers in construction, education, and sales, among other occupations. Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation Workers whose applications are approved will receive […]
The post New Brunswick selects 63 AIP candidates for provincial immigration first appeared on CIC News.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Office of Immigration and Culturalism (OIM) held two draws on Oct. 9 and Oct. 16, issuing a combined 257 provincial immigration invitations. Of these, 255 were issued through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and two through the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation After receiving […]
The post Newfoundland and Labrador selects 257 workers for provincial immigration first appeared on CIC News.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) finalized 3,955 proof of citizenship applications in August, up from 2,420 in July. It’s the strongest month since Canada’s immigration department started posting details about the number of proof of citizenship applications it has finalized over the course of 2026. A proof of citizenship application is how Canadian citizens […]
The post Canada’s proof of citizenship finalizations picked up in August first appeared on CIC News.
Prince Edward Island kicked off its October immigration selections with a surprise draw on Oct. 7, followed by another round on Oct. 16, inviting a total of 254 candidates to apply for provincial nomination. Both selection rounds targeted workers in occupations and priority sectors considered economically significant to PEI, with graduates of select post-secondary institutions […]
The post Prince Edward Island invites 254 workers to apply for provincial immigration first appeared on CIC News.
A relative who shares your Canadian ancestry and has confirmed their citizenship through a successful citizenship by descent application can give your own citizenship by descent application a significant head start and substantial benefits. Much of their research, records, and explanations can then carry over to your own claim. Citizenship by descent passes from parent […]
The post How a relative’s succsesful Canadian citizenship by descent application can unlock your whole family’s claims first appeared on CIC News.
Two months into the reopening of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ), applications surpassed the government’s forecast for the entire four-month period. On Oct. 16, 2026, the government published an access to information request revealing that Quebec received 12,364 applications across July and August 2026. Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation At a June 10 press […]
The post PEQ applications quickly surpass Quebec’s forecast first appeared on CIC News.
Achieving CELPIP Level 7, equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7, is an important milestone, especially if you’re preparing to immigrate to Canada. But if you’re looking to strengthen your Express Entry profile, reaching Level 9 (CLB 9) in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking can make a meaningful difference. Take a Free Practice Test Depending […]
The post From CELPIP Level 7 to Level 9: How to Improve Your Score first appeared on CIC News.
On October 16, Canada announced major upcoming changes to Express Entry, the online system it uses to select skilled workers for permanent residence. For Americans who have ever weighed a second passport, the news raises a new question: does this make Canadian citizenship more unattainable? The answer depends on several factors. From November 3 onwards, […]
The post Canada is updating its immigration system. But for Americans with Canadian ancestry, citizenship has never been more direct first appeared on CIC News.
Temporary residence applicants in several categories are facing longer wait times, according to processing figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Oct. 14. The most notable increases in processing times from IRCC’s latest update were as follows: Work permits: One-week increases for Canada, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Study permits: One-week increases for […]
The post Canada reports longer wait times for temporary residence applicants first appeared on CIC News.
In Manchester, New Hampshire, a combined 11.5% of residents report Canadian or French-Canadian ancestry, according to census figures for 2020 to 2024*. The real number is likely higher. People self-report their ancestry to the census, and the survey counts only their first two answers. Nearly one in five Manchester residents gave no answer the census […]
The post If your family is from Manchester, NH, you may already be an American-Canadian dual citizen first appeared on CIC News.
Canada’s updated citizenship law may have made you a Canadian citizen by descent. There’s just one complication: the parent or grandparent your claim runs through is someone you no longer speak to. Maybe you and your father haven’t talked in years. Maybe a family rift cut you off from one side of the family. Or […]
The post Can you claim Canadian citizenship by descent through a relative you no longer speak to? first appeared on CIC News.
The Express Entry pool saw a modest increase of just 448 candidate profiles between Sept. 27 and Oct. 12, driven largely by growth in the 471–500 CRS score range, according to the latest figures published by Canada’s immigration department on Oct. 13. At the same time, the number of profiles in the pool’s highest-scoring brackets […]
The post Canada releases updated breakdown of Express Entry candidate scores first appeared on CIC News.
Ontario immigration will prioritize workers in six northern and rural communities: Greater Sudbury/Grand Sudbury. Kenora District. Nipissing District. Rainy River District. Renfrew County. Thunder Bay. Under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative, which the province announced it was relaunching on Oct. 16, 2026, dedicated nomination spaces will be reserved for workers in these […]
The post Ontario immigration revives regional pathway for Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Nipissing, and Kenora first appeared on CIC News.
If your claim to Canadian citizenship runs through a grandparent, great-grandparent, or older relative, an immigration officer has to follow it one generation at a time. For each parent and child in your line, the officer decides whether the link is more likely than not to be real. That bar is called the balance of […]
The post How an immigration officer decides whether your family tree proves you’re a Canadian citizen by descent first appeared on CIC News.
Canada will boost priority for permanent residence selection for workers with job offers or eligible Canadian work experience in 186 higher-paying occupations, and will not require Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) for the job offers to qualify. Starting Nov. 3, 2026, additional points under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) will be awarded to Express Entry […]
The post Canada boosts CRS points for Express Entry candidates with high-wage job offers, drops LMIA requirement first appeared on CIC News.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued more invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence through the Express Entry system. The immigration department issued 5,000 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 435; and Created […]
The post Canada invites 5,000 French-speaking workers to apply for permanent residence first appeared on CIC News.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC’s) Oct. 9 processing times update shows that timelines for permanent residence (PR) and citizenship applications have held steady over the past month. Applicants in Canada awaiting decisions on their PR applications may be eligible to apply for Bridging Open Work Permits (BOWPs). Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation A […]
The post Wait times plateau for permanent residence and citizenship applicants first appeared on CIC News.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has relaunched its Application Status Tracker (ATS) tool, providing more transparency to applicants for work permits, study permits, visitor visas, and some permanent residence application (PR) types. The eligible PR application types are Express Entry, including the enhanced Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and family sponsorship of a spouse or […]
The post IRCC relaunches Application Status Tracker for work permit, study permit, and permanent residence applicants 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 2,500 ITAs in a draw for Canadian Experience Class candidates. To be considered in this draw, candidates needed to have: A minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 519; and Created an Express Entry candidate […]
The post Canada invites 2,500 CEC candidates to apply for permanent residence first appeared on CIC News.