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.

Rural employers will be able to hire additional temporary foreign workers under new measures announced by the Canadian federal government. According to an announcement made on March 13, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is introducing temporary measures for employers using the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to help them meet their labour market needs […]

The post Canada expands access to work permits in rural areas first appeared on CIC News.

The Government of Canada has announced a new temporary measure aimed at helping foreign workers in Quebec continue to work while their application for permanent residence (PR) is being processed. Under the new measure, certain foreign workers in Quebec will be eligible for an expedited employer-specific work permit under the International Mobility Program (IMP). Learn […]

The post Some workers in Quebec are now eligible for a 12-month work permit extension first appeared on CIC News.

On March 5, Canada held its first Express Entry draw under the senior managers with Canadian work experience category, issuing 250 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) at a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 429. This article will provide fictional examples of candidates who could have been invited. See your eligibility for all Express Entry […]

The post These are the types of senior managers who might have received ITAs in Canada’s new Express Entry category first appeared on CIC News.

Recent data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that approximately 27% of applications of inland sponsorship applications submitted in 2025 (January to October) were refused due to incompleteness. Of the 45,235 spouse or common-law partner sponsorship applications (within Canada) reviewed by IRCC during this time frame, a total of 32,994 applications were accepted […]

The post Why over 25% of spousal sponsorship applications don’t get processed first appeared on CIC News.

The Senate has passed a bill containing the greatest reforms Canada’s immigration system has seen in decades, including the ability for the Governor in Council to vary, cancel, or suspend immigration documents, including work permits, study permits, and permanent resident visas. Assess your Eligibility for Canadian Permanent Residence Bill C-12, “An Act respecting certain measures […]

The post Greatest immigration reforms in decades pass key milestone toward law first appeared on CIC News.