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Immigration News Directory

Comprehensive coverage of Canadian immigration news, policy updates, and program changes. Filter by jurisdiction, program, impact, and more.

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Ontario’s OINP: Previously Dedicated Health, Tech, and Trade Jobs Now Included in “Other-Priority” – What It Means for Applicants
⭐ FEATURED
Program Delivery Update Ontario 🎯 Moderate Impact

OINP Other-Priority Update

Ontario’s OINP has integrated 36 NOC codes previously exclusive to Health, Tech, and Trade into the “Other-Priority” category, expanding it to 77 occupations. These codes retain their original classifications, allowing dual eligibility for dedicated streams (e.g., Express Entry Human Capital Priorities) and broader “Other-Priority” draws. This enables flexible, high-volume invitations—8,795 issued in 2025, with CRS scores as low as 42 in the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream. The shift enhances PR pathways but raises questions about processing differences. Verify your NOC with the Immigratic NOC Navigator and track draws for optimal application timing.

Programs Affected:

OINP-EE-Trade OINP-EE-Health OINP-EE-Tech +1 more
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 36 📅 Sep 6, 2025
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IRCC to Include Officer Decision Notes With Refusal Letters for Greater Transparency
⭐ FEATURED
Portal Notice Federal 🎯 High Impact

IRCC Decision Notes

Effective 2025-07-29, IRCC will attach deciding officer decision notes to refusal letters for TRVs (excluding eTA/TRP), visitor records, study permits and work permits to improve transparency. Portions may be redacted for security/privacy, IRCC Portal – New users won’t receive notes initially, and the measure will roll out to more application types over time.

👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 31 📅 Jul 29, 2025
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Moghadam v. Canada: Court Rules Scheduled Interview Doesn’t Moot 52-Month PR Delay Claim, Mandates 90-Day Resolution—Security Screening Insufficient Justification
⭐ FEATURED
Legal Decision Federal 🎯 Moderate Impact

Mandamus 90-Day Order

Federal Court ruled a late interview notice does not moot a mandamus claim challenging a 52‑month family sponsorship PR delay and ordered IRCC to decide within 90 days. The court held generic security‑screening explanations are insufficient to justify such prolonged delay.

Programs Affected:

Sponsorship
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 30 📅 Jul 25, 2025
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Showing 12 of 87 posts
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Canada extends work, study and temporary-residence application access for Ukrainians in family-reunification pathway to March 31, 2027
Program Delivery Update Federal Moderate Impact

Family Reunification Extension

Canada allows Ukrainians who applied under the family‑reunification pathway (and their in‑Canada family members) to apply for open work permits, study permits, and extensions/restorations of temporary resident status until March 31, 2027—even without an AOR; standard fees apply. This preserves work/study/status while PR applications are processed and applies only to existing family‑reunification applicants.

Programs Affected:

Work Permit Study Permit +2 more
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 4 📅 Jan 19, 2026
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IRCC adds interview referral process to permanent-residence assessment guidance for family and spouse/common-law partner applications
Program Delivery Update Federal Low Impact

Family PR Interview Referral

IRCC added an interview referral process to PR assessment instructions for family class and spouse/common‑law partner (SCLPC) applications. Guidance covers overseas family‑class cases where applicants residing in Canada cannot attend visa‑office interviews; posted Jan 16, 2026.

Programs Affected:

Sponsorship
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 4 📅 Jan 18, 2026
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Rural Community Immigration Pilot launches to help rural communities fill labour shortages
Program Delivery Update Federal Moderate Impact

Rural Immigration Pilot

IRCC confirms the operational rollout of the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP), launched 2025-01-30, enabling local economic development organizations to designate employers and recommend candidates for permanent residence. Training of community organizations is underway and RCIP recommendations will be processed through Express Entry as communities announce local timelines.

Programs Affected:

Express Entry
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 3 📅 Jan 14, 2026
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IRCC launches Francophone Community Immigration Pilot to boost French-speaking newcomers in minority communities outside Quebec
Program Delivery Update Federal Low Impact

Francophone Immigration Pilot

IRCC confirmed the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP) launched on 30 Jan 2025 to increase French-speaking newcomers outside Quebec, with local economic development organizations designating employers and recommending candidates for permanent residence. LEDO training is underway and communities will publish local timelines; stakeholders should monitor variable implementation and potential overlap with provincial streams like OINP‑EE‑French.

Programs Affected:

OINP-EE-French
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 3 📅 Jan 13, 2026
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IRCC suspends Biomedical Commercialization Canada Inc. (Manitoba Innovates) Start‑Up Visa commitments for nine months, pausing linked applications
Program Delivery Update Federal Moderate Impact

Manitoba Innovates Suspension

IRCC has suspended Biomedical Commercialization Canada Inc. (Manitoba Innovates) from making Start‑Up Visa commitments from 2025‑12‑19 to 2026‑09‑19 and will pause processing of Start‑Up Visa permanent residence and linked work‑permit applications. Exceptions include in‑Canada work permit renewals for affected holders and cases with already‑approved PR or Letters of Introduction; reasons were not disclosed.

Programs Affected:

Startup Visa Work Permit
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 3 📅 Jan 12, 2026
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IRCC restructures Temporary Resident PDIs, adds two headings and transfers visa content
Program Delivery Update Federal Low Impact

Temporary Resident PDIs

IRCC restructured the Temporary Resident PDI directory (effective Jan 8, 2026), adding two headings to consolidate cross‑cutting PDIs and transferring related content from the TRV section. The update is administrative—no eligibility or processing changes—but stakeholders should review the new directory and update links, SOPs, and training.

Programs Affected:

TRV
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 2 📅 Jan 9, 2026
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New Ministerial Instructions suspend parent and grandparent PR and sponsorship applications from Jan. 1, 2026; up to 10,000 2025 intake files to be processed
Policy Announcement Federal High Impact

Parent and Grandparent Suspension

IRCC Ministerial Instructions effective Jan 1, 2026 suspend acceptance of new parent and grandparent PR and sponsorship applications until further notice. Up to 10,000 applications from the 2025 intake may be accepted into processing in 2026; details on the next intake will be announced later.

Programs Affected:

Sponsorship
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 2 📅 Jan 9, 2026
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IRCC Ends Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot Dec. 31, 2025; Applications Accepted by That Date Will Continue Processing
Program Delivery Update Federal Low Impact

IRCC Ends EMPP

IRCC ended the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot on Dec. 31, 2025; no new intakes will be accepted. Complete applications accepted into processing by that cutoff will continue through normal processing (IRCC program delivery update, Jan 8, 2026).

Programs Affected:

Refugees
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 2 📅 Jan 8, 2026
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IRCC updates medical inadmissibility guidance, sets 2026 excessive demand cost threshold at $144,390 over five years
Program Delivery Update Federal Moderate Impact

2026 Excessive Demand Threshold

IRCC updated medical inadmissibility guidance, setting the 2026 excessive demand threshold at $144,390 over five years ($28,878/year) to guide assessments across permanent and temporary programs. Existing exceptions (refugees, protected persons, certain family sponsors) and procedural fairness safeguards remain—applicants receive a 90‑day letter and may submit mitigation plans or evidence to contest projected costs.

Programs Affected:

Express Entry EE-FSW +16 more
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 1 📅 Jan 2, 2026
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Study permit validity for prerequisite programs cut to program length plus 90 days
Policy Announcement Federal Moderate Impact

Study Permit: +90 Days

IRCC (Dec 22, 2025) now limits study permits for prerequisite programs to program length plus 90 days (down from program length plus one year), aligning with November 2024 regulatory changes. Students must plan transitions into main programs within 90 days or prepare for permit extensions; institutions may need to adjust admissions timing.

Programs Affected:

Study Permit
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 52 📅 Dec 22, 2025
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IRCC halts new Start‑Up Visa applications and optional SUV work‑permit intake, extends Self‑Employed pause
Program Delivery Update Federal Moderate Impact

IRCC halts Start‑Up Visa

Effective 2025‑12‑19, IRCC closed the optional Start‑Up Visa work‑permit intake (in‑Canada extensions allowed) and will stop most new SUV PR applications after 2025‑12‑31 11:59 p.m., except applicants with a valid 2025 designated‑organization commitment. The Self‑Employed Persons Program remains paused until further notice; IRCC will prioritize PR files for existing in‑Canada SUV work‑permit holders and plans a targeted entrepreneur pilot in 2026.

Programs Affected:

Startup Visa
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 51 📅 Dec 19, 2025
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IRCC pauses Home Care Worker immigration pilot intake until further notice; will not re-open in March 2026
Program Delivery Update Federal Moderate Impact

Home Care Pilot Paused

IRCC has paused new intake to the Home Care Worker (Caregivers) immigration pilots to prioritize processing existing files and reduce inventory pressures. Intake will not reopen in March 2026; IRCC will continue processing received applications and will announce any future updates publicly.

Programs Affected:

Caregivers
👤 Soheil Hosseini
Week 51 📅 Dec 19, 2025
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Showing 12 of 87 news items