Maple News reports that Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has set a concrete target under the Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) program for 2026-27: 58 funding agreements intended to help about 32,000 internationally trained professionals (ITPs) enter or advance in the Canadian labour market this year. The move underscores the […]
Year: 2026
Ontario issues 759 invitations in mining- and construction-focused PNP draw, marking first mining-targeted round
Maple News reports that Ontario’s Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) issued 759 Invitations to Apply on April 1, 2026, in a targeted draw focused on construction and mining-related occupations across the province. This round is the fifth invitation batch of 2026 and the first to specifically target mining roles. Invitations were […]
Maple News: Canada Tightens LMIA Rules for Low-Wage Jobs — Eight-Week Ads and Youth Recruitment
Maple News reports that Canada is tightening the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements for the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), effective April 1, 2026. Employers must now advertise vacancies for eight consecutive weeks—doubling the former four-week minimum—and demonstrate efforts to recruit youth before hiring a […]
Canada kicks off 2026 with first Express Entry Trades draw, issuing 3,000 ITAs
Maple News reports that IRCC issued 3,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a dedicated Express Entry Trades Occupations draw—the first Trades-category selection of 2026 and the twentieth Express Entry draw of the year. Eligible profiles had to be created by 8:53 p.m. UTC on February 14, 2026. The minimum CRS […]
Maple News: Live Webinar Demystifies Credit in Canada for Newcomers
Maple News reports on an upcoming live online session organized by CanadaVisa and TD to help newcomers understand how credit works in Canada and why establishing a credit history matters for achieving financial goals. The webinar is scheduled for April 16, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. EST and will be hosted […]
Maple News: IRCC Issues 2,250 ITAs in Final March Express Entry CEC Draw
According to Maple News, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 2,250 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draw conducted through the Express Entry system. Eligible candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 509 and had to have created an Express Entry profile before 8:27 a.m. […]
Maple News Exclusive: Ottawa Shifts Key PNP Eligibility Assessments to Provinces and Territories
Maple News reports a significant shift in Canada’s immigration framework: Ottawa is transferring two core Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) eligibility assessments from the federal level to the provinces and territories, effective March 30, 2026. The changes place residency intent and economic establishment as the sole purview of the nominating province […]
Canada expands bulk immigration powers under Bill C-12: what it means for applicants
Maple News reports that Canada’s new immigration law, Bill C-12, has received royal assent, granting the government broad authority to cancel, suspend, or alter immigration documents and applications in bulk. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has since outlined how these powers will operate in practice and what safeguards will […]
Italy Tightens Citizenship by Descent; Canada Expands Eligibility Under Bill C-3
Maple News reports that last year Italy tightened its citizenship-by-descent rules, affecting millions, while Canada moved in the opposite direction. Italy’s policy change, effective March 2025, limits citizenship by descent to two generations. Previously, eligibility extended to anyone descended from a post-1861 Italian citizen. In December 2025, Canada passed Bill […]
Canada expands work-permit access for asylum claimants under new reforms
Maple News reports that Canada has launched a temporary public policy to help certain foreign nationals with asylum claims obtain or retain work permits even after their refugee claims are deemed ineligible for referral to the Refugee Protection Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board. The policy is designed as […]
Maple News reports hundreds of Express Entry ITAs issued to Provincial Nominee Program nominees
Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 356 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in a single Express Entry draw focused on Provincial Nominee Program nominees on March 30, 2026. To be considered, candidates needed at least a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 802 and had to […]
Canada Boosts Provincial Nominee Program Allocations by 31% for 2026, Maple News Reports
Maple News reports that Canada is boosting Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination allocations by about 31% for 2026, raising quotas for every province and territory compared with the 2025 baseline. Ontario leads the gains with 14,119 nominations for 2026, up from 10,750 at the start of 2025; Alberta follows with […]
Remote-Work While Studying: A Path to Canadian PR for International Students, Maple News Reports
Maple News reports that international students studying full-time in Canada can boost their Express Entry profile by taking part-time remote work for a foreign employer. Used correctly, this approach helps you stay compliant with study permit conditions while strengthening your path to permanent residency. Remote work with a foreign employer […]
PEI’s Third 2026 PNP Draw Delivers 101 Invitations, Focusing on High-Impact Sectors
Maple News reports that Prince Edward Island conducted its third provincial immigration draw of 2026 on March 20, issuing invitations through the Labour Impact and Express Entry streams of the PEI Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). According to the PEI Office of Immigration, the province continues to prioritize candidates employed in […]
Canada hikes permanent residence and citizenship fees for 2026
Maple News reports that Canada’s federal government is increasing fees for all permanent residence applications, with the new rates taking effect on April 30, 2026. The Right of Citizenship fee for applications for Canadian citizenship will rise as of March 31, 2026. The increases apply across every PR category, covering […]
Canada Hikes Passport Fees and Launches 30-Business-Day Refund Guarantee, Maple News Reports
Maple News reports that Canada will raise passport and travel document fees for the first time since 2013, effective March 31, 2026, followed by the rollout of a new 30-business-day processing guarantee on April 1, 2026. If a complete application isn’t finalized within that window, applicants will automatically receive a […]