Category: Immigration Guidance

Maple News reports that on June 13, 2026, the Registrar of Citizenship began issuing letters to individuals born outside Canada, ordering the immediate surrender of their Canadian citizenship certificates while investigations proceed under Citizenship Regulations 26(1). Legal experts say the move could be illegal or unconstitutional. Ala Bujac, a Canadian […]

Maple News reports new figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) showing the total application backlog continuing to shrink, reaching its lowest level since July 2025. Notable movements include a record-low Express Entry backlog of 9%, a 5% drop in study permit backlog, and a 3% uptick in work […]

Maple News reports that Canada’s citizenship rules for descent were expanded on December 15, 2025, removing the first-generation limit and opening eligibility to more people born outside the country. The process still requires documentation, but the system now accommodates gaps by allowing applicants to explain missing pieces and demonstrate their […]

Maple News reports that recent applicants under Canada’s expanded citizenship laws are facing renewed scrutiny after their citizenship was approved. The latest amendment to the Citizenship Act opened a wave of descent-based applications, and a subset of those cases are now being re-examined by the federal government. On the afternoon […]

Maple News reports that Lewiston, Maine, stands as one of the United States’ most concentrated French-Canadian heartlands, centered around the Little Canada neighborhood along the Androscoggin River. Beginning in the 1870s, thousands of French-speaking workers from Quebec and Acadian communities in the Maritimes arrived to staff Maine’s textile mills, building […]

Maple News reports that Woonsocket, Rhode Island—the city long described as the most French in the United States—may harbor a sizable cohort of residents who are Canadian citizens by descent. A new Canadian law, Bill C-3, took effect on December 15, 2025, removing the old first-generation limit on citizenship by […]

Maple News reports that Canada has suspended processing of around 36,000 permanent residence (PR) applications as part of quarantine measures targeting foreign nationals in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and the Republic of South Sudan. Permanent residence visas issued to individuals from these regions have also been suspended, preventing […]

Maple News reports on a centuries-old naming tradition among French-Canadian families that could open a path to Canadian citizenship for some Americans. For generations, a family could carry two surnames connected by what is known as a dit name — literally meaning ‘called’ in French. A person baptized Roy might […]

Maple News reports on the First Home Savings Account (FHSA), a government-backed savings plan designed to help eligible Canadian residents — including newcomers — save for a first home. The FHSA blends tax-deductible contributions, tax-free growth, and tax-free withdrawals when used to purchase a qualifying first home. Key features include […]

Maple News reports that for many newcomers to Canada, buying a first home is a major milestone that requires careful planning. The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is a government-backed registered plan designed to help eligible residents save specifically for that goal, pairing tax-deductible contributions with tax-free growth and withdrawals […]

Maple News reports that the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is showing a notable improvement in processing times, with the overall wait for a decision shortening by a full year. As of June 8, 2026, applicants submitting a new AIP permanent residence application should expect a decision in about 26 months, […]

Maple News reports that Quebec’s immigration ministry has announced the reopening of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) on July 2, 2026, for a two-year window that runs through July 2, 2028. The PEQ provides a fast-track route to permanent residence for qualified graduates and workers in Quebec, and this reopening […]

Maple News reports that processing times for proof of Canadian citizenship certificates have surged to about 15 months as of June 2026, with roughly 82,000 applications in the queue. The development affects those applying for citizenship by descent who must obtain proof of citizenship as part of their immigration or […]

Maple News reports that Canada has tightened entry rules for sea arrivals from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. The new policy requires most visa-exempt travellers to obtain an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada by sea, applying to ferries, commercial vessels, and private boats. A limited set of travellers are exempt from the […]

Maple News reports that if one of your grandparents was born in Canada, you may already hold Canadian citizenship—even if you and your parent were born abroad and no one in your family has ever carried a Canadian passport. If you qualify, you don’t apply to become a citizen—you already […]

Maple News reports on the implications of Bill C-3, which restored Canadian citizenship by descent for people born before December 15, 2025, but introduced a new hurdle for the next generation. Specifically, for children born abroad after that date, automatic citizenship through a Canadian parent is not guaranteed unless a […]