Canadian Immigration News

The second Express Entry draw of March, and the 57th in total, has taken place. A total of 3,749 candidates were issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for immigration to Canada, with each invited candidate having 441 or more Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points at the time the draw was performed.

Candidates who receive an ITA are now in a position to submit an application for Canadian permanent residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Accompanying family members, including spouses or common-law partners, as well as dependent children, may also come to Canada along with the principal applicant.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) continues to be the pathway through which a range of international workers, graduates, and entrepreneurs settle in Canada permanently. The latest BC PNP round of invitations, which were issued in draws that took place on March 22, mark the fifth occasion since the beginning of February that BC has issued Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to the BC PNP.

Another 313 candidates have been invited to apply to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), a Canadian immigration program that allows the province of Manitoba to welcome new immigrants who have the ability to establish themselves and their families in Manitoba, based on eligibility criteria set by the province.

Another 313 candidates have been invited to apply to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), a Canadian immigration program that allows the province of Manitoba to welcome new immigrants who have the ability to establish themselves and their families in Manitoba, based on eligibility criteria set by the province.

As of April 1, 2017, applicants to two popular immigration streams of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) will be required to pay an application fee of $300 CAD when submitting the application. The fee will be mandatory for applicants to the International Skilled Worker: Saskatchewan Express Entry sub-category and the International Skilled Worker: Occupation In-Demand sub-category.

The government of Ontario has clarified the registration and application process for the Human Capital Priorities Stream of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). There had been some confusion regarding the new process since the popular stream was reopened last month. This confusion derived from a new online process that includes a registration deadline and an application deadline.

A total of 377 candidates for immigration to British Columbia, Canada have been invited to apply to the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in a draw that took place on March 8. This is the third such draw to have taken place in the last three weeks, with other candidates having been invited to apply on February 17 and February 23, respectively.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) — a new three-year pilot program for immigration to Atlantic Canada — was launched on March 6, 2017.

Up to 2,000 new applications to this employer-driven program will be processed in 2017, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to process 80 percent of complete applications in six months or less.

Citizens of six specific countries who are also permanent residents of Canada may be barred from entering the U.S. after that country's President, Donald Trump, issued a new executive order on immigration.

The opening months of 2017 have seen a series of investments in higher education institutions across Canada. In the last week, Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and Holland College in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island have received significant funding for a range of projects that are intended to ensure Canada's continuance as a leading education destination and research hub. These investments follow soon after a flurry of similar initiatives in Ontario.