Canada Adds 110,000 Extra Economic-Class Spots and Tweaks Study-Permit Rules
PHAC Updates Chikungunya Travel-Health Notice Amid Surge in South Asia and Caribbean
Full eTA Enforcement for Visa-Exempt Travellers Set for February 2026, Says Industry Round-Up
Latest News
Canada Extends Freeze on Parent & Grandparent Sponsorships, Promotes Super Visa Alternative
IRCC will keep the Parents and Grandparents Program closed throughout 2026, limiting processing to 10,000 existing files and steering families toward the Super Visa. The freeze aims to reduce backlogs and meet lower immigration targets, but it complicates family-reunification plans and could affect talent attraction for Canadian employers.
Hundreds Rally on Parliament Hill Against Lower Immigration Targets and Program Pauses
Protesters in Ottawa demanded higher immigration targets and the reopening of paused programs, arguing that cuts hurt families and employers. The demonstration underscores growing uncertainty for businesses that depend on predictable work-permit and permanent-residence pathways.
Graduate Students Exempt from National Study-Permit Cap and PAL/TAL Requirement
IRCC has clarified that master’s and doctoral students are excluded from Canada’s new study-permit cap and no longer require provincial attestation letters, simplifying the application process and safeguarding a key talent pipeline for employers.
Canada–U.S. Preclearance Projects Move Ahead Despite Earlier Doubts, Says CBP
CBP and the Canadian government say new air and land preclearance sites will open this year, underscoring their importance to cross-border travel after earlier uncertainty. The expansion promises quicker U.S. entry for travellers and cargo but requires updated compliance procedures for mobility managers.