On June 16 and 17, 2025, the province of New Brunswick held four rounds of draws through its Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP). In this series of draws, a total of 608 candidates received Invitations to Apply (ITAs) across four distinct pathways under the Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams. This high frequency of activity makes June the most active month for the NBPNP so far in 2025, bringing the province's year-to-date invitation total to 2,015. The draw results clearly indicate the province's focus on specific labour market needs and its preference for candidates with existing ties to New Brunswick through work or study.

On June 19, 2025, Prince Edward Island (PEI) held its sixth Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw of the year, issuing a total of 52 invitations to apply. A key highlight of this draw was the first invitation of 2025 issued under the entrepreneur stream. The draw also underscores the province's current immigration strategy, which prioritizes skilled workers in high-demand sectors such as healthcare, trades, and manufacturing to address urgent labour market needs.

A new initiative, "Pathways to Teach Canada," has recently been launched to help internationally educated teachers obtain their professional certification in Canada more easily. Through a partnership with World Education Services (WES), the program provides a centralized portal for credential and language assessments, covering nine Canadian provinces and territories. This development, combined with the new education-specific category under Canada's federal Express Entry system, creates an unprecedented opportunity for education professionals worldwide to immigrate to Canada.

Recent data from Statistics Canada reveals that national population growth nearly stalled in the first quarter of 2025, with an increase of only about 20,000 people, or 0.0%. This significant slowdown is primarily attributed to a series of restrictive immigration policies implemented by the federal government to address domestic pressures on housing and social services, including sharp cuts to temporary resident numbers and lower targets for permanent resident admissions. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the key policy measures driving this change and their specific impacts on various visa applicants.

Facing a landscape of significant federal cuts to provincial immigration allocations for 2025, the province of New Brunswick has announced a unique agreement with the federal government. By committing to welcome up to 400 asylum claimants over the next two years, the province has successfully secured an additional 1,500 spots for its nominee program. This move increases its total annual immigration allocation to 4,250, effectively mitigating the pressure from an earlier 50% cut. The agreement not only breathes new life into New Brunswick's priority sectors but also serves as a potential model for other provinces grappling with similar challenges.

Manitoba held its latest provincial nominee draw on June 12, inviting 36 skilled workers from overseas. The draw was highly targeted, with all invitations going to candidates selected directly through the province's Strategic Recruitment Initiative and requiring a minimum score of 613. Amid potential changes to provincial nomination allocations, this move underscores the critical role of employer-linked immigration pathways for applicants.

After a four-month hiatus, the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP) has recently resumed issuing invitations. Following a large-scale draw on June 3, the province held another targeted draw on June 6 for the Greater Sudbury region, inviting 72 candidates. More significantly, Ontario has announced a major reform to its Expression of Interest (EOI) system for Employer Job Offer streams, transitioning from an "applicant-led" to an "employer-led" model effective July 2. This change is expected to profoundly impact the future application process.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has recently announced a fundamental overhaul to its highly sought-after Employer Job Offer streams. Starting July 2, 2024, the application process for these streams will shift from the current "applicant-led" model to an "employer-led" one. This change means employers must now initiate the process by submitting job details to the province through a new online portal before a foreign national can register an Expression of Interest (EOI). This reform will have significant implications for all current and prospective applicants.

As the peak summer travel season approaches, many are planning to visit Canada to see family, friends, or attend events. However, Canada's stringent entry screening system may catch some visitors with criminal records off guard. Under Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, non-citizens with a criminal record may be deemed "criminally inadmissible" and denied entry. This article will detail the conditions that lead to inadmissibility and introduce the three official pathways to overcome this barrier: the Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), Deemed Rehabilitation, and individual Criminal Rehabilitation, to help affected individuals prepare in advance.

Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador held its third provincial immigration draw of the year on May 29, 2025, issuing a total of 405 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). This marks a new single-round record since the province adopted its new Expression of Interest (EOI) system in February of this year. The draw included candidates from both the Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), demonstrating the province's accelerated pace in recruiting skilled talent and new immigrants after successfully securing a larger federal immigration allocation.