The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has suspended its Express Entry Skilled Trades Stream effective November 14, 2025, following a major program review that identified systemic misrepresentation and potential fraud. As part of the suspension, all in-progress applications will be returned with full refunds. The province states that the program’s current structure must be redesigned to ensure limited nomination spots benefit genuine candidates addressing Ontario’s skilled trades shortages. Affected applicants may submit a new Expression of Interest under another OINP stream if eligible.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new Express Entry draw on November 14, 2025, issuing 3,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Healthcare and Social Services occupations category. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this draw was 462—the lowest cutoff among the six Healthcare and Social Services draws held this year. This was also the third Express Entry draw of November, highlighting IRCC’s continued priority on recruiting healthcare professionals.

The Northwest Territories (NWT) has announced a third application intake window for its Nominee Program (NTNP), running from November 10, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. to November 24, 2025. To complete the 2025 target of 300 nominations, the territory plans to process up to 103 additional eligible applications by year-end and has introduced temporary eligibility adjustments: removal of the work-permit expiry-date restriction, reinstatement of certain 2024 work-experience requirements, and elimination of employer submission caps tied to company size. Applications will be prioritized for candidates whose work permits expire within the next three months, followed by filing date order; if processing exceeds capacity or cannot be finalized by December 23, applications will be withdrawn, with the option to reapply in 2026.

The Ontario government has announced plans to expand its “As of Right” labor mobility framework effective January 1, 2026, adding 16 regulated healthcare professions such as dentists, psychologists, dietitians, and midwives. This change will allow certified professionals from other Canadian provinces to obtain Ontario work authorization within as little as 10 days, compared to the current process, which can take up to six months. At the same time, physicians and nurses will be able to receive certification in as few as two business days. The move aims to address Ontario’s ongoing healthcare labor shortages while improving mobility for both Canadian and internationally trained professionals seeking to build long-term careers in the province.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (NWT) has announced that its 2025 Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) allocation has been restored to 2024 levels following federal approval. The total quota will rise to 300, up significantly from 197 earlier this year. Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment Caitlin Cleveland stated that preparations are underway for the next NTNP intake period, which will open additional pathways for skilled workers to obtain provincial nomination. This adjustment makes the NWT the first jurisdiction in 2025 to regain its pre-reduction quota, marking a key milestone in the territory’s ongoing efforts to address critical labor shortages through immigration.

On October 9, 2025, the Province of Ontario issued a total of 1,680 invitations through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), targeting skilled workers and international graduates. The latest draws spanned multiple Employer Job Offer streams, focusing on candidates in healthcare, early childhood education, and occupations that contribute to small community growth under the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) initiative. This series of draws reflects Ontario’s continued effort to strengthen its workforce in essential sectors and attract skilled talent to smaller regional communities across the province.

On October 15, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new Express Entry draw targeting candidates in the Healthcare and Social Services category, issuing 2,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence. To qualify, candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 472 and must have created their Express Entry profile before May 12, 2025, at 11:17 p.m. UTC. This draw marks the fifth healthcare and social services category-based draw of 2025 and is the second-largest of its kind, tying with the August 19 draw and surpassed only by the July 22 draw, which invited 4,000 healthcare professionals.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently updated its official website to indicate that the "applicants not working in Canada" stream under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP) has been officially closed. This stream was marked as "closed" on September 29, 2025, without ever having opened to accept applications since the program's launch. Despite this closure, overseas caregivers still have alternative pathways to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, and other routes. Industry analysts suggest this decision may be linked to severe application backlogs and the federal government's policy shift toward prioritizing the transition of temporary residents already in Canada to permanent residence status.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted its first Express Entry draw of the year for trade occupations on September 18, 2025. A total of 1,250 candidates received an Invitation to Apply (ITA). However, the minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score soared to 505, significantly higher than the previous draw for this category. The primary reason for the score increase is the long interval between draws, which led to an accumulation of high-scoring candidates. Additionally, internal documents suggest IRCC plans to issue more invitations to trade candidates in the second half of the year.

The Government of Ontario has recently announced a major reform framework known as "As of Right," designed to break down interprovincial barriers and significantly simplify the certification process for professionals in regulated occupations coming from other Canadian provinces. The new rules, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, will shorten the certification period from the current several months to as little as 10 business days, thereby promoting free labour mobility within Canada. This initiative will not only have a profound impact on professions like architects and engineers but also establishes a special fast-track entry for certain healthcare professionals from Canada and the United States, potentially creating new opportunities for individuals seeking to immigrate through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP).