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, Manitoba issued invitations to apply for provincial nomination to 862 candidates through the Skilled Worker stream of the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). This draw was conducted through two main pathways: the occupation-specific Skilled Worker in Manitoba pathway and the employer-driven Skilled Worker Overseas selection. Notably, this draw continued to prioritize candidates under the Temporary Public Policy (TPP), with 203 candidates also holding valid federal Express Entry profiles.

Between October 1 and October 7, 2025, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) held three separate provincial nomination draws, issuing a total of 1,324 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Among them, the Alberta Opportunity Stream (AOS) accounted for the majority, with 1,003 invitations, maintaining its lead as the province’s largest channel of nominations. The Accelerated Tech Pathway and Priority Sectors (Construction) streams, both aligned with the federal Express Entry system, targeted applicants in high-demand occupations. In addition, the Government of Alberta received an increase of 1,528 nomination spots in September, raising its total 2025 allocation to 6,403. As of October 10, the province had issued 4,228 nominations, leaving 2,175 available for the remainder of the year.

Manitoba has successfully secured an increase in its 2025 immigration nomination allocation from the federal government, gaining an additional 1,489 nomination spots, bringing the province's total allocation for this year to 6,239. This adjustment will enable Manitoba to nominate more candidates to obtain permanent residence and settle in the province before the end of 2025. This allocation increase represents a partial recovery following the significant reduction in provincial nominee program allocations nationwide at the beginning of 2025.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently disclosed its 2025 permanent residence (PR) application processing plan in its latest Minister Transition Binder. According to the document, the immigration department will not clear all categories of application backlogs this year, but will instead adopt a categorized processing strategy. Express Entry-related programs, community pilot programs, and Quebec's skilled worker pathways will process all pending applications, while other economic immigration programs will only process a portion of their backlogs, with processing ratios ranging from 2% to 35%.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently confirmed that the federal government is studying targeted measures to attract technical professionals affected by the new U.S. H-1B visa policy. This move comes in response to President Trump's sudden announcement of a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas. Canada previously launched a work permit program specifically for H-1B holders in July 2023, with 10,000 spots filling up in less than 48 hours, demonstrating strong market demand. Immigration experts and business groups are urging Canada to seize this opportunity, while also noting the need to streamline permanent residence application processes to truly retain talent.

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.

Between September 12 and 17, 2025, Alberta conducted three rounds of immigration invitations across different categories through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP), issuing over 1,400 invitation letters to technology professionals, law enforcement workers, and candidates under the Alberta Opportunity Stream. This series of invitations demonstrates the province's targeted immigration strategy addressing specific labor market demands.

Latest data released by Statistics Canada on September 24, 2025, reveals that Canada is facing a major demographic turning point. Affected by federal government immigration policy adjustments, Canada's population growth rate in Q2 2025 was only 0.1%, marking the lowest post-war level (excluding pandemic period). Meanwhile, population aging trends are accelerating again, posing severe challenges to the national labor market and economic development.