On April 15, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its fourth Express Entry draw of the year targeting candidates with French-language proficiency, issuing 4,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) with a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off of 419 for candidates who had created their Express Entry profiles before 7:14 a.m. UTC on November 14, 2025; this was the second consecutive French-category draw with a reduced invitation count, and the twenty-third overall Express Entry draw of 2026, reinforcing the broader trend of IRCC prioritizing in-Canada candidates—particularly those holding provincial nominations or Canadian work experience—while year-to-date invitations across all categories have now reached 65,154.

The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted four targeted draws on April 8, 2026, issuing a total of 1,828 invitations to apply (ITAs) across four categories: healthcare and early childhood education, Francophone candidates, the Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot, and physicians. The healthcare and early childhood education draw dominated with 1,635 invitations — nearly 90% of the total — while the Foreign Worker stream minimum score dropped to just 20, down sharply from 36 in the February 2 healthcare draw, signaling Ontario's intensified push to fill critical staffing gaps in these sectors. This marked the province's sixth set of draws in 2026, with all targeted candidates required to hold a valid work or study permit and currently reside in Canada. Notably, these draws come as Ontario prepares for a sweeping overhaul of its immigration system, with legal amendments to the Ontario Immigration Act set to take effect on May 30, 2026, revoking all existing nomination categories — including the Foreign Worker, International Student, and In-Demand Skills streams used in these draws.

On April 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the year's first category-based Express Entry draw targeting Trades Occupations, issuing 3,000 invitations to apply (ITAs) with a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 477. The draw marks a significant milestone as the first Trades selection since IRCC raised the minimum work experience requirement from six months to one year in February 2026, and represents the twentieth Express Entry draw of the year. Notably, the 3,000 ITAs issued in this single draw already exceed the 1,250 total issued under the Trades category throughout all of 2025, underscoring IRCC's growing emphasis on skilled tradespeople. With 58,830 ITAs issued across all categories in 2026 so far, the Canadian Experience Class and French-language proficiency categories continue to account for the largest share.

On March 25, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) held five targeted invitation rounds, issuing a total of 1,112 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates currently in Canada who hold valid work or study permits and have qualifying job offers from eligible employers. The invitations covered the Foreign Worker, International Student, and In-Demand Skills categories under the Employer Job Offer streams, across the Greater Toronto Area, Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario (excluding the GTA), Eastern Ontario, and Northern Ontario. At the same time, Ontario is moving ahead with a major restructuring of its provincial nomination system, with several existing categories expected to be repealed on May 30, 2026, when legislative changes come into force and new consolidated streams are introduced.

The Canadian federal government announced in Ottawa on March 20, 2026, that it will change how income requirements are calculated for the Parents and Grandparents Super Visa starting March 31, 2026. The new policy, to be implemented by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is intended to make it easier for more families to qualify while ensuring that family members receive adequate financial support during their stay in Canada. Under the updated rules, a host’s income will no longer be assessed based only on the tax year immediately preceding the application. Instead, hosts may qualify by meeting the requirement in either of the two preceding tax years. In addition, if the host and co-signer have already met the required minimum percentage of income, the income of the visiting parent or grandparent may also be used to make up the remaining amount. IRCC said that all applications already in processing as of March 31, 2026, as well as those submitted on or after that date, will be assessed under the new criteria.

On March 18, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) conducted its third round of invitations of the year and completed six targeted draws on the same day, issuing a total of 1,243 Invitations to Apply (ITAs). Among them, 1,107 ITAs were issued through the Master’s Graduate and PhD Graduate streams, marking the first invitations under these two streams since September 17, 2024. The draws mainly targeted international student graduates and foreign workers with Canadian work experience in specific National Occupational Classification (NOC) occupations. At the same time, Ontario also issued 136 ITAs through its Employer Job Offer streams. These invitations came as the province moves ahead with a major restructuring of its immigration system, with several current categories scheduled to be revoked on May 30, 2026, and replaced by a new framework.

On March 18, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 4,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence through the Express Entry system to candidates with French-language proficiency. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required in this round was 393, dropping below the 400-point threshold and marking a notable development in recent French-language category-based draws. This selection was not only the 17th Express Entry draw of 2026, but also the third consecutive day of invitations this week, and the third draw this year targeting candidates with French-language ability. Although only three French-language draws have been held in 2026 so far, the category has already received 18,000 ITAs, ranking second among all draw types after the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

The Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) officially opened its Employer-Driven and Francophone Streams on March 9, 2026. The Employer-Driven Stream has transitioned to an Expression of Interest (EOI) selection model, with its inaugural draw scheduled for March 25, when up to 65 eligible candidates will be invited to submit full applications. The Francophone Stream will continue accepting direct applications on a first-come, first-served basis. For the 2026 cycle, the federal government has allocated 197 nomination spaces to the Northwest Territories.

On March 4, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the 13th Express Entry draw of the year, issuing 5,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates with French-language proficiency. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off score was set at 397, marking the lowest threshold for this category in more than a year. This was also only the second French-language category-based draw of 2026. Year-to-date, French-language category candidates have received a cumulative total of 14,000 invitations, ranking second among all programs and categories. Meanwhile, the overall trend in Express Entry draws throughout 2026 suggests that IRCC is prioritizing immigration candidates already residing in Canada, particularly those with provincial nominations and Canadian work experience.

On February 6, 2026, Ontario published its 2026 nomination allocation for the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP). The federal government has granted Ontario 14,119 nominations for 2026, an increase of roughly 31% from the 10,750 nominations allocated in 2025. The rise aligns with Ottawa’s expanded permanent residence (PR) admissions target for Provincial Nominee Programs in 2026. However, Ontario’s 2026 allocation remains well below its 2024 level of 21,500 nominations. Ontario has not yet announced priority sectors or occupations for 2026, nor has it released a stream-by-stream breakdown of how nominations will be distributed across its eight immigration streams. The update comes as the province continues a series of policy changes and prepares for a proposed stream consolidation expected to unfold in 2026 and beyond, subject to final regulatory approval.