Canada's federal government announced on May 6, 2026 that a sweeping overhaul of the regulatory framework governing the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) will come into force on July 15, 2026 — the most significant regulatory upgrade since the CICC succeeded the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) on November 23, 2021. The new rules give the College stronger disciplinary teeth, allow the federal government to step in and take over the College's board if it fails to protect the public, and establish, for the first time, a dedicated compensation fund to provide redress to clients who suffer financial losses because a CICC-licensed consultant engaged in theft, fraud, misappropriation of funds, misrepresentation, or refusal to cooperate with professional liability insurance; at the same time, the College's public register will be expanded with additional disclosures about each licensee, making it easier for the public to verify a consultant's licensing status, good standing, and disciplinary history — and squeezing the operating space of so-called "ghost consultants."

Effective May 4, 2026, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) is restricting invitations to apply (ITAs) under the NB Experience pathway of its Skilled Worker Stream to candidates working in just three sectors — healthcare, education, and construction trades — until further notice; the province has attributed the change to the limited nomination space remaining under the stream, with industry trackers estimating New Brunswick's total 2026 allocation at roughly 3,603, well short of the federal-level expansion that pushed the national PNP target to 91,500 spots for the year; this marks the second major sector-focused tightening within four months, following the February 3, 2026 overhaul that froze the accommodation and food services sector (NAICS 72) and several retail-oriented National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, and candidates outside the targeted sectors are encouraged to either withdraw and resubmit their Expression of Interest (EOI) under another stream, or open a separate INB profile (using a different email address) to pursue another pathway or an Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) endorsement.

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 February 18, 2026, the Government of the Northwest Territories officially announced its annual policy updates for the Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP). Approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the territory's nomination allocation for 2026 is set at 197, maintaining the final increased quota from 2025. The core of this policy update is a comprehensive overhaul of the 2026 selection process, introducing an Expression of Interest (EOI) scoring model exclusively for the Employer-Driven Stream. This new system aims to optimize the processing of high-demand pathways through increased transparency and stronger alignment with local labor market needs. The NTNP will reopen intake for this stream, alongside the Francophone Stream, at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on March 9, 2026.

The Government of New Brunswick announced and implemented a wide-ranging set of changes on February 3, 2026, affecting both the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) and the province’s Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP). The updates include removing consideration for accommodation and food services (NAICS 72) roles across multiple pathways, excluding several specific occupations from consideration, moving AIP endorsement processing to a candidate-pool model, temporarily pausing new AIP employer designation applications, and tightening endorsement eligibility for overseas candidates to three priority sectors. In addition, New Brunswick will extend its Private Career College Graduate Pilot through the end of 2026 in a limited capacity for certain international students already enrolled in eligible programs at Oulton College or Eastern College whose completion dates extend beyond the pilot’s original end date.

Statistics Canada has launched a large-scale hiring campaign for the 2026 Census of Population, bringing on roughly 32,000 workers across Canada. Eligible applicants include work permit holders who meet residency and age requirements. The main openings are for enumerators and crew leaders, paid hourly with certain reimbursable expenses. For those planning to pursue permanent residence through Express Entry, some positions may provide supplemental Canadian work experience—but whether hours count toward the Canadian Experience Class depends on the role’s TEER level, NOC classification, and how closely actual duties align with NOC requirements.

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 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.

Between October 6 and 9, 2025, the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP) held three consecutive draws, issuing invitations to apply to over 500 candidates. The draws were conducted through two main categories: the New Brunswick Express Entry stream for individuals employed in the province, and the Skilled Worker stream for those working in priority occupations. The provincial government also reminded applicants that not all applications submitted in response to these draws will be processed by the end of 2025.

The New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP) conducted four rounds of invitation draws between August 11 and 19, 2025, issuing a total of 1,052 invitations to apply for provincial nomination. These invitations were distributed through two channels: the New Brunswick Skilled Worker stream and the New Brunswick Express Entry stream. To date, the province has issued a cumulative total of 3,067 invitations in 2025, exceeding its annual allocation of 3,000 nomination spots.