Canada immigration news

Ontario opened the Expression of Interest portal for its new Ontario Workforce Priority stream on August 4, 2026.

Which sections of IMM 5476 you actually complete, how the November 2025 version change affects old copies, and the difference between IMM 5476 and IMM 5475.

A guide to IMM 5444 and Appendix A, the residency obligation calculation that decides permanent resident card renewals under section 28 of IRPA.

IRCC publishes a processing time of more than 10 years for humanitarian and compassionate permanent residence, the top of its published scale. Many pages still quote 18 to 24 months. Here is the published figure, the two-stage structure, and the July 22, 2026 change to H&C requests made inside public policy applications.

IRCC updated its officer instructions for assessing study permit finances on July 24, 2026. The thresholds did not move. What changed is that officers are now directed to verify the source and history of your funds, not just the balance.

Online passport renewal opened to all eligible adults on July 28, 2026. The rule that disqualifies the most people is the one almost no coverage leads with: if your passport expires more than 6 months from now, you cannot renew online. And applying cancels the passport you are still carrying.

A bridging open work permit lets you keep working while IRCC decides your permanent residence application. Which document unlocks it depends on your PR program, and two widely repeated eligibility rules do not appear in IRCC's instructions at all.

Approval in principle confirms IRCC accepted your sponsor and your relationship as genuine, but not your medical or security checks. What the letter actually unlocks, how it differs from your AOR, and the one situation where you cannot get an open work permit without it.

The Certificat d'acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) is the provincial document you need before IRCC will issue a study permit for Quebec. What it costs in 2026, how long it lasts, the documents required, and how it differs from a CSQ.

A plain-English guide to the PEI PNP draw: how Prince Edward Island scores Expression of Interest profiles, which categories get invited, when draws happen, and how to get an invitation to apply.

A plain-English guide to how New Brunswick PNP draws work in 2026, including the NBPNP streams, the Expression of Interest pool, recent draw results, and where to verify every official figure.

A licensed RCIC firm explains how Ontario PNP draws work in 2026, what the OINP overhaul changed, the new Workforce Priority Stream, fees, and where to track official results.