The Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) has announced that it will reopen intake for family sponsorship applications on July 2, 2026, after the previous round reached its limit, setting a new two-year cap of up to 15,700 sponsorship undertakings, of which 13,300 are reserved for the spousal category and 2,400 for parents and grandparents. Compared with the first round of 13,000 places opened in 2024, the new total is roughly 20% higher, and for the first time adult dependent children aged 18 and older are excluded from the cap. MIFI says it will prioritize earlier-filed applications once intake reopens, and any applications received beyond the limit will not be processed, will be returned as submitted, and will have their fees refunded. Because family reunification for those settling in Quebec follows a process distinct from the rest of Canada, applicants intending to settle in the province must first apply to MIFI for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) before they can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence.

Quebec's Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) confirmed in a press release on June 10, 2026 that the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) will reopen on July 2, 2026 for a two-year window running to July 2, 2028; the first intake period starts at 8:30 a.m. Eastern on July 2 and runs until October 31, 2026, with no cap on applications, and is open to the two groups who already qualified when the program was abolished on November 19, 2025 -- Quebec graduates and temporary foreign workers -- under the same eligibility criteria that applied at the time of the suspension and abolition. The government says that over the remainder of the planning period, it intends to issue a roughly equivalent number of Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQs) between the PEQ and the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ); until October 31, PSTQ invitations will be reduced accordingly and will mainly target candidates in TEER 4 and 5 occupations and those with less than two years of work experience. MIFI stresses that the reinstatement is temporary, expects 8,000 to 12,000 applications in the first period, and confirms that once the PEQ is finally retired, the permanent selection of skilled workers will be consolidated under the PSTQ.

Quebec held its fifth skilled-worker selection round of 2026 on June 4, issuing a total of 2,549 invitations to apply (ITAs) for permanent selection across all four streams of its Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ), with every stream drawn from the Arrima pool at 6:00 a.m. on June 1. Stream 1, for highly qualified and specialized skills, led the round with 1,094 invitations—about 42.9% of the total—followed by Stream 2 (intermediate and manual skills) with 756, Stream 3 (regulated professions) with 677, and Stream 4 (exceptional talent) with 22; all streams required candidates to be currently living in Quebec and to meet specific French-language thresholds, continuing the province's recent pattern of favouring workers already established locally and prioritizing French proficiency and in-demand occupations, and marking another sign of an accelerating pace after Quebec issued 2,910 invitations across all of 2025.

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 November 6, 2025, the Quebec government announced that it will permanently close one of its most popular pathways to permanent residence—the Quebec Experience Program (Programme de l’expérience québécoise, PEQ)—which includes the Quebec Graduates Stream and the Temporary Foreign Workers Stream. Both streams will officially end on November 19, 2025. At the same time, three permanent immigration pilot programs will also conclude as scheduled on January 1, 2026. This means that, going forward, foreign workers and graduates seeking to obtain permanent residence in Quebec will only be able to apply through the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ).

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.

On July 31, 2025, Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI) issued 273 invitations to apply for permanent selection through its Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ). This draw is particularly significant as it is the first time the province has specifically targeted candidates under the "Intermediate and Manual Skills" stream, marking a steady expansion of the program's scope. The initiative aims to provide an immigration pathway for workers already in Quebec who possess specific work experience and French-language skills, in order to address labor shortages in various regions of the province.

Quebec's immigration ministry announced on July 9 that it has paused the intake of new applications for spousal, partner, and adult dependent sponsorship after reaching its predetermined cap. The measure is part of Quebec's immigration quota management and will remain in effect until June 25, 2026. During this period, the application stream for sponsoring minor children, parents, and grandparents will remain open.

In 2024, the Canadian federal government introduced several adjustments to its Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-exempt work permit policies. These changes encompass Spousal Open Work Permits (SOWP), New work permit for PNP nominee candidates, Updated instructions regarding ICTs under the IMP and more, aimed at optimizing immigration structures and managing the proportion of temporary residents. Below is a professional analysis of the key policy changes and their implications.

On October 3, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released updated guidelines concerning the Intra-Company Transferee (ICT) work permit category. These revisions introduce a more restrictive interpretation of the ICT category, significantly impacting foreign companies seeking to establish or expand operations in Canada.