According to a new auditor general, Kim Adair’s report, Nova Scotia needs to reform immigration system of the province. The government needs to understand better what immigrants need to settle in the province as the province sets out ambitious goals to increase the general population.
In a report released Tuesday (November 8), Kim Adair stated that the government spends $6.4 million annually on immigrant settlement assistance without understanding whether the money helps prevent them from leaving.
Below are report highlights and findings, in addition to the suggestions made by the auditor general.
More work is needed to meet Nova Scotia’s immigration target
Adair explains that the current retention rate of 70% must be increased to 75%, which would require an increase in yearly population growth of more than twofold, to 25,000 people, from the current 10,000.
The auditor general’s recommendations, such as looking at how settlement financing may best fulfill immigrant needs, are being worked on, according to immigration minister Jill Balser. As more and more newcomers settle in Nova Scotia, Balser said, the services must be flexible and adaptive to serve individual needs constantly.
She added that her agency is also creating two new roles to handle fraud investigations and program compliance checks, introducing 12 new positions to process immigration applications more consistently.
In 2021, Nova Scotia welcomed a record 9,160 immigrants; as of August of this year, that total had already surpassed 9,375 persons.
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Lack of evaluation by immigration Department of immigrant required services
Adair claimed that the Immigration Department had not evaluated the kinds of services required to help immigrants settle in Nova Scotia, adding that the government puts an undue reliance on information obtained from outside sources.
Adair’s report stated that it is very difficult to identify what settlement services are required, which service providers should receive money, and whether any gaps exist without a detailed assessment to evaluate the requirements of immigrants.
The auditor general said that 18 immigrant settlement companies are currently working in the province, offering services such as language training, employment counselling, and community welcoming initiatives. However, Adair claimed that the government had not thoroughly examined the services given, their locations, or the demand for them.
For instance, according to the report, evaluating whether language training is offered across the province or figuring out whether there is a greater need for particular settlement services in some places than others.
The importance of feedback from immigrants
Adair emphasized feedback from immigrants could help determine where future funding should be directed. In addition, the province has to identify labour market gaps for effective spending to match newcomers to jobs.
While speaking to reporters in an interview, Adair said her department recommended that rather than just being reactionary, a framework should be in place. It would help the government get on top of the issues since it takes time to shift their focused efforts to particular gaps in the labour force.
Additionally, she said that her audit uncovered inconsistencies in how the province evaluates immigration petitions, leaving the system vulnerable to fraud.
Furthermore, Adair noted that the province intends to increase its population to two million by 2060, requiring improvements in such areas.
- New Express Entry Draw On September 29 Sent 2,000 PR Invitations
On September 29, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada sent out 2,000 invitations to apply for permanent residency in a new Express Entry draw for Canadian Experience Class candidates, pushing the CRS threshold down for a third consecutive round since the August peak.
The Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff fell to 518 points, one point below the September 15 draw that required 519 and five points below the 523 that the August 18 round had established as the steepest CEC floor of the year.
This round is draw number 446 and the 17th CEC-specific selection of 2026, arriving one day after the Provincial Nominee Program draw on September 28 that issued 733 invitations at a CRS of 725.
The back-to-back sequencing follows the cluster pattern that IRCC has maintained since March, where a PNP round opens each weekly window and a CEC round follows within 24 to 48 hours.
With this draw, IRCC has now distributed 131,715 invitations across 58 Express Entry rounds in 2026, and CEC selections alone account for 55,250 of that total.
Table of Contents
Official Express Entry Draw Parameters September 29
IRCC published the following details for the September 29, 2026, Canadian Experience Class round.
Detail Value Draw Number 446 Program Canadian Experience Class Date and Time (UTC) September 29, 2026, at 10:19:21 Invitations Issued 2,000 CRS of Lowest-Ranked Candidate 518 Tie-Breaking Rule February 13, 2026, at 20:48:08 UTC Candidates scoring above 518 were invited regardless of profile submission date. Candidates at exactly 518 needed to have submitted their Express Entry profile before February 13, 2026, at 20:48:08 UTC
3 Consecutive CRS Decreases Since The August Peak
The CEC cutoff has now declined in each of the last 3 rounds, tracing a clear downward arc from the 2026 high point.
Draw Date CRS Cutoff Change from Previous August 18 523 +7 September 1 521 -2 September 15 519 -2 September 29 518 -1 The August 18 round carried the smallest CEC invitation volume of the year at just 1,000, which compressed the selection window and forced the cutoff to spike by seven points in a single draw.
Every subsequent round restored the invitation count to 2,000, and the cutoff responded by retreating one to two points each time.
That mechanical relationship between volume and threshold has been the defining pattern of CEC selections throughout 2026.
Larger draws reach further into the ranked list and pull the cutoff down, while smaller draws tighten the selection band and push it up.
The current cutoff of 518 matches exactly where the CRS sat on May 27, when IRCC issued 3,000 invitations in a single CEC round.
Reaching that same threshold with only 2,000 invitations suggests that the pool composition around the 516 to 520 CRS band has thinned since the spring, likely because months of aggressive draw activity have cleared older profiles from that range.
Complete CEC Draw Record For 2026
IRCC has conducted 17 Canadian Experience Class draws between January and September 2026, distributing 55,250 invitations to candidates with qualifying Canadian work experience.
Draw # Date Invitations CRS Cutoff 446 September 29 2,000 518 443 September 15 2,000 519 439 September 1 2,000 521 436 August 18 1,000 523 432 August 5 3,000 516 428 July 21 2,000 516 424 July 7 2,000 517 420 June 23 4,000 516 417 May 27 3,000 518 413 April 28 2,000 514 410 April 14 2,000 515 407 March 31 2,250 509 404 March 17 4,000 507 400 March 3 4,000 508 396 February 17 6,000 508 392 January 21 6,000 509 390 January 7 8,000 511 The data reveals two distinct phases in CEC draw behavior during 2026.
The first quarter featured high-volume rounds of 4,000 to 8,000 invitations with cutoffs between 507 and 511, as IRCC aggressively cleared inventory from the Express Entry pool.
From April onward, invitation volumes dropped to the 1,000 to 3,000 range and the CRS threshold climbed into the 514 to 523 band, reflecting a more measured draw pace through the second and third quarters.
The lowest CEC cutoff of the year remains 507 from the March 17 draw that issued 4,000 invitations, while the highest was 523 on August 18, when only 1,000 invitations were distributed.
Options For Candidates Below The 518 Threshold
CEC candidates scoring between 500 and 517 remain within striking distance of the cutoff and should evaluate whether targeted improvements could push their profiles above the threshold before the next round.
Language proficiency carries the highest per-point return of any CRS factor, and the jump from Canadian Language Benchmark 8 to CLB 9 across all four skills can add 50 to 80 points through cascading skill transferability bonuses.
Candidates who score well in French alongside English should ensure their profiles reflect both languages, since a second official language at NCLC 7 or above also opens eligibility for French-language proficiency draws that have operated between CRS 382 and 420 throughout 2026.
Those whose CRS scores fall in the 450 to 500 range may find faster pathways through category-based draws targeting healthcare occupations, trades, or transport, all of which have delivered cutoffs below the CEC range this year.
A provincial nomination remains the most powerful accelerator available, adding 600 CRS points that place candidates well above every cutoff recorded in 2026 across all draw types.
Ontario’s new Workforce Priority stream, Alberta’s AAIP, and the BC PNP all have remaining nomination room for 2026 and are actively processing expressions of interest.
The September 29 CEC draw extended a 3-round CRS decline that has brought the cutoff from 523 down to 518 since mid-August, signalling that IRCC’s steady 2,000-invitation pace is gradually easing competitive pressure in the pool.
Canadian Experience Class selections remain the largest single source of Express Entry invitations in 2026, with 55,250 distributed through 17 rounds and the CRS operating in a narrow 507 to 523 band all year.
The deep tie-breaking date of February 13, 2026, reveals significant candidate density at the 518 CRS level, which means profiles sitting at exactly this score face stiff competition from others who submitted months earlier.
Invited candidates should treat the 60-day application window as their top priority and begin assembling documentation immediately, since an expired invitation cannot be reinstated and forces a complete restart of the Express Entry process.
IRCC has not indicated any changes to the current draw cadence, so candidates in the CEC stream can anticipate another round within approximately two weeks based on the rhythm that has held since April.
For complete coverage of every Express Entry draw, CRS trend, and IRCC processing time update, follow Immigration News Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why does the tie-breaking date matter in a Canadian Experience Class Express Entry draw?
The tie-breaking date determines which candidates receive invitations when multiple profiles share the lowest qualifying CRS score in a draw. IRCC sorts tied candidates by the date and time they submitted their Express Entry profiles, with earlier submissions receiving priority. In the September 29, 2026, draw, candidates with exactly 518 points needed profiles submitted before February 13, 2026, meaning anyone at that score who entered the pool after that date was not selected. A tie-breaking date that stretches several months before the draw signals heavy candidate congestion at that CRS level, while a date only days or weeks old indicates relatively few candidates sharing the cutoff.
How is the Canadian Experience Class different from other Express Entry programs?
The Canadian Experience Class is one of three federal immigration programs managed through the Express Entry system, alongside the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. CEC is exclusively for candidates who have gained at least 12 months of skilled work experience in Canada within the three years before their application. Unlike the other two programs, CEC does not require an educational credential assessment or proof of settlement funds, and it places significant weight on Canadian work history and language proficiency. CEC draws in 2026 have consistently required CRS scores between 507 and 523, making them more competitive than category-based draws but accessible to candidates with strong Canadian employment records.
Is the Express Entry CRS cutoff likely to keep falling below 518 in upcoming CEC draws?
The CRS cutoff direction depends primarily on two variables: the number of invitations IRCC issues per round and the volume of new profiles entering the pool between draws. If IRCC maintains the 2,000-invitation pace that has been standard since July 2026, the cutoff is likely to remain in the 516 to 520 range based on current pool dynamics. A larger draw of 3,000 or more could push the threshold below 516, while a smaller round of 1,000 like the August 18 draw could spike it back above 520. IRCC does not pre-announce draw sizes, so candidates should prepare for fluctuations in either direction.
Can I improve my CRS score while my Express Entry profile is already in the pool?
Yes, you can update your Express Entry profile at any time before receiving an invitation to apply. Common improvements include retaking a language test to achieve higher Canadian Language Benchmark scores, completing additional education, accumulating more months of skilled work experience, or obtaining a provincial nomination. After making changes, you update the relevant section of your profile in your IRCC account, and your CRS score recalculates automatically. Updated language test results must come from an IRCC-designated testing organization, and any new credentials must be supported by proper documentation before you can claim the additional points.
What happens if IRCC issues a category-based draw right after a CEC draw and I qualify for both?
Each Express Entry draw operates independently with its own eligibility criteria, CRS cutoff, and invitation count. If you meet the requirements for both a CEC draw and a category-based draw, you could receive an invitation from whichever round your profile qualifies for first. However, once you receive an invitation to apply, your profile is removed from the pool and you cannot receive a second invitation. If a category-based draw for healthcare, French-language proficiency, or trades offers a lower CRS cutoff than the CEC stream, candidates who qualify for both benefit by remaining in the pool for whichever round reaches their score level first.
Fact-Checked: All draw figures, CRS cutoffs, invitation counts, tie-breaking timestamps, and year-to-date totals cited in this article were verified against the official IRCC Express Entry rounds of invitations data as published on Canada.ca on September 29, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Readers should consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant or licensed immigration lawyer for guidance specific to their individual circumstances.
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- Latest Express Entry Draw On September 28 Issues 733 PR Invitations
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducted a new Provincial Nominee Program Express Entry draw on September 28, 2026, sending 733 invitations to apply for permanent residence to candidates who hold valid provincial nominations.
The Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff for the lowest-ranked candidate selected in this round was 725 points.
That threshold is 9 points lower than the 734 recorded in the September 14 PNP draw that opened the earlier September cluster with 576 invitations.
The 733 invitations also represent a 27% increase in volume from that previous round, marking the largest PNP draw since the June 22 round that distributed 955 invitations at a CRS floor of 730.
This draw brings the 2026 total to 57 Express Entry rounds, with approximately 129,715 invitations issued across all draw categories so far this year.
Table of Contents
Full Express Entry Draw Details For September 28, 2026
IRCC selected candidates for this round from the Express Entry pool using the following parameters.
Draw Detail Value Draw Category Provincial Nominee Program Date of Draw (UTC) September 28, 2026 Number of Invitations Issued 733 CRS Score of Lowest-Ranked Candidate 725 Tie-Breaking Rule September 17, 2026, at 01:36:00 UTC Candidates needed a minimum CRS score of 725 and an Express Entry profile submitted before 1:36 a.m. UTC on September 17, 2026, to receive an invitation in this round.
Any eligible PNP candidate scoring above 725 received an invitation regardless of profile creation date.
The tie-breaking timestamp determines priority among candidates who share the cutoff score of exactly 725 points.
Only those candidates at that score level who submitted their profiles before the specified timestamp received invitations in this draw.
What The CRS Cutoff Of 725 Signals For PNP Candidates
A CRS cutoff of 725 in a PNP draw is largely driven by the 600-point boost that provincial nominations add to an Express Entry profile.
The practical interpretation is that a nominated candidate needed a base CRS score of at least 125 to reach the 725-point cutoff, subject to meeting all applicable Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program eligibility requirements and the tie-breaking rule.
Provincial nominees receive 600 additional CRS points after accepting an Express Entry-aligned nomination, which is why PNP-specific draw cutoffs are substantially higher than those seen in many other Express Entry categories.
PNP cutoffs have fluctuated significantly throughout 2026, with the September 28 threshold of 725 ranking among the lower PNP cutoffs recorded since June.
These cutoffs reflect both the CRS distribution of eligible provincial nominees in the Express Entry pool and the number of invitations IRCC chooses to issue in a particular round.
Changes in the number of provincial nominees entering the pool can affect the candidate distribution, but nomination volumes alone do not determine the cutoff.
Latest CRS Score Distribution In The Pool
Below is the CRS score distribution of candidates in the pool as of September 27, 2026:
CRS score range Number of candidates 601-1200 728 501-600 21,070 451-500 73,131 491-500 12,745 481-490 12,817 471-480 16,465 461-470 16,257 451-460 14,847 401-450 62,611 441-450 13,677 431-440 13,419 421-430 12,173 411-420 11,888 401-410 11,454 351-400 47,298 301-350 17,359 0-300 7,707 Total 229,904 Steps After Receiving An Invitation To Apply
Candidates who received an invitation in the September 28 round have exactly 60 calendar days to submit a complete permanent residence application through their Express Entry account.
Failing to submit within this window causes the invitation to expire, and IRCC removes the profile from the pool entirely rather than returning it to the queue.
A candidate whose invitation expires must create a new Express Entry profile from scratch to re-enter the selection process.
The permanent residence application can require several supporting documents, including proof of qualifying work experience, valid language test results, police certificates, and an immigration medical examination.
Applicants relying on education completed outside Canada may also need a valid Educational Credential Assessment.
An ECA is required when foreign education is being used to qualify as the principal applicant under the Federal Skilled Worker Program or to claim CRS points for foreign education.
Police certificates are generally required for the applicant and family members aged 18 or older for every country where they stayed for six consecutive months or longer during the last 10 years, excluding time spent in Canada.
Application fees effective April 30, 2026, are $990 per adult for processing and $600 per adult for the right of permanent residence fee, bringing the total to $1,590 per adult applicant.
Dependent children under 22 pay $270 each, with no right of permanent residence fee applied. Biometrics cost $85 per individual or a maximum of $170 per family.
IRCC has a six-month service standard for Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program applications, but actual processing times can be longer and vary based on application volumes, annual admissions targets, background checks, and individual circumstances.
Applicants should check IRCC’s current processing-time tool for the latest estimate.
Candidates in Canada whose work permits are nearing expiry may be eligible for a bridging open work permit while their permanent residence application is being processed.
For Express Entry PNP applicants, eligibility conditions include being the principal applicant, living in Canada and intending to live outside Quebec, having submitted a complete permanent residence application that passed the completeness check, receiving an acknowledgement of receipt, and having no employment restrictions attached to the provincial nomination.
The September 28 Express Entry round delivered 733 permanent residence invitations to provincial nominees at a CRS threshold of 725, continuing the steady two-week PNP draw rhythm that has operated throughout the second half of 2026.
Candidates who hold a valid Express Entry-aligned provincial nomination remain strongly positioned in PNP-specific rounds because accepting the nomination adds 600 points to their CRS score.
Candidates still pursuing provincial nomination should monitor official provincial immigration program pages closely, as intake windows, targeted occupations, eligibility requirements, and remaining nomination availability can change throughout the year.
Invited candidates should prioritize assembling their application documents immediately, because the 60-day submission window does not allow for extensions and an expired invitation cannot be recovered.
For full coverage of every Express Entry draw, provincial program update, and IRCC processing time change, follow Immigration News Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What happens if I let my Express Entry invitation to apply expire without submitting an application?
If you do not submit a complete permanent residence application within the 60-day deadline, IRCC removes your profile from the Express Entry pool entirely. Your profile does not return to the queue for future draws. You would need to create a brand new Express Entry profile, submit updated language test results and educational credential assessments if they have expired, and wait to be selected again in a future round. This differs from declining an invitation while still eligible, which does return your profile to the pool.
Why is the CRS cutoff for PNP Express Entry draws so much higher than for CEC or category-based draws?
PNP draw cutoffs appear unusually high because candidates with an accepted Express Entry-aligned provincial nomination receive 600 additional CRS points.
A total CRS cutoff of 725 therefore means a nominated candidate with a base CRS score of 125 would reach 725 after receiving the nomination points, although the candidate must still satisfy all applicable immigration-program requirements and the tie-breaking rule.
CEC and most category-based candidates do not receive this automatic 600-point nomination bonus, so their published CRS cutoffs cannot be directly compared with PNP cutoffs as if they represented the same scoring circumstances.How much does it cost to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry after receiving an invitation in 2026?
As of April 30, 2026, the total cost for an adult applicant is $1,590, which includes $990 for processing and $600 for the right of permanent residence fee. Each dependent child under 22 pays $270 with no right of permanent residence fee. Biometrics cost $85 per individual or a maximum of $170 per family. These fees do not include third-party costs such as medical examinations, police certificates, language testing, or educational credential assessments, which vary by country and provider.
Can I apply to multiple Provincial Nominee Programs at the same time to increase my chances of getting a nomination?
It depends on the rules of the individual provincial programs. A candidate may be able to pursue immigration opportunities in more than one province or territory at the same time, but each program has its own eligibility, expression-of-interest, application, and nomination requirements.
An Express Entry candidate can ultimately accept only one provincial nomination at a time and must genuinely intend to live in the province or territory that nominates them.
Candidates should review the rules of each provincial program before submitting multiple applications or expressions of interest.How long does it take to receive permanent residence after being invited through an Express Entry PNP draw?
IRCC has a six-month service standard for Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program permanent residence applications, but that does not mean every application will be finalized within six months.
Actual processing times can vary based on application volumes, annual immigration targets, background and security checks, document completeness, and whether IRCC requests additional information.
IRCC’s published processing data has also shown that Express Entry PNP processing can run longer than the six-month service standard. Applicants should therefore check IRCC’s current processing-time tool for the latest estimate applicable to their case.
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- IRCC Reveals Why Nearly 250,000 Canada PR Applications Are Waiting For Space
Nearly 250,000 Canadian permanent residence applications are waiting for admissions space under yearly immigration targets, according to IRCC’s latest inventory data released in September 2026.
The bottleneck is admissions capacity: when a program’s yearly target is full, complete applications wait until space becomes available. For some applicants, that can push processing into a future year.
Family sponsorship offers one of the clearest examples, with inland spousal cases now facing waits of roughly three years.
Table of Contents
Why Nearly 250,000 PR Applications Are Waiting
IRCC receives permanent residence applications across numerous programs throughout the year, while some pathways use capped intake rounds or may temporarily pause new applications.
The federal Immigration Levels Plan sets how many people can become permanent residents in each immigration category every year.
Application intake and admissions capacity are therefore two different limits, and they do not always move at the same pace.
In its Inside IRCC’s application processing system report, the department describes a three-step path for permanent residence files.
First, IRCC checks whether the application is complete, and an incomplete application is returned to the applicant.
Second, IRCC either processes the complete application or places it in a queue waiting for available admissions space.
If space remains in the yearly target, IRCC processes the file. If no space remains, the application waits. When a program receives more applications than it has Levels Plan spaces, some files wait until a future year.
Third, IRCC finalizes the application, ending in an approval, a refusal or a withdrawal by the applicant.
IRCC describes these files as “waiting for space under yearly targets.” A file in this queue is complete, but that status is not the same as final approval.
Eligibility, admissibility, and medical and security requirements must still be satisfied before permanent residence can be granted.
Category-Wise Canada PR Applications Waiting For Space
IRCC’s category inventories show the following number of applications waiting for space.
Category Applications Not Yet Finalized In Processing Waiting For Space Approx. Waiting Applications Economic 255,325 78% 22% ~56,000 Family 165,445 59% 41% ~68,000 Protection 295,830 58% 42% ~124,000 Total 716,600 N/A N/A ~248,000 Source: IRCC, Inside IRCC’s application processing system, data as of July 31, 2026. IRCC rounds its published inventory values and percentages. Together, the three categories account for approximately 248,000 applications waiting for space. Overall, roughly 35% of the 716,600 unfinalized permanent residence applications are waiting rather than being in processing.
These are applications, not individual people. One permanent residence application can include a principal applicant and accompanying family members, while the Immigration Levels Plan targets the number of people admitted.
Spousal Sponsorship Wait Times Reach Nearly 3 Years
The nearly three-year wait applies to the Spouse or Common-Law Partner in Canada Class, covering inland sponsorship applications. Overseas spouses, partners and children operate under a separate 12-month service standard.
IRCC disclosed the inland figure in its Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2026 on family reunification, dated September 4, 2026.
Application intake for spouses and children in the Family Class is uncapped, but admissions space has not kept pace with demand from Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
As a result, wait times have reached approximately three years for spouses and common-law partners applying from inside Canada.
Overseas spouses, partners and children have a 12-month service standard that IRCC aims to meet 80% of the time. Inland spouses and partners have no service standard.
The reason is the gap between intake and admissions. Spouse and child sponsorship intake is uncapped, but the number of people Canada can admit through the Family Class each year is limited. When demand exceeds those spaces, the queue grows.
IRCC separately reports that spouse, partner and child applications submitted inside and outside Canada and destined outside Quebec were processed in about 15 months, from August 2025 to July 2026.
That is a broader aggregate; the approximately three-year figure specifically measures the inland Spouse or Common-Law Partner in the Canada Class.
Monthly processing-time estimates for each spousal stream are published separately and can shift as inventories change.
Eligible spouses and partners can also apply for an open work permit while their permanent residence application is processed.
About 68,000 Family PR Applications Are Waiting For Space
IRCC reports 165,445 family permanent residence applications not yet finalized. Of those, 59% are in processing and 41% are waiting for space under yearly targets, equivalent to approximately 68,000 waiting applications.
Family immigration includes spouses and partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents, international adoptions and certain other relatives in special circumstances.
The Parents and Grandparents Program provides another example of capacity management. Demand exceeds available Levels Plan spaces, so IRCC limits application intake through invitation rounds.
The most recent intake, held in July 2025, brought in 10,636 applications from the 2020 sponsor pool. Parents and grandparents may also qualify for the super visa as a long-term temporary option for family reunification.
Quebec-bound family class files operate differently because Quebec sets its own immigration targets under the Canada-Quebec Accord.
About 56,000 Economic PR Applications Are Waiting For Space
IRCC reports 255,325 economic permanent residence applications not yet finalized, with 78% currently in processing. The remaining 22% are waiting for space, equivalent to approximately 56,000 applications.
Economic immigration covers Express Entry, federal business programs and regional pathways that select people for their skills and work experience.
Regional pathways include the Provincial Nominee Program, Atlantic Immigration Program, Rural Community Immigration Pilot and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot.
For Express Entry, IRCC invites candidates in rounds throughout the year, with invitation numbers tied to immigration targets.
Invitation volumes are one lever the immigration department uses to keep Express Entry intake aligned with available admissions space.
Express Entry remains substantially faster for many applicants. From August 2025 to July 2026, about 78% of Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class applicants received decisions within six months, and about half received decisions within five months.
Start-Up Visa And Self-Employed Applications Show The Same Capacity Problem
IRCC is no longer accepting new Start-up Visa Program applications, apart from applicants who received a valid commitment from a designated organization in 2025 and have not yet applied.
The Self-Employed Persons Program is also paused indefinitely. IRCC continues processing existing files in both programs, but capacity is limited under the Levels Plan.
The 2026 Federal Business target is 500 admissions, covering the Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed programs combined.
The Largest Waiting Group Is Protection-Related PR
Protection-related permanent residence accounts for the largest share of the waiting inventory across all three categories.
IRCC reports 295,830 applications not yet finalized, with 58% in processing and 42% waiting for space – approximately 124,000 applications.
IRCC’s protection grouping covers protected persons in Canada, government-assisted refugees, privately sponsored refugees and humanitarian and compassionate applications.
The grouping excludes special measures, which reports separately for people affected by conflicts, crises or natural disasters.
Asylum claims and protected-person permanent residence applications are separate stages. Asylum claims are not capped under the Levels Plan, but once a claimant becomes a protected person and applies for permanent residence, that PR application enters the permanent residence inventory.
IRCC is also running a one-time initiative to move more protected persons already living in Canada to permanent residence.
Under that measure, the department is processing up to 115,000 additional permanent residence applications from protected persons in Canada outside Quebec and their in-Canada dependants during 2026 and 2027.
The initiative addresses only part of the protection inventory, which also includes government-assisted refugees, privately sponsored refugees and humanitarian and compassionate applications.
Canada’s Immigration Targets Explain The Bottleneck
The 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan sets an overall target of 380,000 permanent resident admissions in 2026.
The 2026 allocation includes 239,800 economic admissions, 84,000 family admissions, 49,300 refugees and protected persons, and 6,900 humanitarian and compassionate and other admissions.
Within family immigration, 69,000 spaces are allocated to spouses, partners and children, while 15,000 are allocated to parents and grandparents.
These targets count people admitted as permanent residents, not applications. A waiting inventory cannot therefore be compared one-for-one with annual admissions targets.
Applications can include more than one person, new applications keep arriving, category allocations differ, and individual files can also require additional eligibility, medical or security work.
Waiting For Space Does Not Mean Your Application Has Been Approved
A file waiting for admissions space is complete, but it is not necessarily approved. The waiting designation does not establish that eligibility, admissibility, or medical or security requirements have been cleared.
Admission space is one cause of delay. Individual files can also take longer when the immigration department needs more information, must verify submitted information, or is waiting for additional security checks from partner agencies.
Applicants should continue responding promptly to document requests and follow the processing-time information for their specific immigration program.
Why Reducing A Backlog Is More Complicated Than Processing Faster
IRCC can improve efficiency through automation, staffing and new tools, but faster processing cannot create additional admissions spaces.
Processing capacity measures how quickly the department can assess files. Admissions capacity measures how many people can actually be admitted under the annual plan.
Faster processing can reduce handling time, but it cannot move additional applicants through a category once its annual admissions allocation is exhausted.
IRCC’s earlier backlog updates measured files against service standards, which is different from measuring whether admissions space exists.
The waiting-for-space breakdown is a relatively new feature of reporting, first appearing in the department’s July 2026 release.
Remote processing, remote interviews and advanced analytics can shorten handling times for spousal sponsorship files, but they cannot by themselves add Family Class admissions beyond the Levels Plan allocation.
Nearly 250,000 PR applications are waiting for admission space across Canada’s economic, family and protection categories.
The underlying problem is structural: some programs are receiving more applications than annual admissions targets can absorb.
The nearly three-year inland spousal sponsorship wait is one of the clearest examples of how that capacity gap translates into real delays for applicants and Canadian families.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does “waiting for space” mean my PR application has been approved?
No, the designation means the application is complete and is waiting because the relevant yearly target has no available space. It does not establish that eligibility, admissibility, or medical or security requirements have been cleared. The application must still satisfy all applicable requirements before IRCC can approve it.
Are Express Entry applications included among the nearly 250,000 waiting PR applications?
Yes, Express Entry forms part of the economic permanent residence inventory. About 56,000 economic applications are waiting for space, although the public data do not break that waiting inventory down by individual economic pathway. About 78% of Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class applicants received decisions within six months between August 2025 and July 2026.
Why can an inland spousal sponsorship take nearly three years when overseas spouses have a 12-month standard?
The two streams are managed differently. Overseas spouses, partners and children have a 12-month service standard that IRCC aims to meet 80% of the time, while inland spouses and partners have no service standard. Intake for spouses and children is uncapped, but admissions space has not kept pace with demand, so the inland class has built up a wait of about three years.
Can yearly immigration targets push my application into the following year?
Yes, when a program receives more applications than it has Levels Plan spaces, some applications wait until space becomes available in a future year. The effect depends on the immigration category, annual allocation and file-specific processing requirements.
Does the nearly 250,000 figure count applications or people?
It counts applications. A single permanent residence application can include a principal applicant plus a spouse and dependent children, so the number of people represented by the inventory is different from the application count. Canada’s Levels Plan targets, including the 380,000 admissions planned for 2026, count people.
Fact-Checked: Inventory totals, waiting percentages and processing figures were verified against official Inside IRCC’s application processing system report, using September 2026 data current to July 31, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal or immigration advice. Readers should consult a licensed professional or check their application status directly with the immigration department.
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- Canada Developing A New Express Entry Application System
Canada is building new digital infrastructure for Express Entry, and IRCC has now named the program as an early modernization priority.
IRCC says the first release of its new case management platform will deliver a new Expression of Interest system for Express Entry.
Express Entry candidates are also the next group targeted for IRCC’s consolidated online account, which already serves visitor and passport clients.
IRCC has not announced an exact launch date, and it has not confirmed a launch month or quarter either.
Its September 2026 transition documents place the rollout among Digital Platform Modernization milestones for “the coming year,” extending the implementation window into 2027.
Immigration News Canada expects the new system is most likely to arrive in mid-to-late 2027, potentially around fall 2027, although IRCC has not announced a specific month or deadline.
This is a technology story rather than a selection overhaul, and nothing in the documents changes CRS scores, draw rules or eligibility.
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When Will The New Express Entry System Launch?
IRCC has not published a launch day, a launch month or a fixed quarter for the new Express Entry system.
The clearest timing signal comes from the IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder page on Digital Platform Modernization, last updated September 4, 2026.
Under its upcoming milestones, IRCC says it will work toward the first release of its case management platform in the coming year.
That same milestone list names the rollout of a new Expression of Interest system to manage Express Entry applications as a specific focus.
Read literally from a September 2026 update, “the coming year” covers the period running from late 2026 broadly into 2027.
Immigration News Canada’s current expectation is that the rollout arrives around fall 2027, although IRCC itself has not committed to that timeframe.
That expectation is our reading of IRCC’s wording, not an official deadline, and schedules for large government systems frequently shift.
What Exactly Is IRCC Building?
IRCC is building two connected systems, one that applicants will see and another that officers will use behind the scenes.
The Front End: A Single IRCC Online Account
On the client side, IRCC is building a client experience platform meant to become one online window for all its services.
The first piece is a new online account that launched in June 2024 for eligible visitor visa clients.
IRCC says more than 123,000 clients had used that account to apply for a visitor visa as of January 31, 2026.
The account expanded in December 2024 to some adult passport clients in Canada, making online passport renewals possible for the first time.
IRCC’s transition binder states plainly that Express Entry clients are the next group targeted for this new online account.
It also says the department’s existing legacy client portals will eventually be consolidated into the same single solution.
The Back End: A New Case Management Platform
Behind the scenes, IRCC is replacing the Global Case Management System, which the department says has been in use for more than 20 years.
IRCC describes GCMS as complex and fragile and says it cannot meet the business demands of today’s immigration system.
Officers currently rely on GCMS, IRCC’s processing system and system of record, to process immigration applications.
The replacement Case Management Platform is being built in releases, and Express Entry’s Expression of Interest system is the first release target.
IRCC says the full platform will include case management, enterprise data, business rules management, advanced analytics, reporting and inventory tools.
IRCC also says the new platform will support greater automation of clear-cut cases and integrated AI to help decision-makers work more efficiently.
That wording describes tools that assist officers, and IRCC has not said AI will make final immigration decisions on its own.
Questions about automated tools are not new, given earlier scrutiny of Chinook, an internal tool IRCC says does not make decisions.
Why A “New Expression Of Interest System” Is Not A New Program
The phrase “new Expression of Interest system” can easily be misread as a brand-new selection model for Express Entry candidates.
Express Entry has worked on an Expression of Interest model since 2015, long before this modernization program was formally launched in 2022.
Candidates submit an online profile, which is itself an expression of interest in immigrating through an eligible federal economic program.
IRCC checks that profile against program criteria, places eligible candidates in the pool and ranks them using the Comprehensive Ranking System.
Top-ranked candidates can receive Invitations to Apply through general, program-specific, or category-based rounds.
What IRCC is now building is the software environment that will receive, store and manage those profiles and applications.
In plain terms, the documents describe rebuilding the system that runs Express Entry, not redesigning how Express Entry selects immigrants.
Current Express Entry System vs. New Digital System
The table below separates how Express Entry works today from the digital components IRCC says it is developing.
Stage Current Express Entry system New digital environment in development Online account Candidates use the existing IRCC secure account, alongside several legacy portals. One consolidated IRCC online account, with Express Entry clients targeted next Profile submission Candidates submit an Express Entry profile through the current system. New Expression of Interest functionality built on the modern platform Eligibility and ranking Profiles are assessed for eligible programs, and eligible candidates are ranked under the CRS. No announced change to eligibility criteria or CRS scoring Invitations IRCC issues Invitations to Apply through general, program-specific, and category-based rounds. No announced change to draw rules or invitation volumes Processing Officers work in GCMS and related legacy tools New Case Management Platform with business rules, data, reporting and inventory tools These components are not scheduled to arrive together, because IRCC describes the program as a phased rollout delivered in separate tranches.
Will Express Entry Profiles Or CRS Rules Change?
Nothing in the Digital Platform Modernization material establishes a change to CRS scoring, program eligibility or ranking mechanics for candidates.
It also does not change category-based draws, invitation cutoffs, the number of invitations issued or Canada’s permanent resident admission targets.
Those policy levers are set through regulations, ministerial instructions and levels planning, not through an internal technology modernization project.
The Express Entry policy can still change separately, and several separate proposals are already being discussed for 2027 and beyond.
IRCC’s consultation on 2027 Express Entry categories raised the possibility of narrowing the number or eligibility of categories aimed at addressing long-term labour shortages.
A private-sector report from RBC has also proposed major Express Entry draw changes, although those remain recommendations rather than government policy.
Readers should keep those policy discussions separate from this technology story, because the transition binder does not connect them in any way.
Candidates watching score movement can keep following CRS score distribution data without expecting this project to shift scores directly.
Recent rounds such as the September 4 healthcare draw continue to operate under current rules, with no system-related changes announced.
What Express Entry Applicants Should Do Now
IRCC has not asked Express Entry candidates to take any action because of the future Expression of Interest system.
Applicants should keep using the currently authorized IRCC secure account and the existing Express Entry system unless IRCC issues transition instructions.
Candidates in the pool should keep their profiles accurate, report changes promptly and follow normal IRCC instructions for their stage.
Invited candidates should still manage the 60-day application window through their current account, exactly as IRCC directs today.
There is no instruction to recreate a profile, open a new account or move documents into a different portal.
Candidates using GCKey or a Sign-In Partner should keep their credentials secure and up-to-date.
Migration steps, transition dates and the treatment of existing profiles and applications remain among the details IRCC has not announced.
Official instructions will come from IRCC directly, so applicants should be cautious about unofficial claims describing a new application process.
What IRCC Still Hasn’t Revealed
Several practical questions remain unanswered, and IRCC has not published public guidance on any of the following points.
- The exact launch date and launch month or quarter for the new Express Entry system.
- Whether the rollout will happen all at once or in phases for different user groups.
- How existing Express Entry profiles will be migrated into the new environment.
- Whether current accounts and sign-in credentials will transfer automatically to the new online account.
- Whether applicants will need to take any action during the transition.
- When the current Express Entry interfaces will be retired.
- Whether every Express Entry program will move to the new system at the same time.
- How authorized representatives will transition their clients and account access.
- Whether the old and new systems will operate side by side for a temporary period.
Until IRCC answers these questions publicly, specific claims about migration steps or cutover dates should be treated as speculation.
Why IRCC Is Replacing Its Immigration Technology
IRCC says its aging digital platforms limit how quickly the department can respond to changing priorities and unexpected events.
That pressure is visible in processing volumes, with more than 1.5 million immigration and citizenship applications not yet finalized as of May 31, 2026.
IRCC says the new platforms are meant to increase technical stability and reduce outages, which matters for a high-volume system like Express Entry.
Quicker implementation of policy changes is another stated goal, which is relevant as Express Entry category priorities keep evolving each year.
Better and more accessible data is also expected to strengthen risk management and program integrity through a new Enterprise Data Platform.
IRCC says Chinook was developed in part to reduce processing delays caused by system and broadband latency when officers work with information stored in GCMS.
IRCC has already expanded automation elsewhere, including spousal sponsorship eligibility tools and visitor visa triage for routine files.
It has also piloted data-driven tools such as GeoMatch for Express Entry candidates, showing how analytics is entering the program.
Stronger inventory-management tools could also help IRCC manage large application inventories more efficiently.
For Express Entry, the benefit IRCC describes is a single account for clients and a modern case system for its officers.
Based on the evidence currently available, Canada is not replacing the Express Entry immigration model or its ranking system.
IRCC is building the digital infrastructure that will support how candidates submit profiles and applications and how officers process those files.
The most important unanswered question is timing, because IRCC has not published a specific public launch date for the new system.
Its September 2026 documentation places the rollout within a coming-year window extending into 2027, with fall 2027 our current expectation.
Until IRCC issues formal transition instructions, candidates should keep using the current system and follow Express Entry draw activity as usual.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will I need to create a new IRCC account for Express Entry once the new system launches?
IRCC’s transition documents say legacy client portals will eventually be consolidated into the new online account, and Express Entry clients are the next group targeted. However, no instructions have been published on account creation, credential transfer or profile migration. Until IRCC issues formal guidance, candidates should keep using their current IRCC secure account. They should not open duplicate accounts or recreate profiles.
Could artificial intelligence refuse my Express Entry application under the new platform?
IRCC describes integrated AI as a tool to help decision-makers work more efficiently, not as an independent decision-maker. The department has not said AI will make final immigration decisions on its own. It has long maintained that officers make final approval or refusal decisions, including when automated triage tools are used.
Will provincial nominee programs be affected by the new Express Entry system?
The procurement records include Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications submitted through Express Entry in the new client platform’s scope. The Release 1 contract also lists a provincial and territorial nomination portal among its components. IRCC has not announced how this will change the steps for provinces or nominees. Provincial EOI systems run by the provinces themselves are separate, and nothing in the federal documents announces changes to them.
Fact-Checked: All Digital Platform Modernization details in this article were verified against the official IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2026: Digital Platform Modernization as published on Canada.ca with a page date of September 4, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only, so review IRCC’s official Express Entry program page or consult a licensed immigration professional before acting.
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- Canada Visitor Visa Screening Tightens With 40+ Criteria Now In Play
Canada’s screening of visitor visa applicants has become more rigorous as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada discloses new details about the layered framework governing who may travel to the country.
IRCC says Canada’s Visa Policy Framework relies on more than 40 criteria when evaluating whether to impose, lift, or partially lift a visa requirement for citizens of a specific country.
These criteria operate at the national visa-policy level and are distinct from the individual assessment that each visitor visa applicant undergoes when applying for a temporary resident visa.
The disclosure appears in IRCC’s 2026 Deputy Minister transition binder, published on the official government website with a page date of September 4, 2026.
It arrives as IRCC projects visitor application volumes of approximately 5.8 million in 2026, up from almost 5.6 million in 2025.
IRCC confirms that actions taken under its visitor-integrity strategy have reduced fraud and tightened visa screening.
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Canada Visitor Visa Screening Is Now Tighter
IRCC states that an integrity strategy launched in summer 2024 was designed to address growing misuse and irregular migration by temporary resident visa holders.
Actions undertaken since that strategy began have reduced fraud and tightened visa screening, according to the department.
IRCC says the tightening has focused on top visitor populations where abuse of the system was identified.
The department does not name specific nationalities in that context but frames the effort as targeted rather than universal.
IRCC separately notes that the number of asylum claims originating from visitors has risen significantly in recent years.
Those claims increase processing costs, contribute to backlogs at the Immigration and Refugee Board, and affect the overall sustainability of Canada’s in-country asylum system.
The department says it seeks to facilitate travel for genuine visitors who contribute to the Canadian economy without compromising public safety or immigration program integrity.
What Are Canada’s 40+ Visitor Visa Criteria?
Canada’s Visa Policy Framework has guided decisions for more than 20 years regarding which foreign nationals may travel to Canada without a visa.
IRCC says more than 40 criteria are used to assess the risks and benefits of lifting or imposing a visa requirement on a country’s citizens.
The department identifies several examples of these criteria. Safety and security concerns are among them.
Passport integrity and identity management are the other. Bilateral benefits, such as trade and tourism facilitation, are also weighed.
Migration trends form a further category, and IRCC specifically mentions asylum claims and immigration violations, including unauthorized work and unauthorized study.
The framework assesses both the risks of granting visa-free access and the benefits of facilitating travel from a given country.
IRCC says Canada has the unique ability to fully or partially lift a visa requirement on a country’s citizens.
The transition binder does not enumerate all of the more than 40 criteria.
It identifies examples including safety and security concerns, passport integrity and identity management, bilateral benefits, and migration trends.
The 40+ Criteria Are Not A Checklist For Individual Applicants
The distinction between the Visa Policy Framework and individual application screening is essential. The more-than-40 criteria apply at the country visa-policy level.
They inform whether citizens of a particular country are subject to a visa requirement or can benefit from visa-exempt travel, which generally requires an eTA when travelling to Canada by air.
Individual temporary resident visa applications undergo their own separate assessment focused on the applicant’s personal circumstances and admissibility.
To illustrate, Canada may use the broader policy framework to decide whether citizens of a given country generally require a visa before travelling.
Once an individual from a visa-required country submits an application, an officer then evaluates that specific person’s circumstances, intent, and admissibility.
This example is explanatory and does not represent an official IRCC scenario. The 40+ criteria should not be described as a forty-point checklist scored against every applicant.
What IRCC Checks On An Individual Canada Visitor Visa Application
IRCC says visitor visa applicants undergo a thorough assessment of their intent and personal circumstances.
Officers manually review temporary resident visa applications and evaluate visitor intent based on indicators and information the department has identified.
The factors IRCC says it examines include:
- Travel history
- Family ties to the applicant’s home country
- Employment
- Immigration status
- Marital status
- Family history
- Work and education history
- Purpose of the visit to Canada
- Supporting documents
- Ability and intention to leave Canada at the end of the authorized stay
- Ability to support themselves during their stay
- Health admissibility
- Security admissibility
- Criminal admissibility
IRCC states that all inadmissibility assessments require a case-by-case analysis based on the facts of the case and the evidence before the decision maker.
The department does not prescribe minimum bank balances, financial thresholds, or scoring systems in this disclosure.
Having limited travel history or a particular employment situation does not automatically result in a refusal. Each application is weighed individually on its own merits.
Cases may be referred for comprehensive screening by the Canada Border Services Agency or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
IRCC frames this referral process with the words “may be referred,” indicating it is not a routine step applied to every application.
India And China Are Canada’s Top Visa-Required Source Countries
IRCC explicitly identifies China and India as the top visa-required source countries.
This reflects the scale of visitor visa demand from these two countries rather than any specific risk characterization.
The transition binder does not provide refusal rates, fraud rates, or nationality-specific risk assessments for either country in this section.
IRCC’s tighter screening applies across its visitor-integrity strategy and is not attributed specifically to India or China simply because they generate the highest volume of applications.
What Is Canada’s Global Risk Framework?
IRCC launched the Global Risk Framework for the temporary resident visa line of business in September 2025.
The GRF proactively monitors the department’s overall ability to manage integrity risks. IRCC describes it as an early-warning system for macro-level decision-making integrity.
The framework identifies risks and enables interventions intended to mitigate emerging integrity issues.
IRCC says the need for a more proactive approach was highlighted by the integrity strategy launched in summer 2024 to address growing misuse and irregular migration by TRV holders.
The GRF operates at the macro level and does not automatically approve or refuse individual visitor visa applications.
It supports the department’s capacity to detect systemic patterns and respond before problems escalate.
Biometrics And Information Sharing Are Central To Screening
Visa-required applicants generally provide fingerprints and a photograph for biometric identity screening, subject to limited exceptions.
IRCC says this biometric information is shared with allies. Canada handles nearly 3.5 million biometric enrolments per year.
The country maintains a significant biometric collection infrastructure around the world.
IRCC says Canada has 166 Visa Application Centres overseas, 82 Service Canada locations, and 130 U.S. Application Service Centres.
Biometrics strengthen identity management and enable screening against RCMP records of known criminals, past refugee claimants, persons previously deported, and prior immigration applicants.
Appearing in a prior immigration record does not by itself indicate anything adverse about an applicant.
IRCC frames biometric screening as a tool to support better-informed admissibility decisions rather than an automated disqualification mechanism.
Some Cases Can Be Referred To CBSA Or CSIS
IRCC says cases may be referred for comprehensive screening by the Canada Border Services Agency and/or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
The transition binder does not specify the circumstances or threshold that trigger such a referral.
The wording “may be referred” indicates that these referrals are not described as a standard step applied to every visitor visa application.
Visitor Visa Versus eTA Screening
Canada screens visitors through two primary authorization streams, and the level of scrutiny differs substantially between them.
Temporary Resident Visa
The TRV application collects comprehensive details including name, date of birth, place of birth, biometrics, immigration status, marital status, travel history, family history, work and education history, purpose of visit, and supporting documents.
Screening requires biometrics and includes an assessment of traveller intent. An officer manually reviews each application, and the applicant must submit their passport for physical inspection.
A visa counterfoil is physically placed into the passport when the application is approved.
IRCC says the maximum validity of a TRV is 10 years, and it may be issued for single or multiple entries depending on the case.
The fee is $100 plus an $85 biometric fee.
Electronic Travel Authorization
The eTA is fully digital and collects basic, self-declared client information. Biometrics are not required.
Screening checks for known or self-declared adverse or inadmissibility-related information. IRCC says 85% to 90% of eTA applications are automatically approved by the system within minutes.
Some applications require manual review and a decision by an officer based on known or self-declared information.
An eTA is valid for up to five years or until passport expiry, whichever occurs sooner, and allows multiple entries.
The eTA is valid in air mode only, meaning it covers travel to Canada by plane. The fee is $7. IRCC identifies the United Kingdom and France as the top eTA source countries.
What Tighter Canada Visitor Visa Screening Means For Applicants
Based on the factors IRCC says it assesses, applicants should expect the department to closely examine several aspects of their applications.
Whether the stated purpose of travel is credible will be evaluated. Officers will assess whether the applicant’s circumstances support a genuine intention to stay temporarily.
Travel history, employment, personal circumstances, and ties outside Canada all factor into the assessment.
Supporting documentation must be consistent, complete, and verifiable. Admissibility related to health, security, and criminality will be checked.
Identity will be confirmed through biometrics. IRCC’s emphasis on case-by-case assessment means there is no single formula that guarantees approval or triggers refusal.
Applicants benefit from submitting truthful, complete, and internally consistent applications that clearly demonstrate temporary intent and the ability to support themselves during their stay.
Any practical inferences here are drawn from the factors IRCC says it assesses, not from explicit application advice in the transition binder.
IRCC’s 2026 Deputy Minister transition binder provides an unusually detailed look at the machinery behind Canada’s visitor screening system.
The department has confirmed that more than 40 criteria underpin the country-level visa policy framework, that a separate and thorough individual assessment applies to each visitor visa applicant, and that recent integrity measures have reduced fraud and tightened screening.
With approximately 5.8 million visitor applications expected in 2026, the stakes are high for both Canada and the millions of people who want to visit.
Applicants should understand that Canada’s screening has become more rigorous, that every application is assessed on its own facts and evidence, and that the department is actively monitoring global migration trends through tools like the Global Risk Framework.
The clearest takeaway is that Canada continues facilitating legitimate visitor travel while using more proactive, risk-based tools to strengthen program integrity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does every Canada visitor visa applicant get assessed against the 40+ criteria?
No, the more than 40 criteria operate at the country visa policy level and inform whether citizens of a specific country are subject to a visa requirement or can benefit from visa-exempt travel. Visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air generally require an eTA, subject to limited exceptions. Individual visitor visa applicants undergo a separate case-by-case assessment focused on their personal circumstances, intent, supporting documents and admissibility.
What factors does IRCC assess on an individual Canada visitor visa application?
IRCC says officers evaluate travel history, family ties to the home country, employment, immigration status, marital status, family history, work and education history, the purpose of the visit, supporting documents, the ability and intention to leave Canada after the authorized stay, the ability to self-support during the stay, and admissibility related to health, security, and criminality. All inadmissibility assessments require case-by-case analysis based on the facts and evidence before the decision maker.
What is Canada’s Global Risk Framework for visitor visas?
The Global Risk Framework was launched in September 2025 for the temporary resident visa line of business. IRCC describes it as a proactive monitoring system that acts as an early-warning tool for macro-level decision-making integrity. It identifies emerging risks and enables interventions to mitigate them. The GRF does not automatically approve or refuse individual applications and operates at a systemic level rather than an applicant level.
How many visitor applications does Canada expect in 2026?
IRCC projects approximately 5.8 million visitor applications in 2026. This figure includes both temporary resident visas and electronic travel authorizations. In 2025, IRCC approved 3,371,700 eTAs and 2,185,800 TRVs, totalling 5,557,500 visitor applications. Volumes are expected to decrease slightly to almost 5.5 million in 2027.
Is the eTA screening as strict as the visitor visa screening?
No, the eTA is a lighter-touch, fully digital pre-travel screening tool that does not require biometrics. IRCC says 85% to 90% of eTA applications are automatically approved within minutes. The temporary resident visa requires a detailed application, biometric enrolment, manual officer review, a physical passport inspection, and a thorough assessment of traveller intent. The two streams reflect different risk levels, with visa-required nationals receiving significantly more scrutiny.
Fact-Checked: All visitor visa screening criteria, visitor application volumes, biometric enrolment figures, Visa Application Centre counts, eTA approval percentages, Mexico asylum claim statistics, Qatar visa exemption details, and Global Risk Framework information cited in this article were verified against the IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder 2026: Temporary Immigration: How Visitors Come to Canada as published on Canada.ca with a page date of September 4, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not constitute immigration, legal, or travel advice. Visitor visa applicants should review the latest instructions on the official Government of Canada immigration website before applying and should consult a licensed immigration professional for guidance specific to their situation.
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- New Canada LMIA Rules Now Clarify Who Can Hire Foreign Workers
Service Canada published updated employer guidance across multiple major Temporary Foreign Worker Program streams on September 18, 2026, establishing explicit criteria for determining which entity qualifies as the employer when a Labour Market Impact Assessment application is assessed.
The new guidance defines who Service Canada considers the true employer of a temporary foreign worker and outlines the factors officers will evaluate during the LMIA review process.
It also addresses two arrangements that have generated growing concern in the program: staffing agencies applying for LMIAs on behalf of workers who actually perform duties for another business and employers classifying temporary foreign workers as independent contractors instead of employees.
The September 18 update is published employer-assessment guidance, not a new law passed by Parliament or a formal regulation change under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal department that administers the LMIA process through Service Canada, added the guidance to its program requirements pages for employers.
IRCC, which handles immigration status and work permits separately, was not the authority behind this particular update, although LMIA decisions feed directly into the work permit application process that IRCC administers.
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Canada Updates LMIA Employer Requirements
The updated guidance appears under a section titled “Employers” and marked “New: September 18, 2026” across multiple official TFWP program-requirements pages, including the high-wage stream, the low-wage stream, the Global Talent Stream, the Agricultural Stream, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, the in-home caregiver program, LMIAs supporting permanent residence, and the Recognized Employer Pilot.
These pages contain the same core employer definition, assessment criteria, staffing-agency restriction, and independent-contractor provisions, establishing a consistent employer-employee relationship standard across these TFWP pathways.
The September update follows other recent changes to TFWP guidance, including an August 18 update to the low-wage workforce-cap requirements for employers with fewer than ten employees at a work location, and continues a pattern of ESDC tightening program requirements that began with the October 2024 reforms.
Who Is Considered The Employer For An LMIA?
Under the September 18 guidance, Service Canada defines an employer as the entity that hires the temporary foreign worker, sets their working conditions, and directly pays them.
That entity can be a person, a business, a corporation, or an organization.
When reviewing an LMIA application, Service Canada will determine whether the applicant is actually the employer by evaluating a series of factors that collectively describe the real working relationship between the entity and the worker.
The assessment factors published in the updated guidance include:
- Who is obligated to meet all TFWP requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its regulations
- Who directly benefits from the work performed by the temporary foreign worker
- Who has the authority to decide where, when, and how the work will be done
- Who is responsible for paying wages and other compensation
- Who employs the workers, determines job duties, defines job expectations, and monitors performance
- Who has the authority to fire or dismiss the worker
- Who the temporary foreign worker recognizes as their employer
- Who signs and concludes the employment agreement as the employer on or before the first day of work
- What the characteristics of the relationship between the employer and the worker are, including management, supervision, remuneration, and administration of statutory benefits such as income tax, CPP, QPP, and Employment Insurance
The guidance further states that an employer-employee relationship exists when an employer hires a worker, directs their duties, and pays them for their work.
The employer must make an offer of employment and provide employment for a specified period of time to the temporary foreign worker, who provides labour in return for compensation.
This relationship is confirmed in the employment agreement that both the employer and the worker sign on or before the first day of work, and it helps ensure that a genuine job offer exists with a set wage rate and clear working conditions.
New LMIA Guidance For Staffing And Employment Agencies
One of the most significant elements of the September 18 update is a direct statement about staffing and employment agencies.
The official guidance states that staffing or employment agencies who recruit workers for other businesses are not considered employers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
It adds that such agencies cannot be approved to hire a temporary foreign worker for other businesses because an employer-employee relationship does not exist in that arrangement.
This language is published identically across the TFWP program requirements pages that received the September 18 update, including the high-wage, low-wage, Global Talent Stream, agricultural stream, Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, in-home caregiver, permanent residence supporting LMIA, and Recognized Employer Pilot pages.
It is important to understand precisely what this guidance says and does not say, especially for employers and workers navigating multi-party hiring arrangements.
The guidance targets a specific scenario: an agency recruits a foreign worker, applies for the LMIA, but the worker actually performs their daily duties for a separate client business that controls the work.
In that scenario, the agency would not qualify as the employer because the required employer-employee relationship does not exist between the agency and the worker.
Service Canada would assess the actual working arrangement using the published employer factors to determine which entity qualifies as the employer.
Example (for illustration, not an official government scenario): A staffing company based in Ontario recruits a food processing worker from overseas and submits an LMIA application naming itself as the employer.
However, the worker will report daily to a meat processing plant owned by a separate company, which sets the schedule, assigns duties, supervises performance, and determines the working conditions.
Under the September 18 guidance, Service Canada would evaluate who actually controls the work, pays the wages, sets the schedule, and benefits from the labour.
If those factors point to the meat processing plant rather than the staffing company, Service Canada could determine that the agency is not the employer for TFWP purposes, and the LMIA application would not be approved under the agency.
The guidance does not say that staffing agencies are banned from operating in Canada or that all agency-based employment arrangements are invalid.
It specifically addresses the situation where the required employer-employee relationship between the LMIA applicant and the worker does not exist because a different entity actually functions as the employer.
Temporary Foreign Workers Cannot Simply Be Classified As Contractors
The September 18 update also contains explicit language about employer misclassification of temporary foreign workers as independent contractors.
The guidance states that employers cannot classify temporary foreign workers as independent contractors.
It describes misclassification as non-compliant under the TFWP and explains that this practice can weaken wage protections, allow employers to avoid required deductions for income tax, CPP, or QPP, and Employment Insurance, and violate federal or provincial employment laws.
Employers must ensure that a worker’s status reflects the employer-employee relationship identified in the approved LMIA and the employment agreement.
The guidance explicitly states that employers will not be approved to hire a temporary foreign worker where an employer-employee relationship does not exist.
It also addresses post-approval behaviour: after receiving an approved LMIA, employers cannot reclassify a temporary foreign worker as an independent contractor or structure the relationship to avoid payroll, compensation, or program requirements.
Non-compliant employers face consequences including administrative monetary penalties and bans from the TFWP, and they could be publicly listed on federal or provincial government websites such as the Labour Program’s public naming database of employers found in violation of the Canada Labour Code.
The guidance specifically references the trucking sector, pointing to ESDC’s existing awareness kit on misclassification in the road transportation industry as additional context.
Which LMIA Streams Have The September 18 Update?
Service Canada added the new Employers section to multiple Temporary Foreign Worker Program requirements pages on September 18, 2026.
The updated employer definition and assessment framework is confirmed on the program requirements pages for:
- the high-wage stream
- the low-wage stream
- the Global Talent Stream
- the Agricultural Stream
- the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
- in-home caregivers
- LMIAs supporting permanent residence
- the Recognized Employer Pilot
Each of these pages now sets out the same core criteria for determining whether the LMIA applicant is genuinely the employer, along with the restrictions involving staffing agencies and the misclassification of temporary foreign workers as independent contractors.
What This Means For Foreign Workers
For temporary foreign workers currently in Canada or planning to arrive, the September 18 guidance reinforces the importance of understanding who the actual employer is in any LMIA-based work arrangement.
The entity named as the employer on an LMIA application and employment agreement should be the same entity that hires the worker, directly pays their wages, sets their schedule, supervises their work, and has the authority to terminate the employment.
Workers should verify that their employment agreement is signed by the same entity that will actually control their daily working conditions, because the LMIA and employment agreement must reflect the real working relationship.
If a worker discovers that they are reporting to a different company than the one named on their LMIA or work permit, that disconnect could create compliance issues that affect both the employer and the worker.
The guidance does not say that workers currently in Canada on valid work permits will automatically lose their status as a result of this update, and workers who believe they are experiencing abuse or exploitation can apply for an open work permit for vulnerable workers through IRCC.
What Employers Should Review Before Filing An LMIA
Any employer preparing a new LMIA application after September 18, 2026, should evaluate whether their arrangement aligns with the published employer definition and assessment factors.
A practical review checklist based on the official assessment criteria would include confirming:
- The entity applying for the LMIA is the same entity that will directly hire and employ the worker
- The employment agreement will be signed by that entity as the employer on or before the first day of work
- That entity will be responsible for directly paying wages, including statutory deductions for income tax, CPP or QPP, and Employment Insurance
- That entity will determine the work location, schedule, duties, and performance expectations
- That entity retains the authority to dismiss or terminate the worker
- The worker will recognize that entity as their employer in practice
- No third-party client or staffing agency arrangement exists that would shift the actual employment relationship to a different entity
- The worker is classified as an employee, not an independent contractor, for payroll and employment law purposes
Employers who currently use staffing agencies, labour brokers, or client-placement models to deploy temporary foreign workers should review those arrangements carefully against the published factors before submitting any new LMIA application.
Does This Affect Existing LMIAs Or Work Permits?
The September 18 guidance itself does not announce any automatic cancellation of existing positive LMIAs or revocation of work permits already issued by IRCC.
It does not establish a transition period, a deadline for employers to restructure existing arrangements, or a retroactive application date.
The published guidance describes the criteria that Service Canada will apply when assessing LMIA applications, and it describes compliance obligations that already exist under the TFWP’s employer compliance regime.
Employers found to be non-compliant with program conditions can face administrative monetary penalties and program bans under the existing compliance framework, but the September 18 guidance does not create a new enforcement mechanism.
Workers holding valid employer-specific work permits issued before September 18 should not assume their permits are automatically invalidated by this guidance update.
Employers may still be inspected for compliance with the conditions attached to their LMIA and employment relationship for up to six years after the temporary foreign worker starts working.
Service Canada advises employers to retain relevant records during this period.
The September 18 guidance itself, however, does not state that existing positive LMIAs are automatically reassessed under the newly published employer criteria.
This new employer guidance published by Service Canada formalizes assessment criteria that give officers a clear framework for evaluating whether an LMIA applicant is genuinely the employer of a temporary foreign worker.
By publishing identical language across the high-wage, low-wage, Global Talent Stream, agricultural, Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, in-home caregiver, permanent residence, and Recognized Employer Pilot requirements, ESDC has signalled that the employer-employee relationship standard applies consistently across these TFWP pathways.
The staffing agency provision directly addresses arrangements in which an agency recruits a temporary foreign worker for another business even though the required employer-employee relationship does not exist between the agency and the worker.
The independent contractor provision reinforces that the TFWP requires a genuine employment relationship and that misclassification will not be tolerated.
For employers, the practical message is straightforward: the entity that applies for the LMIA must genuinely function as the employer based on the factors Service Canada considers, including hiring, supervision, wage payment, and termination authority.
For foreign workers, the guidance underscores the importance of verifying that the employer named on the LMIA and employment agreement is the same entity that actually employs them in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can a staffing agency still apply for an LMIA to hire a temporary foreign worker in Canada?
Under the September 18, 2026, guidance, staffing or employment agencies that recruit workers for other businesses are not considered employers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program because the required employer-employee relationship does not exist between the agency and the worker when a separate business controls the daily work. The guidance does not ban staffing agencies from operating in Canada, but it does mean an agency cannot be approved as the LMIA employer if another entity functions as the actual employer in practice.
Does the September 18, 2026 LMIA update cancel any existing work permits?
The published guidance does not announce automatic cancellation of existing work permits or positive LMIAs. It describes the assessment criteria Service Canada will apply when evaluating LMIA applications going forward. Workers holding valid work permits should not assume their permits are automatically affected, although employers may face compliance scrutiny under the current TFWP enforcement framework.
How does Service Canada determine who is the real employer for an LMIA?
Service Canada evaluates multiple factors, including who hires the worker, who directly pays wages and makes statutory deductions, who controls where, when, and how the work is performed, who supervises and monitors performance, who has the authority to dismiss the worker, who signs the employment agreement, and who the worker recognizes as their employer. Service Canada considers these factors collectively when determining whether the LMIA applicant is actually the employer.
Can a Canadian employer classify a temporary foreign worker as an independent contractor?
No, the September 18, 2026, guidance states that employers cannot classify temporary foreign workers as independent contractors. Misclassification is non-compliant under the TFWP and can result in administrative monetary penalties, bans from the program, and public naming on government websites. Employers also cannot reclassify a worker as a contractor after receiving an approved LMIA.
Which LMIA streams contain the new September 18, 2026 employer guidance?
The September 18 employer guidance is confirmed across multiple TFWP program-requirements pages, including the high-wage stream, low-wage stream, Global Talent Stream, Agricultural Stream, Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, in-home caregivers, LMIAs supporting permanent residence, and the Recognized Employer Pilot.
Fact-Checked: All employer definition criteria, staffing-agency provisions, independent-contractor restrictions, and enforcement consequences cited in this article were verified against the official ESDC program requirements for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program as published on Canada.ca with a page date of September 18, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Employers and foreign workers should consult a qualified immigration professional or review the official Service Canada employer compliance guidance for requirements specific to their situation.
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