The Government of British Columbia announced on October 2, 2025, that the province's Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) has received an additional 1,254 nomination allocations from the federal government. This brings British Columbia's total allocation for 2025 from 4,000 to 5,254. The provincial government stated that it will prioritize using these additional allocations to process backlogged International Post-Graduate (IPG) stream applications from 2024, while continuing to focus on attracting healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and high economic impact candidates.

On October 2, 2025, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) conducted another round of draws for the year, issuing a total of 485 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for provincial nomination to candidates across two major immigration categories. The Skills Immigration category issued 474 invitations, marking the first reopening of this category since May 8, 2025. The Entrepreneur Immigration Base Stream issued 11 invitations, continuing the province's policy direction of attracting entrepreneurial talent.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently updated its official website to indicate that the "applicants not working in Canada" stream under the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (HCWP) has been officially closed. This stream was marked as "closed" on September 29, 2025, without ever having opened to accept applications since the program's launch. Despite this closure, overseas caregivers still have alternative pathways to immigrate to Canada through Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, and other routes. Industry analysts suggest this decision may be linked to severe application backlogs and the federal government's policy shift toward prioritizing the transition of temporary residents already in Canada to permanent residence status.

The province of British Columbia held a new Provincial Nominee Program draw on August 19, 2025, exclusively targeting candidates in the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) category. A total of no more than 16 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued through the Base and Regional Pilot streams. The results confirm a clear trend in 2025, with the BC PNP prioritizing business and investment streams, marking this the sixth entrepreneur-focused draw 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.

In its June 24 draw, Newfoundland and Labrador issued 320 invitations and successfully negotiated a 1,000-spot increase to its 2025 PNP allocation, signaling a strong commitment to attracting new immigrants. British Columbia’s July 8 draw once again targeted entrepreneurs, issuing no more than 17 invitations and underscoring its high priority for business and investment-class immigrants. Meanwhile, Manitoba extended 67 invitations on July 10, prioritizing international students who graduated from its institutions and skilled workers identified through "Strategic Recruitment Initiatives." These moves clearly reflect the unique immigration strategies each province is deploying based on its economic and labor market needs.

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.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued new invitations to Entrepreneur Immigration applicants on May 28. A total of no more than 14 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued across the Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Regional and Base streams, with varying cut-off scores. Notably, compared to its skills immigration streams, BC's Entrepreneur Immigration program has maintained significant invitation frequency and stability in 2025, underscoring the province's continued focus on attracting business investment and promoting economic development.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently announced significant revisions to the "Maintained Status" provisions for temporary residents, effective May 28, 2025. The new rules specify that if a temporary resident's initial extension application, submitted while on maintained status, is refused, a subsequent application filed after the expiry of their original permit will no longer automatically allow them to maintain legal status in Canada. This change has profound implications for temporary residents submitting multiple extension applications and requires close attention.

Recent news of the U.S. planning a high-threshold "Gold Card" visa has sparked interest in whether Canada offers a similar pathway for directly purchasing permanent residency. Canada does not have such a "Gold Card"; its economic immigration programs primarily focus on attracting skilled talent rather than pure investment. However, Canada does provide several immigration streams for entrepreneurs and investors intending to establish or operate businesses within the country, leading to permanent residence. These include the federal Start-Up Visa Program, the unique Quebec Immigrant Investor Program, and various Provincial Nominee Programs for entrepreneurs.