On December 8, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced three new measures aimed at making it easier for international physicians to obtain permanent residence. The announcement was made jointly by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab and Member of Parliament Maggie Chi, who also serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health. The measures include a new Express Entry category for physicians with Canadian work experience, 5,000 specially reserved permanent residence admissions for provinces and territories, and a 14-day expedited work permit process for nominated practice-ready doctors. These initiatives will begin rolling out in early 2026 to help strengthen Canada’s healthcare workforce.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held its first Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draw of December on December 8, issuing 1,123 Invitations to Apply (ITAs)—one of the largest PNP draws of 2025. Candidates needed a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 729 and had to have created an Express Entry profile before March 5 at 5:10 a.m. (UTC). To date, IRCC has issued 95,599 ITAs through Express Entry in 2025, with draws continuing to prioritize PNP candidates, Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applicants, French-language proficiency candidates, and priority occupation categories.

On November 28, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted another round of Express Entry invitations, issuing 6,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the French-language proficiency category. This round’s minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off was 408 — the second-lowest score recorded in 2025. It marks the eighth French-language draw of the year and the third-largest overall. With this round completed, French-speaking candidates have now received 42,000 ITAs in 2025, continuing to lead all categories. Year-to-date, IRCC has issued a total of 94,476 ITAs through the Express Entry system.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted another Express Entry draw on November 26, 2025, inviting 1,000 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates to apply for permanent residence. This round set a minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 531—the lowest CEC cut-off since July—and ended a five-draw streak where the CRS threshold was locked at 533 or 534. To date, IRCC has issued a total of 88,476 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Express Entry system in 2025.

On November 25, the Government of Canada officially released its 2026 study permit allocation and distribution plan for international students. According to newly published data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the total number of study permits to be issued in 2026 will be capped at 408,000. This continues the federal government’s trend of tightening temporary resident levels, representing a 7% decrease from the 2025 cap of 437,000 and a 16% decrease compared to 485,000 in 2024. The new plan outlines detailed allocation rules by student category, confirms exemptions from Provincial Attestation Letters (PAL) for master’s and PhD students, and distributes PAL-required application volumes and anticipated approvals across provinces based on population share.

The Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) recently conducted its largest immigration draw of the year, issuing invitations to apply for provincial nomination to nearly 200 candidates through the "Labour & Express Entry" category. This draw primarily targeted candidates already working in the province, while giving priority consideration to applicants with French language proficiency and international graduates from specific institutions. This move reflects the province's strategic intent to attract skilled talent capable of directly contributing to the local economy.

On November 12, 2025, Newfoundland and Labrador issued a total of 330 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), marking the largest draw since July. With 220 invitations going to NLPNP candidates, the province continues to rely heavily on its provincial nomination channels. As the province reaches its 13th draw of the year and prepares for expanded federal PNP admission targets in 2026, nomination allocations may increase further.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new Express Entry draw on November 14, 2025, issuing 3,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates in the Healthcare and Social Services occupations category. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required for this draw was 462—the lowest cutoff among the six Healthcare and Social Services draws held this year. This was also the third Express Entry draw of November, highlighting IRCC’s continued priority on recruiting healthcare professionals.

On November 12, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted a new round of Express Entry invitations, issuing 1,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to candidates under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score required was 533, and candidates needed to have created their Express Entry profile before 3:39 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on October 17, 2025. To date, IRCC has issued more than 82,000 ITAs in 2025, with CEC, French-language category, and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) draws remaining key priorities.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that, effective January 1, 2026, international master’s and doctoral students will no longer need to provide a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) when applying for a study permit. The policy aims to simplify the application process, maintain the two-week fast-track for doctoral students, and remove all limits on the number of eligible applicants. Qualified students may also include their family members in their applications. The change is expected to further strengthen Canada’s position as a global leader in higher education and research.