The Canadian province of Saskatchewan has announced that its 2025 Provincial Nominee Program (SINP) has received an additional 1,136 nominations from the federal government, bringing its total annual allocation to 4,761. This adjustment reopens application pathways for several sectors that were previously paused due to reaching their caps. Against a backdrop of diverging immigration allocation trends across Canada, this development in Saskatchewan, along with increases in several other provinces, highlights the complex and evolving landscape of federal and provincial immigration policies.

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

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