Author: Mercedes Sanchez

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will adjust the cost-of-living allowance for study permit applicants effective January 1, 2024. Since the early 2000s, when the financial requirement for an individual applicant was set at $10,000, this is a significant update. The new cost-of-living requirement will be $20,635, in addition to the first year of tuition and travel costs. The IRCC…

On December 21, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held the second occupation-specific Express Entry draw and issued 400 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to candidates working in Agriculture and agri-food occupations. This was the fourth consecutive Express Entry draw this week. In round #278, the cut-off score was 386, 32 points more than in the previous draw for this…

On December 20, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducted the second round of invitations in the Express Entry system for newcomers with work experience in transportation occupations. Express Entry draw #277 was the third consecutive draw of the week, and 670 Invitations to Apply (ITA) were issued to skilled workers with work experience in the transportation sector. The…

On December 18, 2023, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 1,325 Invitations to Apply (ITA) to candidates under the Express Entry draw #275. In this draw, IRCC invited candidates under all immigration programs. In the latest round of invitations, the cut-off score was 542 points, 19 points fewer than in the previous all-program draw. The tie-breaking rule for this…

On December 14, 2023, Manitoba held a new round of invitations in the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). In Round #203, MPNP invited 160 applicants under the Completed post-secondary study in Manitoba stream with a minimum score of 774. In the Skilled Workers Overseas stream, MPNP issued 61 LAAs to candidates invited under the Strategic Recruitment Initiative. The lowest score…

The mandatory income requirement for international students in Canada is set to increase, potentially reducing the number of students but also providing more transparency. Immigration Minister Marc Miller has declared that students must show they have access to $20,635, a significant increase from the previous requirement of $10,000. Jawad Chowdhury from the Memorial University student union has voiced concerns that…

On December 7, 2023, Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), announced an increase in the financial requirement for study permit applicants. Based on the annual update of the low-income cut-off (LICO), this adjustment ensures students are financially prepared for life in Canada. The requirement, unchanged since the early 2000s, has become inadequate. For 2024, a…

On December 5, 2023, the Government of British Columbia conducted the latest invitation draws as part of the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP). The draws issued invitations to qualified candidates in healthcare, childcare, construction, and tech occupations. In the Tech draw, 92 candidates were invited, with a minimum score of 94 points required for consideration in this draw. Furthermore,…

Western Canadian employers have observed a considerable increase in their recruitment efforts for overseas skilled workers this year, with a 39% rise in Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications nationwide, and an 83% increase in the western region. With the exception of Yukon, which experienced a minor decrease, Nunavut experienced the highest surge in applications, followed by Northwest Territories, Manitoba,…

On November 30, 2023, Manitoba conducted a new invitation round for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP). In round #201, the MPNP extended invitations to 148 candidates under the Close Relative in Manitoba selection with a minimum score of 609. Under the Skilled Workers Overseas stream, MPNP granted 38 LAAs to applicants who were invited under the Strategic Recruitment Initiative.…