Canada Immigration News January 2, 2026

Canada Immigration News January 2, 2026: IRCC fast‑tracks doctors, 2026 student‑cap math, record PNP draw, and key court rule change.

IRCC unveils a dedicated Express Entry category for doctors. Ottawa will fast‑track permanent residence for international physicians with ≥1 year of recent Canadian experience, with invitations to apply starting in early 2026. Ottawa is also reserving 5,000 federal admission spaces for provinces/territories to nominate licensed doctors with job offers, coupled with 14‑day work‑permit processing for nominees. Canada

Express Entry: biggest PNP draw of 2025. On December 8, 2025, IRCC issued 1,123 ITAs in a PNP‑only round with a CRS cut‑off of 729 (tie‑break: March 5, 2025, 05:10:48 UTC). CIC News+1

International students: 2026 cap and cohort breakdown. IRCC set a national issuance target of up to 408,000 study permits for 2026, including 155,000 new arrivals and 253,000 extensions. Of these, 49,000 are earmarked for master’s/PhD students (who are PAL/TAL‑exempt from January 1, 2026). PAL/TAL‑required cohorts will receive 180,000 permits, with example provincial shares such as Ontario: 70,074. Application‑space allocations for PAL/TAL‑required students total 309,670 nationwide (e.g., Ontario: 104,780). Canada

Manitoba MPNP “last‑chance” support‑letter window. Manitoba will accept requests for provincial support letters (needed to access IRCC’s two‑year OWP under a federal public policy) until Monday, Dec 15, 2025, 11:59 p.m. CST. The federal public policy window closes Dec 31, 2025. Manitoba Immigration+1

Court & procedure: new Federal Court rules imminent. Amendments to the Federal Courts Rules and the Federal Courts Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection Rules come into force on December 21, 2025, after publication in the Canada Gazette on Dec 3, 2025—important for counsel running JR/leave files. FCT+1

Talent magnetism: $1.7B science‑recruitment push. Ottawa launched the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative (Budget 2025) to lure ~1,000 top researchers with C$1.7B over 12 years, reinforcing Canada’s broader strategy to attract global talent (including U.S. H‑1B holders) alongside immigration reforms. Canada+1

Takeaways

• Doctors fast‑track: New Express Entry category + 5,000 reserved federal admission spaces; ITA rounds begin early 2026. Canada

• PNP momentum: 1,123 invitations in a PNP‑only draw (CRS 729). CIC News

• Student‑cap clarity for 2026: 408k permits (incl. 49k master’s/PhD, PAL/TAL‑exempt from Jan 1, 2026). Provinces share 180k PAL/TAL‑required issuances (e.g., Ontario 70,074). Canada

• Deadlines: MB support‑letter cutoff Dec 15, 2025 (11:59 p.m. CST); federal OWP policy ends Dec 31, 2025. Manitoba Immigration+1

• Litigation prep: New Federal Court rules effective Dec 21, 2025. FCT

What this means

• If you’re already a doctor working in Canada, get your documents ready—proof of 1+ year ofrecent Canadian experience and licensing/job‑offer details will matter once early‑2026 ITAs begin. Provinces also get 5,000 extra federal admissions for physician nominations with rapid work‑permit processing. Canada

• If you’re in the Express Entry pool with a provincial nomination, recent draws show vigorous PNP activity, but high CRS cut‑offs remain—keep profiles current and watch provincial pathways. CIC News

• If you’re a prospective graduate student, 2026 is friendlier: no PAL/TAL and protected seats (49k) for master’s/PhD cohorts; check each public DLI list and province. Canada

• If you’re an MPNP candidate needing the two‑year OWP, you’re on a clock: apply for MB’s support letter by Dec 15 (CST) and file the federal OWP by Dec 31. Manitoba Immigration+1

• If you are litigating or planning a judicial review, bookmark the Dec 21 Federal Court rule changes and adjust timelines/formatting accordingly. FCT

Canada Immigration News January 2, 2026