Canada Immigration News — Permanent‑Residence & Policy Update

Nina A
4 days ago
2 min read

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Canada Immigration News — Permanent‑Residence & Policy Update Snapshots: IRCC • Express Entry • PNPs • Backlogs • Citizenship Law

📊 First Express Entry Draw of 2026 Focuses on PNP Candidates

Canada’s immigration year began with the first Express Entry draw of 2026, where Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 574 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates — reflecting the continued priority on province‑aligned immigration pathways. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut‑off was 711, boosted by the PNP’s +600 point advantage.

📈 Strong PR Targets Under 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan

Canada’s 2026‑2028 Immigration Levels Plan projects a target of about 380,000 new permanent residents annually, maintaining Canada’s commitment to growth via immigration. The plan prioritizes economic immigration, alongside family reunification and humanitarian targets.

📊 IRCC Backlog Reports Show Continued High Inventory

Recent figures show IRCC’s application inventory remains high at over 2.18 million pending files, with gradual reductions but ongoing delays across categories due to record demand and processing pressures.

⚖️ Citizenship Law Amendments Fully in Effect

Significant citizenship law changes took effect on December 15, 2025, extending citizenship by descent beyond the first generation for those born before that date — a development built on prior court rulings that found the old limit unconstitutional.

📍 Quebec Family Reunification Backlogs Persist

In Quebec, family sponsorship wait times remain unusually long, averaging around 34 months due to provincial policy limits — far above those inmost Canadian jurisdictions.

🧠 Plain‑Language Takeaways

Express Entry is active: The first 2026 draw focused on PNP candidates, reflecting a trend toward category‑based selection.
Stable but high PR targets: Canada plans for around 380,000 new permanent residents per year through 2028.
Backlogs remain significant: IRCC continues to process millions of applications, with slower timelines in some streams.
Citizenship rules modernized: Changes to citizenship by descent are now in full effect.
Quebec wait times are unusually long: Family reunification timelines in Quebec remain a concern for many.

📅 Key Dates & Numbers

Date / Event	Update / Figure
Jan 5, 2026	First Express Entry draw of 2026: 574 PNP ITAs, CRS 711.
Dec 15, 2025	Citizenship by descent extended beyond first generation took effect.
2026–28	Canada targets ~380,000 new permanent residents annually.
Late 2025	IRCC inventory at 2.18 M+ pending applications.
Ongoing	Quebec family sponsorship wait times are ~34 months.

Canada Immigration News — Permanent‑Residence & Policy Update

Canada Immigration News — Permanent‑Residence & Policy Update