Canada Immigration Update: Express Entry Draws, Work Permit Changes and OINP News

This week’s Canada Immigration Update covers another active period for Express Entry, temporary residence processing pressures, provincial immigration developments and policy changes affecting workers and permanent residence applicants.

Between August 3 and August 9, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held four consecutive Express Entry rounds targeting Provincial Nominee Program candidates, Canadian Experience Class applicants, French-speaking candidates and transport occupations.

Other developments included changes involving reciprocal-employment work permits, Nova Scotia immigration fees, the federal review of the Access to Information Act and Ontario’s continuing transition toward its redesigned Workforce Priority Stream.

Key developments include:

• Four consecutive Express Entry draws
• 8,807 Invitations to Apply across the reported rounds
• Continued BC PNP focus on priority sectors
• Longer processing times for some temporary residence applications
• New Nova Scotia immigration application fees taking effect in September
• Ongoing federal review of the Access to Information Act
• Corrected IRCC guidance involving C20 reciprocal-employment work permits
• Continued implementation of Ontario’s Workforce Priority Stream

Applicants who are unsure how these developments affect their situation can begin with Lifeline Immigration’s General Assessment Form.

Four Express Entry Draws Held from August 4–7

IRCC maintained strong Express Entry activity during the week, with four reported invitation rounds held on consecutive days.

Together, the four rounds issued 8,807 Invitations to Apply.

Provincial Nominee Program Draw — August 4

IRCC issued:

• 507 Invitations to Apply
• Minimum CRS score: 768
• Category: Provincial Nominee Program

Provincial nomination continues to provide an important permanent residence pathway for applicants whose occupations, education or work experience align with provincial labour-market needs.

Candidates considering provincial immigration can review Lifeline Immigration’s broader Canada Permanent Residency Pathways.

Canadian Experience Class Draw — August 5

A Canadian Experience Class draw followed on August 5.

IRCC issued:

• 3,000 Invitations to Apply
• Minimum CRS score: 516

The Canadian Experience Class remains particularly relevant to eligible temporary residents who have accumulated qualifying Canadian skilled work experience.

Workers already building experience in Canada can review how CEC, provincial nomination and other programs may fit within a broader Work to PR Canada strategy.

French-Language Proficiency Draw — August 6

IRCC then conducted a targeted French-language proficiency draw.

The reported results were:

• 5,000 Invitations to Apply
• Minimum CRS score: 391

French-language ability remains strategically important within Express Entry as Canada continues encouraging Francophone immigration outside Quebec.

Candidates must still qualify under an Express Entry-managed immigration program in addition to meeting the requirements of the applicable category.

Transport Occupations Draw — August 7

The fourth reported draw targeted transport occupations.

IRCC issued:

• 300 Invitations to Apply
• Minimum CRS score: 470

The August 7 draw completed four consecutive days of Express Entry activity.

What These Express Entry Draws Mean for Candidates

The week’s rounds demonstrate how IRCC continues using targeted selection rather than relying exclusively on general CRS rankings.

Applicants may now compete through several routes, including:

• Canadian Experience Class
• Provincial nomination
• French-language proficiency
• Transport and other occupation-based categories
• Other category-based federal priorities

Candidates should therefore monitor more than their CRS score.

Important factors can include:

• Correct NOC classification
• Canadian work experience
• English and French language scores
• Provincial eligibility
• Category-based eligibility
• Validity of language test results
• Educational credentials
• Current immigration status

Creating an Express Entry profile does not provide legal temporary status in Canada.

Applicants who want help assessing their federal and provincial options can complete Lifeline Immigration’s Canada immigration assessment.

British Columbia Continues Prioritizing Critical Occupations

British Columbia continues using the BC Provincial Nominee Program to address labour shortages and economic priorities.

The province’s current program priorities focus broadly on three areas:

• Care — including healthcare, childcare, education and veterinary care
• Build — including construction trades and infrastructure-related occupations
• Innovate — including high-impact economic and skilled roles

These targeted priorities allow British Columbia to select candidates whose employment can address specific provincial workforce shortages.

Applicants considering British Columbia should verify the latest invitation results through the official BC PNP website, as draw totals and minimum scores can change between rounds.

Provincial nomination may form part of a wider Canada permanent residence strategy, particularly for workers whose occupation and employment align with provincial priorities.

Temporary Residence Processing Pressures Continue

Processing times remain uneven across Canada’s temporary residence programs.

Reports during the week highlighted increasing wait times in some application categories.

For applicants from the Philippines, reported processing estimates included:

• Study permit processing increasing from approximately four to five weeks
• Super Visa processing rising to approximately 100 days

Processing estimates can change frequently and should always be checked through IRCC’s official processing-time tool.

IRCC also makes clear that its published processing times are estimates rather than maximum or guaranteed timelines.

Why Processing Times Can Change

Factors can include:

• Application volumes
• Country of application
• Visa-office workload
• Medical examinations
• Biometrics
• Background and security verification
• Application completeness
• Requests for additional documentation

Prospective international students can review Lifeline Immigration’s Canada Study Permit Application information.

Temporary workers preparing new applications, extensions or status changes can review the Canada Work Permit Application page.

Nova Scotia Introduces Immigration Application Fees

Nova Scotia announced new application fees for selected provincial immigration streams effective September 1, 2026.

The reported fee structure includes:

• CAD $1,000 for selected worker-stream applications
• CAD $2,000 for entrepreneur applications
• Expression of Interest registration remaining free

Applicants considering Nova Scotia should verify the applicable fee and current program requirements before submitting an application.

Provincial immigration fees are separate from federal fees that may later apply to the permanent residence application.

Access to Information Review Raises Questions About Immigration Records

Canada is currently reviewing the federal Access to Information Act, which governs access to records held by federal institutions.

The review considers several areas related to government transparency, including:

• Timeliness of access
• Historical records
• Declassification
• Information management
• Oversight and compliance
• Public access to government-held information

For immigration applicants, historical records can sometimes be important when reconstructing previous visa applications, family immigration histories or information submitted to IRCC many years earlier.

Some immigration legal professionals have expressed concern about how potential future changes could affect access to historical immigration information.

However, these discussions concern proposals and stakeholder interpretations. They are not new immigration restrictions currently in force.

Applicants should therefore avoid treating the federal review as an immediate change to visa, work permit or permanent residence eligibility.

IRCC Corrects C20 Reciprocal-Employment Guidance

IRCC also corrected instructions involving the C20 reciprocal-employment work permit exemption.

C20 falls under Canada’s International Mobility Program, which allows certain foreign nationals to work in Canada without an LMIA where reciprocal employment opportunities exist for Canadians abroad.

The correction removed earlier wording that indicated a worker had to already be employed by the foreign company before coming to Canada.

Why Reciprocal-Employment Applications Need Careful Documentation

A C20 application is not simply a general LMIA-free work permit.

The employer and applicant may need to demonstrate:

• Genuine reciprocal employment
• Comparable opportunities for Canadians abroad
• The relationship between participating organizations
• The nature of the proposed Canadian position
• Appropriate employer documentation
• Compliance with International Mobility Program requirements

Employers hiring workers through the International Mobility Program generally need to submit an offer of employment through IRCC’s Employer Portal unless an exemption applies.

Applicants considering an LMIA-exempt or employer-specific work permit can review Lifeline Immigration’s Canada Work Permit Application guidance.

Ontario Workforce Priority Stream Remains in Transition

Ontario continues implementing the first phase of its redesigned Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.

The province removed its former eight immigration streams and introduced the new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream.

The redesigned stream creates pathways for:

• Workers with job offers in TEER 0–3 occupations
• Workers with job offers in TEER 4–5 occupations
• Eligible self-employed physicians

Ontario has already published the stream’s eligibility criteria and application requirements so employers and candidates can prepare.

However, candidates should rely on Ontario’s official program updates for confirmation of when new Expression of Interest registrations become available.

Ontario’s New Process Is Employer-Led

The Workforce Priority Stream gives Ontario employers a central role in the immigration process.

For applicants using a qualifying job offer, the process generally begins with the employer.

How the Process Works

The employer must:

1. Register through the OINP Employer Portal.
2. Submit information about the applicant’s job offer.
3. Provide the candidate with the job-offer information needed for registration.
4. Complete the employer portion of the provincial application if the candidate is invited.

The candidate then uses the job-offer information to register an Expression of Interest when the applicable system is available.

This means applicants should discuss employer participation early.

Having a qualifying occupation or job offer alone may not be sufficient if the employer cannot or will not complete Ontario’s required process.

Workers considering Ontario as part of a long-term immigration strategy can review Lifeline Immigration’s Work to PR Canada guidance.

Previous Ontario EOIs Do Not Carry Over

Expressions of Interest registered under the former Ontario streams that did not lead to an Invitation to Apply were withdrawn as part of the program redesign.

Eligible candidates will need to create new registrations under the Workforce Priority framework once the updated EOI system is available.

Applications already submitted under one of the previous streams continue to be assessed using the eligibility requirements that were in effect at the time of application.

What Ontario Applicants Should Prepare

Candidates interested in the redesigned Ontario program should begin organizing documentation before future intake periods.

Important records may include:

• Valid passport
• Current work or study permit
• Ontario job-offer documentation
• Employer information
• Employment reference letters
• Pay statements
• T4 slips
• Notices of Assessment
• English or French language test results
• Educational credentials
• Educational Credential Assessment, where required
• Professional licensing documents
• Evidence supporting claimed EOI points

International graduates considering Ontario or other Canadian pathways can also review Lifeline Immigration’s Student to PR Canada guidance.

What These Changes Mean for Applicants

The August 3–9 immigration developments reinforce several broader trends:

• Express Entry remains active but increasingly targeted.
• Canadian work experience continues to support important PR pathways.
• French-language proficiency remains strategically valuable.
• Provincial immigration continues responding to regional workforce shortages.
• Employers are playing a larger role in provincial immigration programs.
• Temporary residence processing times continue to fluctuate.
• LMIA-exempt work permits require careful eligibility analysis.
• Applicants should distinguish enacted immigration rules from policy proposals still under review.

Applicants should avoid relying entirely on one pathway.

A stronger immigration strategy may involve comparing:

• Express Entry
• Provincial Nominee Programs
• Work permits
• Study-to-PR pathways
• Work-to-PR pathways
• Family sponsorship
• Other federal and regional immigration programs

Need Help Reviewing Your Immigration Options?

Canada’s immigration system continues to evolve, and eligibility depends on each applicant’s work experience, education, language ability, immigration status, occupation, employer and long-term plans.

Lifeline Immigration helps applicants:

• Assess immigration eligibility
• Review Express Entry options
• Explore provincial immigration programs
• Understand work permit requirements
• Compare permanent residency pathways
• Plan Work-to-PR or Student-to-PR transitions
• Respond to changing federal and provincial immigration requirements

Not sure which pathway best fits your profile? Complete Lifeline Immigration’s General Assessment Form.

Ready to discuss your circumstances directly? Book an appointment with Lifeline Immigration.

Official Government Sources

• Express Entry rounds of invitations — Government of Canada
• IRCC processing times — Government of Canada
• IRCC application inventories — Government of Canada
• International Mobility Program — Government of Canada
• Hiring through the International Mobility Program — Government of Canada
• 2025 Review of the Access to Information Act — Government of Canada
• Ontario Workforce Priority Stream — Government of Ontario
• 2026 Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Updates — Government of Ontario
• OINP Employer Portal — Government of Ontario
• BC PNP Invitations to Apply — Government of British Columbia
• BC PNP Program Priorities — Government of British Columbia