The Government of Canada is exploring the introduction of three new categories within the Express Entry system, targeting senior managers, scientific researchers, and military professionals. If implemented, these additions would create new pathways for qualified foreign nationals in these occupations to obtain permanent residence.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) highlighted these potential categories in a recent consultation notice published on the federal government’s website. According to IRCC, the changes are under review for a possible rollout in 2026, though no specific timeline has been provided for when further updates will be shared. The consultation remains open until September 3, 2025.

IRCC is considering a dedicated stream for experienced senior managers—described as highly skilled professionals who direct company or organizational operations and lead employee teams. The department suggests that welcoming more leaders could drive digital transformation, increase productivity, and strengthen Canada’s global competitiveness.

Another category under review focuses on scientists and researchers. IRCC notes that innovation and scientific advancement can fuel economic growth, improve efficiency, and support national development. Details on which scientific fields would be prioritized have not yet been clarified.

The federal government is also evaluating the option of creating a stream for military personnel, particularly skilled recruits from allied nations, to help strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces.

IRCC has indicated that supporting French-speaking immigration outside Quebec will continue to be a priority. Canada’s Immigration Levels Plan for 2025–2027 sets goals of 8.5% French-speaking newcomers in 2025, 9.5% in 2026, and 10% in 2027.

Express Entry in 2026 is also expected to continue prioritizing fields facing persistent workforce gaps, including:

IRCC is gathering additional feedback from industry stakeholders, including whether future draws should emphasize candidates already living in Canada or recruit more talent from abroad.

Express Entry categories play a role in shaping Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility by aligning programs of study with labour market demand. Since 2024, field of study requirements have been in place to ensure international students are trained in areas Canada needs most.

Currently, 119 study fields qualify for PGWP eligibility, while 178 were removed earlier this year. Updates to Express Entry categories in 2026 could lead to further revisions in eligible programs. IRCC has stated that the next list of PGWP-eligible fields will be released in early 2026. Importantly, graduates of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs remain exempt from field-of-study requirements.

Canada first introduced category-based selection rounds in 2023 to better address labour shortages. These targeted draws allow IRCC to invite candidates with specific skills or language abilities, in addition to regular Express Entry rounds for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

In 2025, the categories included:

Of these, the main priorities were French proficiency, healthcare, trades, and education. Category-based rounds often feature lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) cut-off scores than general draws. For example, a recent Canadian Experience Class draw required 534 points, while a healthcare-focused draw was set at 475—making it easier for in-demand professionals to secure an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

The Government of Canada has confirmed that it will not accept new applications for sponsoring parents and grandparents for permanent residence in 2025. Instead, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will concentrate on finalizing applications already submitted under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in 2024. The department’s processing target for 2025 is set at a maximum of 15,000 sponsorship files.

Beginning January 1, 2025, no fresh applications for parent or grandparent sponsorship, nor associated permanent residence visa requests, will be accepted unless new ministerial instructions are issued. Only applications filed in 2024 that satisfy specific requirements will continue to be processed into 2025.

Applications submitted last year remain valid for processing in 2025 if they comply with the Ministerial Instructions of April 12, 2024, which outlined the following:

To be considered, sponsorship applications submitted in 2024 must:

Permanent residence visa applications tied to these sponsorships must:

Canada remains a global leader in refugee resettlement. By welcoming skilled refugees and other displaced people to Canada, the government is helping businesses address labour shortages as well as supporting newcomers as they build their lives and contribute to communities across Canada.

The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) is Canada’s first complementary pathway for refugee labour mobility. These pathways are safe, legal immigration pathways for refugees and persons with similar protection needs outside of, and in addition to, traditional resettlement. The EMPP is an economic immigration pathway that recognizes the human and social capital of refugees and other displaced people with skills and qualifications that meet the needs of Canadian employers.

Since the EMPP’s inception, candidates have filled labour market needs across the country in in-demand sectors, including health care (more than 30% of total admissions), construction and food service. From 2019 to the end of March 2025, 970 people have been admitted to Canada.

To continue meeting labour market needs, the Government of Canada is extending the federal stream of the EMPP until December 31, 2025. The annual intake cap for the job offer stream in 2025 is 950 applications. This program helps skilled refugees and vulnerable people apply for permanent residence while supporting employers in critical sectors facing labour market shortages.

The extension will allow more workers in essential sectors such as health care to benefit from the pilot’s pathway to permanent residence and continue to contribute to our economy.

The EMPP is part of Canada’s broader immigration strategy to promote economic growth, address labour market needs and help newcomers settle in communities across the country.

Families are stronger when they are together, and Canada remains committed to reuniting families through our immigration programs.

The super visa is a multiple-entry visa that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit their family in Canada for longer periods of time: five years per visit, with the option to extend their stay while in Canada.

Super visa applicants must prove they have a minimum level of private health coverage to be granted a super visa, as they are not eligible for provincial or territorial health care plans. Previously, proof of health insurance could only be from Canadian health insurance providers.

As of today, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is allowing super visa applicants to purchase a private health insurance policy from companies outside Canada.

To be eligible as valid health insurance coverage, the policy from a company outside Canada must

• be issued by a foreign insurance company authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) to provide accident and sickness insurance
• appear on OSFI’s list of federally regulated financial institutions
• be issued under the company’s insurance business in Canada

You can find out if a foreign insurance company is authorized to provide accident and sickness insurance by visiting the OSFI website. More information on these changes to the super visa can also be found on IRCC's website.

Super visa holders should have a valid health insurance policy for the duration of their stay in Canada. If coverage expires before they leave Canada, super visa holders may need to renew their health insurance during their stay. Private health insurance must be valid for each entry to Canada.

These changes make it easier for families to reunite on a super visa, while also ensuring parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents have adequate health insurance when entering Canada.

As Russia continues its illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, Canada is continuing to adapt its response to support those who have found a temporary safe haven here.

Ukrainians and their family members who were approved under the Canada–Ukraine authorization for emergency travel, and who arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024, can now apply for an open work permit until March 31, 2025.

Under these extended measures, they can apply to get a new open work permit that’s valid for up to 3 years, apply to extend a current open work permit or apply for a new study permit, subject to standard fees.

In addition, all Ukrainian temporary residents and their family members in Canada can access free settlement services until March 31, 2025.

To strengthen Canada’s immigration system, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is improving the online processing times tool to help new clients predict how long it will take to process a complete application.

Forward-looking processing times are now available for the following applications:

• Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry)
• Provincial Nominees Program (Express Entry and non-Express Entry)
• Federal Skilled Workers (Express Entry)
• Quebec Skilled Workers
• citizenship grants
• citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship)
• spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada
• spouse, common-law or conjugal partner living outside Canada
• parents or grandparents

What are forward-looking processing times?

Forward-looking processing times estimate how long clients applying today should expect to wait before a final decision is made on their application (or to take the oath of citizenship, for citizenship grant applicants). The estimates will be updated monthly, and will provide realistic and up-to-date information so clients can make travel and life plans based on an accurate timeline.

For other types of applications

For the remaining types of applications not listed above, we will still use backward-looking, historical processing times. Backward-looking processing times are calculated based on how long it took IRCC to process 80% of applications in the past 6 months for permanent residence programs, and 8 or 16 weeks for temporary residence programs.

For those who have already applied

If you have already applied and are waiting for your application to be processed, the new forward-looking times may show estimates that are less than the amount of time you have already been waiting. The tool reflects the amount of time that a person submitting a new application today could expect to wait, starting at the end of the queue. This is because there are various factors that impact our projected processing times at any given point in the year.

If you have already applied, you are closer to the front of the queue. Applications will still be processed in the order we receive them, and in most cases, you will wait no more than the new forward-looking processing time for a final decision. Do not reapply, as this will put your application at the end of the queue and it will take longer to process.

IRCC will continue to improve our online tools through testing and research, so clients can have a more transparent, predictable and welcoming experience.

The Government of Canada is continuing to strengthen the integrity and quality of our temporary resident programs while supporting the country’s economic goals and labour market needs.

As part of the broader measures announced in September 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is changing open work permit (OWP) eligibility for family members of international students and foreign workers.

Effective January 21, 2025, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be able to apply for a family OWP.

Family OWPs will be limited to spouses of international students who are enrolled in

• master’s programs that are 16 months or longer
• doctoral programs, or
• select professional and eligible programs

Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in

• TEER 0 or 1 occupations, or
• select TEER 2 or 3 occupations in sectors with labour shortages or linked to government priorities
• These include occupations in the natural and applied sciences, construction, health care, natural resources, education, sports and military sectors. The full list will be available on January 21, 2025.

In addition, the foreign worker must also have at least 16 months remaining on their work permit at the time when their spouse applies for the OWP. Dependent children of foreign workers will no longer be eligible.

OWPs that were approved under the previous measures and have not expired will remain valid. In situations where students may need more time to complete their program or where family members received a shorter work permit than the principal applicant, in-Canada family members (including spouses and dependent children) can apply to renew their work permit as long as

• they are applying under the same criteria as the current work permit, and
• the requested duration of the renewal matches that of the existing study or work permit of the principal applicant

Spouses of workers covered by free-trade agreements and those transitioning to permanent residence will not be impacted by these changes. Family members who will no longer qualify for a family OWP can apply for any type of work permit they are eligible for under Canada’s work permit programs.