Canada continues the permanent residence invite for the skilled workers in the Express Entry

On September 19^th, 2024, Canada invited 4,000 Express Entry candidates (focus on Canadian Experience Class) to apply for permanent residence. The minimum score used for this drawing was 509.

Strengthening temporary residence programs for sustainable volumes

To ensure the temporary residents Canada welcomes can be supported adequately, and that Canada Labour Market assure qualified Canadians are prioritized for the available jobs in Canada, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced on September 18^th, 2024, additional measures to manage the volume of temporary resident arrivals, uphold the integrity of the immigration system and protect vulnerable people. Some of the main measurements are:

• announcing a further reduction in the intake cap on international student study permits for 2025 based on a 10% reduction from the 2024 target of 485,000 new study permits issued, and then stabilizing the intake cap for 2026 such that the number of study permits issued remains the same as 2025
  • For 2025, this means reducing study permits issued to 437,000
• As part of changes to the PGWP Program, all applicants will be required to demonstrate a minimum language proficiency in French or English. This will increase their ability to transition to permanent residence and adapt to changing economic conditions. A Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 for university graduates and CLB 5 for college graduates will be required for anyone applying for a post-graduation work permit on or after November 1, 2024
• limiting work permit eligibility, later this year, to spouses of master’s degree students to only those whose program is at least 16 months in duration
• limiting work permit eligibility later this year to spouses of foreign workers in management or professional occupations or in sectors with labour shortages—under Canada’s work permit programs (TFWP and IMP)

• The 2025–2026 study permit intake cap will include master’s and doctoral students who will now have to submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter. Immigration Canada will be reserving approximately 12% of allocation spaces for these students in recognition of the benefits they bring to the Canadian labour market.

Further information on the measures announced will be available on the website in the near future.