Immigration

  • July 10, 2026

    Express Entry evolution: Fundamental shift in how Canada selects economic immigrants

    Canada is contemplating the most significant restructuring of the Express Entry system since its introduction in 2015. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has launched consultations on proposed reforms that would fundamentally change both eligibility requirements and the way candidates are ranked for permanent residence.

  • July 10, 2026

    REFUGEE PROTECTION - Persecution - Persons in need of protection

    Appeal by appellant from a judgment dismissing her application for judicial review of an Immigration Division decision finding her inadmissible to Canada for serious criminality. The appellant, a Colombian refugee claimant, pleaded guilty in Colombia to trafficking or carrying illegal drugs, received a 48-month sentence, and did not appeal.

  • July 09, 2026

    Feds note doubling of compliance penalties under Temporary Foreign Worker Program

    Employment and Social Development Canada has released compliance inspection numbers for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, noting that between 2025-2026 more than $10.2 million in penalties were issued to non-compliant employers.

  • July 08, 2026

    P.E.I. library hotspots could help residents access virtual court: province

    Prince Edward Island is bringing internet access to those who lack it with portable hotspot devices available through the library — and there is “no reason” they could not be used for virtual court appearances, says a government spokesperson.

  • July 08, 2026

    The U.S. O-1 visa: Best paths for extraordinary foreign nationals

    Many professionals assume that United States immigration law reserves the O-1 visa category for globally recognized figures whose accomplishments are widely known outside their respective fields. This perception is often supported by the public attention given to entertainers, athletes and outstanding entrepreneurs who have obtained O-1 classification.

  • July 07, 2026

    B.C. college eases licensing rules for some foreign-trained doctors

    The body regulating B.C.’s doctors has updated its bylaws to streamline the process of allowing internationally trained physicians to practise in the province. The amendments approved by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) include changes to licensure eligibility requirements, which allow internationally trained physicians from select jurisdictions to be eligible for the full class of licensure if they meet certain requirements.

  • July 07, 2026

    AI and accountability: Recent cases reshaping Canadian immigration law

    Artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging issue in Canadian immigration law. It is now firmly embedded in both immigration administration and the practice of immigration litigation.

  • July 06, 2026

    Prime minister appoints new chief justices of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice & Federal Court

    Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed new leaders to head two of Canada’s major trial courts. On July 6, Justice Alan Diner was appointed chief justice of the Federal Court, the national superior trial court that decides disputes in the federal domain. He succeeds Paul Crampton, who retired from the post Oct. 31, 2025.

  • July 03, 2026

    Advisory board chair defends failure to shortlist at least 3 bilingual jurists for western SCC seat

    The chair of the advisory board that recommended ex-Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal and one other unnamed jurist for appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada defended the board’s decision not to shortlist three to five names, which was contrary to the mandate from Prime Minister Mark Carney.

  • July 02, 2026

    Faster criminal & child welfare cases, more family law settlements among reforms led by new SCC judge

    The Supreme Court of Canada’s newest judge says his key areas of legal expertise are constitutional and criminal law, including the rules of evidence and procedure, though he has also presided over many civil and administrative law cases in his generalist trial court. Glenn Joyal, a former federal and Manitoba prosecutor and the longtime chief justice of the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench, was elevated by the prime minister to the top court on June 30, succeeding Supreme Court Justice Sheilah Martin of Alberta, the highly respected constitutional and criminal law litigator, academic and judge who retired from the bench May 30.