Ontario issued invitations under the three OINP streams
On January 24, 2024, the Government of Ontario invited candidates through three Ontario Immigration Nominee Program (OINP) streams. The province issued 1,344 invitations to apply (ITAs) for the Masters Graduate stream and 125 ITAs for the PhD Graduate Stream. The minimum scores for these draws were 50 points and 45 points, respectively. In addition, the province invited 12 candidates in the targeted draw for the federal Economic Mobility Pathways Project under the OINP’s Foreign Worker stream. So far, Ontario has issued invitations to 8,122 candidates under all streams in 2024.
Canada’s immigration inventory stands at 2.22 Million
On January 24, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) updated the data on immigration inventories and backlogs. According to the last update, there were 2,221,100 applications for permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship approvals in all IRCC inventories. According to the update, 42.7% of applications in the inventory exceeded service standards. IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within their service standard, though some complex cases may require a comprehensive assessment. Currently, 47% of temporary residence requests – including ones for visiting, studying, or working abroad and 44% of permanent residency applications are in backlog. Additionally, 19% of citizenship applications are also exceeding service standards.
Over 1 million international students studied in Canada in 2023
Active study permits for international students in Canada grew by 27% to 1,028,850 in 2023, exceeding the government’s projection of 950,000. Ontario hosted 51% of these students, followed by British Columbia (19.5%) and Quebec (11.5%). However, this rapid growth has created challenges like housing shortages and strain on the healthcare system. This has led to a planned 35% decrease in approved study permits for 2024. The cap will be based on each province’s population, leading to significant changes in student recruitment across provinces. This move is supported by a Nanos Research poll indicating that 55% of Canadians favour accepting fewer international students.
Canada evaluates potential visa requirement for Mexicans
The Government of Canada may imposevisas or other measures on Mexicans to curb refugee arrivals. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc stated this could prevent asylum claims via indirect access from Mexico. The move follows Quebec Premier François Legault’s letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressing Quebec’s inability to accommodate more refugees and requesting compensation. The absence of a visa requirement for Mexicans has reportedly contributed to the influx. The elimination of the Canadian visa requirement for Mexicans led to an increase in arrests in the US, suggesting a potential incentive for illegal immigration via Canada. US Customs and Border Protection data showed a spike in migrants from Canada post-visa requirement removal.
