Weekly Canadian Immigration Update: PNP Draws Take Center Stage
- Gagandeep Singh
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Welcome to your weekly recap of all things Canadian immigration. This week, we saw a flurry of activity at the provincial level, while the federal Express Entry system remained quiet. We'll also delve into some important updates regarding the Start-up Visa program, new language testing options, and more.
Express Entry: No Draws This Week, but Category-Based Invitations on the Horizon
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) did not hold any Express Entry draws this week. While many candidates were anticipating a draw, this pause is not unusual. IRCC has released its schedule for category-based draws for the remainder of 2025, and we expect to see invitations issued to candidates in sectors such as healthcare, STEM, trades, and transport in the coming weeks. Candidates with strong French-language proficiency are also expected to be a priority.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) Steal the Spotlight
It was a busy week for Provincial Nominee Programs across the country, with several provinces holding draws and announcing important updates:
Prince Edward Island (PEI): On August 21, 2025, PEI held a draw, inviting 132 candidates through its Labour and Express Entry streams.
British Columbia (BC): On August 19, 2025, BC conducted draws for both its Skills Immigration and Entrepreneur Immigration streams. However, the province also announced a significant 50% reduction in its PNP allocation for 2025, which will make securing a nomination from BC more competitive.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Yukon: We also saw positive news from other provinces. Manitoba held a draw for skilled workers, Saskatchewan received an increased immigration quota, Alberta conducted its largest draw of the year, and Yukon announced it will be granting additional nominations for permanent residence.
Start-up Visa Program: Delays and New Caps
There is growing concern over significant delays and backlogs in the federal Start-up Visa Program. Many entrepreneurs are facing long waits for both their work permits and permanent residence applications. In an effort to manage the backlog, the government has announced a cap, limiting designated organizations to supporting a maximum of 10 start-ups each per year. Additionally, the federal business admissions targets, which include the Start-up Visa and Self-Employed programs, have been reduced for 2025 and 2026.
Other Key Immigration News
Mid-Year Immigration Data Released: IRCC has released its mid-year data for 2025. While there has been a decline in the number of new international students and temporary foreign workers, Canada is still on track to exceed its permanent resident targets for the year.
New Language Test Now Available: A new language test has been approved for Canadian permanent residence applications, providing more options for candidates to prove their language proficiency.
New Medical Exam Requirements: New requirements for medical exams for Express Entry permanent residence applications are now in effect.
Expansion of Rural Immigration Pathways: Several new employers have been designated under the rural immigration pathways, opening up more opportunities for skilled workers to settle in smaller communities.
Support for Internationally Educated Nurses: Canada has launched new supports to help internationally educated nurses get their credentials recognized and find work in their field.
What to Expect Next Week
Given the recent pause in Express Entry draws, we are hopeful that we will see a draw in the coming week, possibly targeting one of the specific categories. We also anticipate more PNP draws as provinces continue to utilize their allocations.
Immigration Tip of the Week
Keep your Express Entry profile up-to-date! Your profile is your application-in-waiting. Any changes to your work experience, education, or language test results should be updated immediately. An accurate and up-to-date profile will ensure you are ready to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) when a draw that matches your qualifications occurs.
For more information on the topics covered in this blog post or for assistance with your Canadian immigration application, please visit the Elgin Immigration services page.