Canada’s immigration system has undergone several recent updates to streamline processes and enhance services.

Passport Services

• Passport fees have been adjusted to account for inflation and increased production costs.
• Guaranteed 30-day passport delivery service is now available, ensuring timely processing or a refund.

Citizenship Processing

The citizenship processing fee has seen a slight increase, with the right to citizenship fee rising by approximately $3. However, the overall processing fee remains unchanged.

Visa and Residency

• Super visa applicants now have an easier path to prove income eligibility by combining their annual income with that of their parents.
• Provinces have been granted more autonomy in selecting immigrants, allowing them to assess residency obligations and economic potential without federal intervention.

Settlement Services

New permanent residents can access settlement services for up to 6 years post-landing, with a planned reduction to 5 years by 2027.

Employment Opportunities

Rural employers now have the flexibility to hire up to 15% of their workforce from foreign workers, an increase from the previous limit of 10%.

Processing Fees

Saskatchewan has implemented an increase in processing fees, with application fees now set at $500 and a review fee of $250 if required.