Hi Friends 🖐️,

Good morning, and happy Sunday!🌞and in this weekend edition, we're covering some great immigration updates.

1. Alberta, Express Entry, Manitoba, Draws this week.

2. Parents and Grandparents Program Update

3. New Brunswick Express Entry Now Open for EOIs

4. New Categories for Express Entry 2025!

5. Top 5 Canadian Job Websites 2025

6. Canada Introduces Measures to Tackle Construction Labor Shortages

So, why wait?

Don’t keep us a secret😀 Forward this email to friends who might find it useful.

And, as always, send us feedback at [email protected]

Immigration Draws This Week

🔔Express Entry Draw

1. French Language Proficiency Category Draw:

   • IRCC issued 4,500 invitations.

   • CRS cutoff: 410.

2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Draw:

   • IRCC issued 725 invitations.

   • CRS cutoff: 667.

🔔 Manitoba Draw

Another draw from Manitoba invited 111 candidates on March 6, 2025.

• Skilled Worker in Manitoba:

  • 98 Letters of Advice to Apply issued.

  • Lowest-ranked candidate score: 861.

• Skilled Workers Overseas:

  • 13 Letters of Advice to Apply issued.

  • Lowest-ranked candidate score: 724.

🔔 Alberta Draw

• Alberta Express Entry – Law Enforcement Pathway Draw on March 5, 2025.

  • Issued 4 invitations

  • Cutoff Score: 48

For more details on Draws check here.

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2025 Parents and Grandparents Program Update

📢 Ottawa, March 7, 2025 – IRCC will accept up to 10,000 sponsorship applications under the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) Program this year. However, no new interest to sponsor forms will be accepted. Instead, invitations will be sent to randomly selected sponsors from the 2020 pool, continuing the approach used since 2020.

⏳ Processing times:
Outside Quebec: ~24 months
Quebec applicants: ~48 months

📉 Due to lower immigration targets in the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC is adjusting the number of applications it processes.

💡 Alternative Option: Families can still reunite through the Super Visa, which allows parents/grandparents to stay for up to 5 years per visit with multiple entries over 10 years. Recent changes have made it more accessible!

📌 More details on invitations will be announced soon! Stay tuned.

Update on New Brunswick Express Entry

📅 Starting March 5, 2025, New Brunswick is accepting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) under:

• Employment in New Brunswick pathway

• New Brunswick Interests pathway

🔴 Excluded Occupations (NOC Codes):
Accounting Technicians & Bookkeepers (12200)
Administrative Assistants (13110)
Retail & Wholesale Trade Managers (60020)
Restaurant & Food Service Managers (60030)
Retail Sales Supervisors (62010)
Food Service Supervisors (62020)
Cooks (63200)
Bakers (63202)

📌 Key Updates:
❌ New Brunswick Student Connection is NOT returning in 2025.
🎓 Graduates with eligible jobs can apply under the Employment in New Brunswick pathway or explore options like the Skilled Worker stream, Strategic Initiative stream (for francophones), or Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP).

🔍 EOI Process:
⚠️ Not first-come, first-served! EOIs stay valid for 365 days, and selected candidates will receive Invitations to Apply (ITAs) starting April 2025.

📢 Eligibility rules have changed! Review the updated requirements before applying.

Before submitting an EOI, check the updated eligibility criteria carefully!

Major Express Entry Updates for 2025!

New Education Category – Teachers, educators, and support staff now have a dedicated stream!
Transport Category Removed – Due to changing workforce needs, this category has been eliminated.
Healthcare & Social Services Adjustments – 8 new occupations added, 6 removed.
Trade Category – 15 new occupations added to the list.

🎯 Priority ITA Categories for 2025:
✅ French-language proficiency
✅ Healthcare & Social Services (37 Occupations)
✅ Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) (11 Occupations)
✅ Skilled Trades (25 Occupations)
✅ Agriculture and agri-food occupations (1 Occupation)
✅ Education Sector (5 Occupations)

You can find all eligible occupations here.

Canada Introduces Measures to Tackle Construction Labor Shortages

Government Announcement: On March 7, 2025, Canada announced measures to support the construction industry and address housing shortages.

• New Initiatives:

  1. Advisory Council: A tripartite council will assess labor needs and recommend pathways to bring in skilled workers.

  2. Regularization Pathway: A new pathway will help undocumented construction workers stay legally and continue their work.

  3. Foreign Apprentices: Foreign apprentices can now complete their studies without needing a study permit.

• Quick Facts:

  • Immigrants account for 23% of general contractors and residential builders in Canada.

  • Over 1,365 permanent residents have been admitted through the out-of-status construction worker pathway since November 2024.

  • The Solving the Housing Crisis plan includes initiatives to support skilled trades and improve housing availability.

• New Pilot: A new pathway for out-of-status construction workers will be launched, building on the success of the pilot program in the Greater Toronto Area.

Top 5 Canadian Job Websites 2025

1. VanHack - Specifically for tech professionals

2. Drake International

3. Employment and Social Development Canada - Government Jobs

4. Robert Half Canada - Specific to accounting and technology jobs

5. Eluta - for Part-Time and jobs in many sectors

In The Know

💵 The Government of Canada is investing up to $14.3 million to help address labor shortages in the health sector

📢Canada takes action to support housing with new immigration measures

🚫 In 2024, an average of over 9,000 cases of suspected immigration fraud every month.

📢Up to 6,000 undocumented construction workers will receive a pathway to legal status in Canada.

Find NOC Codes, Draws, and PR Pathways for Canada – Complete Guide!