Weekly Digest | July 19, 2026

Key Highlights:

Recent Case Law

Mandamus – Liu v. Canada, 2026 FC 956: Work permit filed August 22, 2024, for paid PhD research. Security passed April 29, 2026, but the applicant did not respond to May 2026 requests for updated medical and employment information. IRCC refused for non-compliance on June 24, 2026. Court found the dispute over processing delay was not moot, but mandamus was unavailable because IRCC had rendered a decision and discharged its duty. Judicial review dismissed. Read more

LMIA Work Permit – Chander v. Canada, 2026 FC 823: Applicant sought a kitchen helper work permit supported by a positive LMIA while working in the UAE. His mother and sister lived in India and father in Romania, but the application contained no evidence of interdependence or how those ties would draw him back. Court found the officer reasonably considered his family ties, financial establishment, employment, and temporary UAE status in assessing whether he would leave Canada. Judicial review dismissed. Read more

Intra-Company Transfer Work Permit – Shahpouri v. Canada, 2026 FC 957: Applicant sought an ICT work permit for a new Canadian business. Officer found insufficient evidence that the business could remain competitive, commence operations, compensate employees, grow large enough to support an executive or management function, or provide significant benefit to Canada. Court found the family-ties assessment unreasonable because her husband and minor son remained in Iran, but the reasonable business-viability and significant-benefit findings were the primary basis for refusal. Judicial review dismissed. Read more

Spousal Sponsorship – Deng v. Canada, 2026 FC 964: Officer found the marriage not genuine, partly based on an alleged contradiction about the applicant’s family in Canada. Court found no contradiction because IMM 5532 excluded relatives already listed in IMM 5406. Officer also focused on separate financial arrangements without addressing tax records, messages, health insurance, and support letters supporting genuineness. Judicial review granted. Read more

Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program – Misrepresentation – Lu v. Canada, 2026 FC 974: Principal applicant’s son failed to disclose a 2023 visitor visa refusal despite three IRCC requests, including express directions to list all prior refusals. Applicants signed and resubmitted the unchanged form three times. Court found no evidence the representative knew of the refusal or acted incompetently, and applicants remained responsible for verifying the forms they signed. Judicial review dismissed. Read more

Pause on Parents and Grandparents Program – July 15, 2026: IRCC paused new interest-to-sponsor forms and invitations until further notice while continuing to process existing applications and targeting up to 15,000 permanent residence admissions through the program in 2026. Parents and grandparents may continue using the super visa for extended visits. Read more

Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot – July 17, 2026: IRCC clarified PAL/TAL exception tracking, updated language test fields in the TR eApp, and confirmed that a 2-year program generally means 4 academic terms based on the letter of acceptance. Read more

Philippines Added under Visiting Forces Act – July 16, 2026: IRCC added the Philippines to the list of designated states whose qualifying military members may be exempt from temporary resident visa requirements under the Visiting Forces Act. Read more

Temporary Resident Permit Work Permit – July 15, 2026: IRCC corrected its application process guidance for temporary resident permit applications submitted together with work permit applications under the International Mobility Program. Read more

Labour Market Ministers Discuss Shared Priorities – July 16, 2026: Federal, provincial and territorial ministers met in Halifax to discuss skilled trades, Labour Market Transfer Agreements, labour mobility, foreign credential recognition, youth employment and AI-related workforce changes. Canada also announced an additional $2 billion over five years for pre-apprenticeship and technical training. Read more

Canada Raises LMIA High-Wage Thresholds – July 17, 2026: Updated provincial and territorial wage thresholds now determine whether LMIA applications fall under the high-wage or low-wage stream, including increases to $36.92 in Ontario, $38.40 in British Columbia and $37.50 in Alberta. Read more

Alberta Launches AAIP Eligibility Explorer – June 17, 2026: Alberta launched a new online tool that helps prospective applicants identify Alberta Advantage Immigration Program streams they may qualify for before creating an Expression of Interest profile. Read more Eligibility Explorer: Read more

IMM 0017: Letter of explanation – Open work permit for vulnerable workers: Read more

July 20, 2026: Deadline to comment on proposed IRPR amendments to operationalize asylum reforms under the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act. Read more

July 20, 2026: Deadline to comment on proposed amendments to the Refugee Protection Division Rules, which would align RPD procedures with new asylum reforms. Read more

July 20, 2026: End of IRCC’s FIFA 2026 public policy exempting certain FIFA-invited TRV applicants from the biometrics requirement. Read more

July 31, 2026: End of Canada’s FIFA 2026 work authorization exemption allowing select FIFA-invited foreign nationals to perform time-limited work in Canada without a work permit. Read more

July 31, 2026: Expiry of IRCC’s temporary public policy for certain Palestinian nationals in Canada, which allows eligible applicants to apply for fee-exempt temporary status extensions, open work permits, or study permits. Read more

July 31, 2026: Expiry of IRCC’s in-Canada temporary special measures for foreign nationals affected by the crisis in the State of Palestine. Read more

August 28, 2026: End date of IRCC’s temporary Ebola-related measures for certain foreign nationals living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda. Read more Public Health: Read more Canada Gazette: Read more

August 31, 2026: Deadline to register for the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program’s Temporary Rural/Remote Health Support Initiative. Read more