Canada Immigration News Podcast: Your Go-To Source for Immigration Updates
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Welcome to episode 76 of the Canada Immigration News Podcast, where we bring you the latest updates on Canadian immigration policies, provincial nominee draws, and regional growth initiatives. In this episode, we discuss Canada’s new passport fee refund policy, study permit rule changes for construction apprentices, New Brunswick’s first immigration draw results for 2025, and how immigration is fueling Sudbury’s record population growth.
The Government of Canada has introduced a new 30-business-day processing guarantee for passport applications. Starting this year, if a passport application takes longer than 30 business days to process, applicants will receive a full refund of their passport fees, regardless of how they applied. This policy aims to improve service reliability and comes in response to past processing delays, including disruptions caused by the Canada Post strike. It also aligns with Canada’s ongoing modernization efforts, such as the launch of the enhanced online passport renewal platform in December 2024.
To help address labour shortages in the construction sector, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a two-year temporary public policy that eliminates study permit requirements for eligible construction apprentices. From February 26, 2025, to February 26, 2027, temporary workers with valid work permits and registered apprenticeship agreements in designated construction occupations can complete their training in Canada without needing a study permit. This change removes barriers for skilled workers, allowing them to upgrade their qualifications more efficiently and contribute to Canada’s growing construction industry.
New Brunswick has conducted its first immigration draws of 2025, issuing 498 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through its Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP). These draws, held on March 5 and 6, 2025, focused on candidates in the NB Skilled Worker – NB Experience Stream and NB Skilled Worker – NB Graduates Stream. The selected occupations include healthcare, education, social and community services, and construction trades. Candidates who received an ITA must submit their complete applications within 45 days. This marks the beginning of New Brunswick’s strategic approach to attracting skilled immigrants to meet provincial labor market demands.
Greater Sudbury has experienced historic population growth, with Statistics Canada reporting a total population of 179,965 in 2024, up from 175,307 in 2022. This surge is largely driven by immigration, particularly through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), which has brought 2,700 new residents since 2019. The city’s selection for two new immigration initiatives—the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP)—is expected to further boost population growth and strengthen the local economy in 2025.
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