Canada Status Now: Which Canadian Immigration Programs Are Open in 2026

This is our running list of the Canadian immigration programs that are changing fastest. It covers:

• Paused and closed programs, such as the Parents and Grandparents Program and the Start-Up Visa
• Caps and limits, such as the study permit cap and low-wage LMIA refusal areas
• Program overhauls, such as the Ontario and British Columbia provincial programs and the 2026 Express Entry categories
• Time-limited windows and promised pathways, such as the Quebec PEQ window and the H-1B holder pathway

The list of items appears below and updates automatically. For background, read how Canadian immigration works. See also USA Status Now and Mexico Status Now.

Each item carries one label. It describes the program or policy as of its Last verified date:

A label is a summary, not the whole story. Read the item's note and timeline, then check the official source linked on that page before you act.

We build these pages from official sources: IRCC, ESDC, provincial and Quebec immigration programs, the Canada Gazette, and court records. When one of them announces a change, or a court rules on a policy, we update the item, its label, and its Last verified date, and we often publish a dated news item.

Rules can change overnight, and official websites sometimes lag behind a new rule. If an item's date is more than a few weeks old, or you are about to pay a fee or file an application, confirm the current position on the official source first. Read how we research and our editorial policy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us through the contact page.