October 14, 2025 Edition
Hey there,
We hope you had an enjoyable thanksgiving weekend. Both of us came back stuffed with food and refreshed after a really enjoyable long weekend.
Today’s newsletter covers renter’s rights across Canada, one absolutely essential job skill — cybersecurity literacy, and shares resources for avoiding scams from unlicensed immigration “consultants”. Plus our latest analysis from today’s draw!
Enjoy the read,
Rebecca and Steph
Your Immigration Update
Today’s Provincial Nominee Program draw was the largest since July, with 345 invitations and a significant CRS cut-off drop since the last draw.
Even with a larger draw today, we’re still seeing relatively low PNP volumes compared to previous years. In our analysis, we created a chart showing the progression of PNP draw sizes over time. It’s well-worth a look to see trends in PNP draws over the past five years.
Newcomers in some new cities can no longer apply for low-wage LMIAs, based on Statistics Canada unemployment data from Friday October 10. 6 cities were added to the list of CMAs where low-wage LMIA processing is not available, bringing the total to 32. Just 9 CMAs have unemployment rates low enough that low-wage LMIAs are still able to be processed under current immigration policies.
Read our detailed post to learn which cities are eligible, which aren’t, and what changed with this update.
Immigration In The Media
The Conestoga College President was criticized at a recent federal committee hearing, for the very high volumes of international students attending the school in 2023. Politicians questioned the president’s high salary ($600,000 annually) and the way the school treated international students. While the president’s responses highlighted the economic benefits the international students brought to the local community. More from CTV News here.
Did Someone Say Draw?!
Newfoundland and Labrador held another draw last week. Here’s our analysis.
Money Matters: The High Price of Immigration Scams in Canada
CBC featured a prospective immigrant to Canada who was scammed by an unlicensed immigration consultant, totalling $40,000. The “consultant” who was not licensed to provide immigration services in Canada, charged $40,000 to obtain a positive LMIA for the victim — and had hoped to ultimately receive $110,000 (in stages) if the victim became a permanent resident in Canada.
Unfortunately, the unlicensed provider’s plan didn’t work — since it wasn’t based on Canada’s immigration laws. And the victim was left $40,000 out of pocket with no rights to work or stay in Canada. She returned home.
Stories like this are sadly quite common in Canada. We wanted to share this one as a reminder that extraordinarily high fees should be a flag to do more research into the provider you’re considering trusting with your immigration journey.
Another tip: Do not rely on word-of-mouth referrals from friends or acquaintances. Always verify their credentials and reputation more broadly.
Start by checking whether the person you’re considering using is licensed to provide immigration services in Canada on IRCC’s website.
Rent just about any car, just about anywhere.
Today’s newsletter is brought to you by our partner, Turo.
Career Moves: How’s Your Cybersecurity Literacy?
Cybersecurity literacy is an important skill for almost every kind of job. As more workplaces rely on computers and the internet to store data, share information, and get work done, employers want to hire people who know how to keep their business safe online.
Even simple skills—like spotting a phishing email or creating strong, unique passwords—show that someone is careful and dependable. In today’s job market, being aware of online risks can make a worker stand out as trustworthy and adaptable.
Improving cybersecurity literacy doesn’t require being an expert in technology. It starts with paying attention and building good digital habits. This means thinking twice before clicking on unknown links, turning on two-factor authentication (even if it’s a little annoying), keeping software up to date, and being careful with personal and work information. Staying informed about common scams or security warnings also helps. These small, consistent actions show responsibility and help protect both individuals and the organizations they work for.
This free BC Government resource is a good starting point for those looking to start to develop these skills.
Today’s Tip: Learn Your Rights as a Renter
Signing a lease or rental agreement in Canada comes with obligations, often including needing to pay rent on time and report issues with the property to the landlord in a timely manner.
But did you know you have a lot of rights too, as a renter in Canada?
The exact rights you have vary from province-to-province, and the differences can be stark. Here are some examples:
Note: this is information, not legal advice - seek counsel if you need individual guidance about a lease agreement.
BC has annual rent increase limits and strict notice requirements, while Alberta’s rent increases are governed by market forces.
Some provinces allow for damage deposits, while others prohibit them (Ontario for example).
Rules around pets in properties vary across Canada, with some provinces allowing landlords to restrict pets (like BC, Manitoba, and Alberta), while others (ahem, Ontario) cannot enforce pet clauses in leases. (To be clear, in Ontario a landlord may still refuse to rent to you because of a pet, but you can’t be evicted for getting one if it’s not causing damage or disturbance.)
Keen to find resources relevant to your province/territory’s rental agreement laws? We’ve got you.
Thanks for reading! We hope you found this helpful.
Talk to you soon,
Rebecca and Stephanie
