News. For Newcomers | October 7, 2025

Employment and Social Development Canada released information about LMIA compliance, and the statistics for 2024-2025 aren’t that great. Almost 10% of employers inspected were found to be non-compliant with the LMIA terms. In the same press release ESDC shared that there has been a significant decrease in the number of applications to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program during that time — 70% fewer in the case of the low-wage stream. Read more on this here.

Recent PGWP refusals show just how easy it can be to slip up on study permit conditions. Even one part-time semester or an unapproved break could put your work permit at risk. Learn what IRCC looks for, how to stay compliant, and which documents can strengthen your PGWP application. Read more here.

Manitoba’s technical issues on its PNP website are resolved. Candidates should now be able to access the website to manage their applications.

Still waiting on your PR from Canada’s TR to PR pathway from 2021? If so, there’s a new public policy extending open work permits for you and your family members, through to December 2025. You can learn more here. We haven’t covered this one in detail since we think it will only impact a very small number of you.

Prince Edward Island’s childcare providers are in the news cycle this week. The article notes that Canada’s immigration policy changes have had significant impacts on the way childcare providers in PEI to do business differently, since it’s an industry that relies heavily on newcomers to fill labour gaps.

The takeaway for those of you hoping to immigrate to Canada? Note that Canada is generally leaning towards adjusting the temporary foreign worker policies to move away from its reliance on foreign workers to fill lower-wage gaps. There’s no action item needed at this point, but it’s certainly a movement to keep an eye on.

Credit cards are almost a rite of passage when it comes to getting settled in Canada. But, credit card use is a little different from country-to-country.

Here’s what you need to know about what you can, and can’t, use your credit card for in Canada.

This newsletter is sponsored by our sister site, Outpost Recruitment -- a boutique recruitment agency for construction professionals. Outpost is committed to strong ethics and quality win-win relationships. It has a strong track record of placing candidates with leading construction and engineering firms. 

We’ve created a template follow-up email you can send after an interview to show your continued interest and to stand out from the crowd. Pro tip: personalize beyond this template! Make the language yours and include any specific examples or information that demonstrates why you’re interested and shows that you paid attention in the interview.

Here’s the template (Please EDIT it carefully — we regularly see people apply using templates with missing details and it’s extremely obvious and looks careless):

Hi [Interviewer’s Name],

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me [on XX date]. I truly appreciated the opportunity to learn more about [Company Name] and the [Job Title] role.

Our conversation about [specific topic discussed in the interview—e.g., the company’s growth plans, team collaboration, or a project you mentioned] stood out to me and reinforced my excitement about the position. I’m particularly drawn to [another detail from the discussion or job description that resonates], and I’m eager to bring my skills in [relevant skill/experience] to contribute to your team’s success.

I remain very enthusiastic about this opportunity. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can provide any additional information to support your decision-making process.

Thank you again for your time and consideration—I hope to have the chance to work together.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

We recently came across a post on Reddit asking how often people eat poutine — one of Canada’s most famous dishes, made from fries, gravy, and cheese curds. To our surprise, many people admitted to eating it around once a week - or every other week. The thread then got a little out of hand with some calling it (jokingly) a superfood.

How do you find good poutine you ask? If you’re in Toronto, check out Nom Nom Nom Poutine, which is often said to be the best in Toronto (Many would say poutine is better in Quebec than elsewhere in Canada). Otherwise, just throw poutine in your maps app and head to the highest rated location near you!