Manitoba has introduced a faster registration process for internationally trained pharmacists, including those from the United States. The new pathway reduces the licensing timeline from roughly four and a half years to about 75 days.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the change will improve access to pharmacy services across the province, particularly in rural areas. Last year, 51 U.S.-trained pharmacists received their Manitoba licenses.
Applicants from the U.S., Australia, U.K., New Zealand, and Ireland can now qualify through this expedited route while still meeting Manitoba's regulatory standards.
#manitoba_healthcare, #international_pharmacists, #healthcare_workforce, #rural_healthcare, #us_pharmacists
February 26, 2026
A recent study from HEC Montreal reveals that the route immigrants take into Canada matters more than their qualifications alone.
Workers arriving with closed permits typically earn higher incomes than other groups, while foreign students show the fastest wage growth once they enter the job market.
The research, which surveyed 2,500 university-educated immigrants in 2025, found that the current points-based selection system does not always identify candidates who will perform best economically.
Researchers suggest that while temporary-to-permanent pathways can work well for students, having prior Canadian experience does not guarantee better outcomes for all groups. The study recommends refining selection criteria based on actual labour market performance.
#skilled_workers, #canada_immigration, #labour_shortage, #foreign_students, #work_permits, #hec_montreal, #immigration_research, #international_students
February 25, 2026
Canada's controversial Bill C-12 has cleared a major hurdle after the Senate National Security Committee approved all immigration measures without changes on February 23, 2026.
The decision came despite strong pushback from the Social Affairs Committee, which had recommended removing controversial sections that grant sweeping powers to cancel permits and impose strict asylum deadlines.
Proposed amendments—including extending the one-year refugee claim deadline and protecting minors—were rejected. Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab hinted at possible regulatory exemptions for children but offered no guarantees.
The bill faces a final vote by February 26 and could become law by March 2026, affecting thousands of applicants.
#bill_c_12, #canada_immigration, #asylum_seekers, #refugee_claims, #refugees
February 25, 2026
Employers who break the rules of Canada's temporary foreign worker program now face much steeper penalties. Fines have jumped from $102,250 across 74 companies in 2018-19 to $4.8 million for 147 companies last fiscal year.
McMaster University professor Catherine Connelly notes the government shifted from an educational approach to a deterrence strategy.
The change comes as public scrutiny of the program intensified.
Despite larger penalties, experts believe many violations still go undetected. Meanwhile, employer applications for the program dropped sharply from 150,000 in 2023-24 to just 63,000 in the current fiscal year.
#canada_immigration, #foreign_workers, #tfwp, #temporary_foreign_worker_program
February 24, 2026
