On February 24, 2023, the IRCC announced the launch of the new Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) program, which is aimed at attracting and retaining skilled immigrants to rural and northern communities in Canada.
On February 16, 2023, the IRCC announced the reopening of the Parents and Grandparents (PGP) program for the year 2023. Canadian citizens and permanent residents who wish to sponsor their parents and grandparents to come to Canada can submit their interest to sponsor form between February 16 and March 31, 2023.
On February 10, 2023, the IRCC announced changes to the eligibility criteria for the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot program, which is aimed at addressing labour shortages in the agri-food sector. The changes include expanding the list of eligible occupations, lowering the language requirements, and reducing the work experience requirements for some occupations.
On January 30, 2023, the IRCC announced that it is increasing the number of permanent residency applications it will accept in 2023. The target for new permanent residents has been set at 440,000, which is an increase of 20,000 from the previous year.
