Hey, it's Tiffany 😊

The cherry blossoms are almost in full bloom in Vancouver. This is definitely one of my favourite times of year.

This has been a busy week for Canadian Immigration.

Grab a cup of coffee. Let's go through it together.

⚡ This Week in Canadian Immigration (30-second summary)

• PNP draw issued 362 invitations at CRS 742 (Mar 16)
• CEC draw issued 4,000 invitations at CRS 507 — the lowest in 18 months (Mar 17)
• French-language draw issued 4,000 invitations at CRS 393 — the second time below 400 in 2026 (Mar 18)
• IRCC Departmental Plan signals job offer points may return to Express Entry — no timeline confirmed
• Ontario (OINP) held 6 draws including Masters and PhD streams — first since September 2024
• Ontario confirmed: all current OINP streams lose their legal basis on May 30, 2026
• Super Visa income calculation rule updated — effective March 31
• IRCC invested $1.5M in new Francophone immigration initiatives on International Day of La Francophonie

📊 Express Entry Draws — March 16–18, 2026

Draw #403 — Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) | Mar 16, 2026

✅ ITAs: 362

✅CRS: 742

✅ Tie-break: Oct 5, 2025, 20:35:25 UTC

📌 The score looks high because PNP nominees automatically receive +600 CRS points, making the effective base score approximately 142.

This is normal for PNP-targeted draws.

Draw #404 — Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | Mar 17, 2026

✅ ITAs: 4,000

✅ CRS: 507

✅ Tie-break: May 11, 2025, 18:57:00 UTC

📌 507 is the lowest CEC cut-off in 18 months.

The trend since December 2025 has been a gradual, steady decline. If your CRS is 500 and above, keep your EE profile updated and complete — you are now in the competitive zone for CEC draws.

Draw #405 — French-Language Proficiency | Mar 18

✅ ITAs: 4,000

✅ CRS: 393

✅ Tie-break: Dec 29, 2025, 12:47:31 UTC

📌 This is the third French-language draw of 2026, and 393 marks the second time the French category floor has dipped below 400 this year — a trend worth paying attention to if you have French skills.

French-language draws consistently offer the most accessible CRS thresholds of any Express Entry category. If you have French skills you haven't tested yet, booking your TEF Canada or TCF Canada is worth serious consideration. If you don't, it's never too late to start.
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​📋 IRCC Signal: Job Offer Points May Return to Express Entry

This is worth knowing — but with the right context.

IRCC's 2026–2027 Departmental Plan, published March 13, signals IRCC's intention to award CRS points to Express Entry candidates with job offers and Canadian work experience in high-wage occupations. This is described as part of a broader suite of Express Entry reforms under consideration.

As of this week, no implementation date has been announced. No scoring changes are in effect today. This is a stated policy direction, not a confirmed change.

📌 What this means in practice:

If you have a valid job offer in a high-wage occupation, document it carefully — it may carry more weight once reforms are confirmed. If you work in a regulated profession or a priority sector, pursuing Canadian licensing and building employer relationships now is a sound strategy regardless of this announcement.

📌 What it does NOT mean:

Job offer points have not returned YET. Do not pause your Express Entry strategy waiting for this. IRCC typically provides three to six months of advance notice before implementing Express Entry system changes — the earliest realistic window for any implementation is in second half of 2026.

🚨 OINP: Ontario PNP Is Changing Completely on May 30

This is the most significant provincial immigration announcement of the week — and it affects people well beyond Ontario.

On March 16, the Ontario government filed amendments to Ontario Regulation 421/17. Every current OINP stream — employer job offers, human capital candidates, Masters graduates, PhD graduates, and others — loses its legal basis on May 30, 2026. This is not a phased sunset. It is a single cutoff date.

Three new pathways will replace most existing streams, with a focus on healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and exceptional talent. Ontario has not yet confirmed when the new streams will open, what happens to candidates currently in the EOI pool, or whether existing profiles will transfer or require re-registration.

There is a historical precedent worth knowing: when Ontario launched the Employer Portal in July 2025, all existing EOI profiles were withdrawn and candidates had to re-register from scratch. Ontario has not confirmed whether this will happen again in May — but it is a real possibility.

One detail that matters immediately: OINP refusal and cancellation notices can now be delivered by email and are legally considered received whether or not you open them. If you are in the OINP system, update your contact information in the e-Filing Portal today.

Why this matters even if you're not in Ontario: Ontario runs Canada's largest provincial nominee program, with 14,119 nominations allocated for 2026 — approximately 15% of the national PNP total. When Ontario restructures how it selects candidates, other provinces observe and often follow. Alberta tightened TEER requirements in January 2026. BC's score thresholds have risen steadily. Ontario's May 2026 redesign is the leading edge of a national shift.

I've written a detailed breakdown of exactly what's confirmed, what's still unknown, and what you should do now — including which candidate profiles are best positioned under the new system.

👉 Read Ontario PNP: The Biggest Immigration Overhaul in Years - 5 Things You Need to Know Before May 30, Even if You are Not in Ontario​

📢 Other PNP Activity — March 16–21, 2026

1) Ontario (OINP) — Multiple Streams | March 18

✅ Total invitations: 1,243 across 6 streams

✅ Masters Graduate stream: 582 invitations | Minimum score: 30 | First draw since September 2024

✅ PhD Graduate stream: 525 invitations | Minimum score: 49 | First draw since September 2024

✅ Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker (Physicians): 97 invitations | Minimum score: 36

✅ REDI Pilot: 39 invitations | Minimum score: 47 | Targeted region: Lanark or Leeds & Grenville

📌 What this means:

Ontario's graduate streams returning after 18 months is the headline — but given the May 30 overhaul, future draws under these streams are not guaranteed. If you received an invitation, the 14-day response window is a hard deadline with no extensions.

2) Prince Edward Island — Labour and Express Entry | March 19

✅ Invitations: 112

✅ Target: Health, construction, and manufacturing occupations

📌 What this means:

PEI continues to run targeted draws for workers in sectors with active labour shortages — a consistent pattern in 2026 for smaller provinces managing population and workforce gaps.

🏛 IRCC Updates

Super Visa Income Calculation — Effective March 31, 2026

IRCC has updated how hosts can meet the income requirement for Super Visa applications.

Previously, only the most recent tax assessment year counted. Starting March 31, hosts can choose either of the two preceding taxation years — giving families with fluctuating income more flexibility to qualify.

Hosts may also be able to combine their income with the visiting parent or grandparent's income to meet the LICO threshold.

If you have parents or grandparents planning a long-term visit to Canada, this change may make approval more accessible than it was under the previous rules.

Francophone Immigration Investment | March 20, 2026

On International Day of La Francophonie, Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced $1.5 million in funding for three new projects under the Francophone Immigration Support Program — strengthening the Francophone presence in the ICT sector, supporting French-speaking talent in Northern Ontario, and informing French-speaking candidates about opportunities in Francophone communities outside Quebec.

Canada reached 8.9% French-speaking permanent residents admitted outside Quebec in 2025. This investment signals continued government commitment to growing that number — and further structural support behind the French-language Express Entry category.

💡 Professional Insight

This week confirms what I've been calling the "In-Land Era" of Canadian immigration.

CEC scores are dropping. Ontario is restructuring its PNP toward employer-driven, occupation-specific selection. IRCC is signalling that job offers may soon carry more weight in Express Entry. The federal government is investing in Francophone pathways. The TR-to-PR transition program is still expected in April.

Every signal this week points toward the same conclusion: Canada is prioritizing people who are already here, already working, and already embedded in the labour market.

If that's you — your positioning matters more now than it did a year ago. The question isn't whether there's a pathway. It's whether your profile is optimized for the pathways that are actually moving.

✅ What You Should Do This Week

1. If you're in the OINP EOI pool — update your contact information in the e-Filing Portal today, then read our latest blog of what's changing with OINP.
2. If your CRS is at least 500 — keep your Express Entry profile current and complete. It is also worth starting your document preparation now, before your ITA arrives. Our TR to PR Blueprint walks you through exactly what to prepare.
3. If you have French language skills — book your TEF Canada or TCF Canada. The waiting time for popular Canadian cities is at least 3 months.
4. If you received an OINP invitation this week — respond within 14 days, no exception.
5. If you have questions about Canadian immigration and are overwhelmed by the information available online or provided by well meaning family friends, we can provide answers to your specific situation in our 30-min Zoom Consultation.

📅 Is your immigration strategy keeping pace with how fast the rules are changing?

From OINP's May 30 overhaul to dropping CEC scores to TR-to-PR expected in April — a lot is shifting at once. The right move depends entirely on your profile, your NOC, and your timeline.

A 30-minute personal Zoom consultation session with me, tailored to your profile and actual situation — so you leave with a clear strategy, not more questions.

👉 Book your 30-Min Personal Zoom Consultation — $150 + 5% GST​

Your Canadian story often begins with the next action you take.

Have an excellent week ahead! I look forward to connecting with you soon.

Tiffany Chia​
​Owner/Director/RCIC​
​1to1Immigration

[Whatsapp] | [Website] | [LinkedIn]

Quick Links

• ​Ontario PNP: The Biggest Immigration Overhaul in Years - 5 Things You Need to Know Before May 30, Even if You are Not in Ontario​
• ​TR-to-PR Webinar Replay
• TR-to-PR Quick Start Guide: ​
  [English Guide Link]
  [Chinese Guide Link]
• ​TR to PR Blueprint
• ​Book a 30-Min Zoom Consultation with Tiffany​