Canada's April 'structural reset' and employer rules
Canada implemented a broad April package reshaping immigration selection, asylum processing, temporary residency rules and passport services while tightening oversight of employers using foreign workers. (immigrationnewscanada.ca) Alberta is proposing an employer registry and licensing system that would add compliance burdens and penalties for firms hiring temporary foreign workers. (theglobeandmail.com)
The federal package that came into force at the end of March and start of April 2026 bundles a string of operational and legal changes: a new law (Bill C‑12) that tightened how asylum requests are screened, adjustments to temporary‑resident rules, changes to how provinces can select some economic migrants, and revisions to passport fees and services. (canada.ca) (immigrationnewscanada.ca) Specific service changes rolled out on March 31–April 1, 2026 include a first‑in‑more‑than‑a‑decade increase in most passport and travel‑document fees (effective March 31, 2026) and the start of a 30‑business‑day processing guarantee that will trigger an automatic refund if the department misses the deadline. (canada.ca 1) (canada.ca 2) At the same time the government relaxed how host families prove income for the parents‑and‑grandparents “Super Visa” by allowing a two‑year income window or recent 12‑month earnings and by permitting certain other income to be counted (effective March 31, 2026). (canada.ca) Bill C‑12 — formally the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act — became law with Royal Assent on March 26, 2026 and introduces substantive asylum‑system rules: it creates a new eligibility gate that can make asylum claims ineligible if lodged more than one year after entry (an asylum claim is a formal request for refugee protection because a person fears persecution or serious harm). (parl.ca) (canada.ca) The law also expands domestic information‑sharing and gives new authorities over immigration documents and program administration. (canada.ca) Separately, Alberta tabled provincial legislation (tabled as Bill 26, the “Immigration Oversight Act, 2026”) that would require employers to register with the province before they recruit through federal temporary‑worker channels, establish a public employer registry, and set up provincial licences for immigration consultants and foreign‑worker recruiters. (ca.news.yahoo.com) (calgaryjournal.ca) The bill text and government statements specifically flag prohibitions on fake job postings and unauthorized fee collection and attach monetary penalties, licensing sanctions and, in severe cases, criminal penalties including imprisonment of up to 12 months. (ca.news.yahoo.com) The federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program (the federal framework that allows employers to hire foreign nationals for temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available) remains a federal program, but provinces already have authority over employment standards and business licensing inside their borders; Alberta’s proposal therefore creates a parallel, provincially‑enforced compliance step for employers and recruiters that use the federal program. (canada.ca) (bridgewaterti.com) (ca.news.yahoo.com)
