The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
Radio-Canada — Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology closing after international student enrolment drops
Province pulls plug after MITT sees 55% drop in international student enrolment. The Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology is winding down operations over the course of the next year as a result of a steep decline in international student enrolment. The small Winnipeg post-secondary institution announced Wednesday it will be closing after a federal cap led to a drop in international enrolment exceeding 55 per cent, making its current financial model unsustainable, a memo on MITT’s website (new window) said.
CIC News — Year in review: How did the Rural Community Immigration Pilot fare in 2025?
In the first year of its operation, the Rural Community and Immigration Pilot (RCIP) helped more than a thousand newcomers gain permanent residency (PR) and settle in 14 of Canada’s fast-developing communities. The RCIP is set to continue facilitating the immigration of newcomers this year as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continues initiatives to spread the benefits of immigration to the country’s smaller communities.
CBC News — Immigration cuts force Manitoba to refocus nominee program on workers already in the province
Tighter federal limits are steering Manitoba’s provincial nominee program toward devoting more spots to the temporary residents already living in the province, rather than attracting skilled workers from abroad — a change Manitoba’s immigration minister has made to ensure businesses can keep their employees. The minister is adjusting her provincial nominee strategy to account for explosive growth in the number of international students and temporary foreign workers after the COVID-19 crisis and amid a labour shortage.
Toronto Sun — Refugees will soon need to pay for part of health services and medication
Starting May 1, eligible beneficiaries will pay $4 for each prescription and must cover 30% of the cost of all other health products and services. Refugees and asylum seekers in Canada will soon have to pay for a portion of certain health services and medication they receive after arriving in the country. On Tuesday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada published a reminder that asylum claimants and their beneficiaries who receive health care through the government’s Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) will be on the hook for co-payments on May 1.
Government of Canada — Changes to the Interim Federal Health Program
As announced in Budget 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will introduce co-payments for supplemental health products and services for eligible people (beneficiaries) covered under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP).The IFHP provides limited and temporary coverage for urgent and essential health products and services for eligible beneficiaries until they transition to provincial or territorial health care programs. A co-payment is the portion of the cost that a beneficiary pays directly to their health care provider, with the remaining cost covered by the IFHP. Introducing co-payments will help keep supplemental health care accessible for eligible beneficiaries while responsibly managing growing demand. This change supports the long-term sustainability of the IFHP so it can continue providing essential support to current and future beneficiaries.
The Gazette — Montreal urges Quebec to reverse course on immigration program
The Quebec government’s decision to abruptly end a popular immigration program is harming Montreal’s reputation and appeal, Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said Monday. Speaking during the monthly city council meeting, Martinez Ferrada presented a joint declaration urging the province to find solutions for those affected. The Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) was launched in 2010 to retain foreign students and temporary workers by offering a fast track to permanent residency.
