Nicholas Keung
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Nicholas Keung
@nicholaskeung.bsky.social
100 followers 28 following 150 posts
Immigration Reporter at the Toronto Star. Can be reached at nkeung@thestar.ca.
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“We’ve identified these sectors as areas in critical need. Strengthening those helps us move goods across the country and to new markets, supporting trade, supply chains and economic resilience,” @LenaMetlegeDiab
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada to add three new permanent residency streams to Express Entry immigration program
The new streams are part of what the immigration minister calls a federal strategy to attract “top talent” to the country.
www.thestar.com
February 19, 2026 at 12:19 AM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
The report estimates at least 310 layoffs between 2025-2028, representing more than four per cent of the workforce across the surveyed organizations. Some 44% of agencies also anticipated program closures & 56% indicated that programs would be disrupted.
www.thestar.com/news/gta/imm...
Canada’s immigration department cuts are triggering layoffs at groups that help newcomers settle in Toronto area, report says
Survey of 48 agencies in Toronto, Peel and York that deliver services including language training and housing support shows program cuts are expected.
www.thestar.com
February 18, 2026 at 2:39 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
“There are those people who come from countries where mental health isn’t even a thing and they just suffer through it. They don’t understand the trauma they’ve gone through and how that needs (trauma) counselling.”
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
This refugee to Canada got free therapy to help recover from violence. Now, critics say new co-pay fees will cut that line for others
Starting on May 1, sponsored refugees and asylum claimants will be asked to pay 30% of the costs of services including counselling and physiotherapy.
www.thestar.com
February 18, 2026 at 2:35 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
Canada saw an estimated 361,935 fewer arrivals of new students & temporary foreign workers compared to 2024. New students fell by 61%, while the number of foreign workers decreased by 47% to 153,880. Temp residents accounted for 6.4% of population
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Here’s what Canada’s immigration data reveals about the drop in international students and temporary foreign workers
In total, there were about 2,660,000 temporary residents in the country as of December, accounting for 6.4 per cent of the overall population.
www.thestar.com
February 18, 2026 at 2:33 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
In recent years, Canada has offered temporary refuge to a growing number of migrants seeking protection & caught in wars and humanitarian crises. "The process (of repatriation) is both painful and unproductive. It helps nobody.”
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
These migrants escaped war and disaster to come to Canada. Should they go home or be offered permanent residence? It’s not that simple
The federal government has so far been renewing their stays, delaying the inevitable. But advocates and migrants are calling for durable solutions.
www.thestar.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:21 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
ICE has established outposts in 5 Canadian cities: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Ottawa. Experts say the offices are not authorized to carry out independent investigations or carry out immigration enforcement.
www.thestar.com/news/gta/ice...
ICE has offices in five cities across Canada. What are they doing here?
While ICE did not respond to the Star's inquiries about Canadian operations, experts say the field offices are not authorized to carry out independent investigations or carry out immigration enforceme...
www.thestar.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:12 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
What international students get and must pay for can vary vastly based on geography. A patchwork of public/private insurance coverage can land them hefty medical bills. Some provinces have free public health coverage, others require costly private plans
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
International students in Canada face vastly different health-care access depending on where they live. Here’s what researchers found
A national study found what students get and must pay for can vary vastly based on geography, despite what’s required in the Canada Health Act.
www.thestar.com
January 29, 2026 at 1:42 PM
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“The warning signs were there. If we’re losing people, how do they think we’re going to meet the processing times?” this veteran IRCC processing officer says of the backlogged immigration applications that have soared by 12.7% to 1,005,800 in a year.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada’s immigration backlogs and processing times grow a year after job cuts. Now, 300 more positions face the axe
As plans to eliminate 3,300 positions work their way through the system, backlogged applications for temporary and permanent residence grow.
www.thestar.com
January 28, 2026 at 6:43 PM
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Starting May 1, resettled refugees and asylum seekers must co-pay 30% of the costs of services such as dental, optometry and physiotherapy under its interim federal health plan. They will also be charged a $4 flat rate on each prescription. www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada will require refugees and asylum seekers to co-pay for health care starting in May
They will have to pay 30 per cent of the costs of services such as dental, optometry and physiotherapy and a $4 flat rate on each prescription.
www.thestar.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:59 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
Canadian immigration officials have stepped up efforts to detect the use of unauthorized agents in applications — and going after the applicants as a deterrent. They flagged 430 mandamus applications and asked Fed Court to dismiss them en masse.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada is asking the court to dismiss hundreds of immigration cases. Here’s why
Hundreds of applicants are appealing to the courts to review delays for permits. But the government says many have a suspicious similarity.
www.thestar.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:32 PM
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A Federal Court judge has rejected the Canadian government’s attempt to throw out a challenge by advocacy groups seeking greater transparency on how Ottawa decides to designate the United States as a safe country for refugees.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
How does Canada decide if the U.S. is safe for refugees? This federal ruling may pull back the curtain
The judge’s ruling means the proceeding returns to the applicants’ original push to compel the Canadian government to disclose information covered by cabinet confidences in reviewing and confirming th...
www.thestar.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:12 AM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
"There’s a guy offering me a Canadian visa with a sponsor/invitation letter on behalf of the next FIFA World Cup 2026....the process is totally 'done base'... He’s asking me to apply through this route, but I’m confused about how legit this is."
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
How fake World Cup fans are trying to game Canada’s visa system
Some agents are misrepresenting rules about work permit exemptions to clients, adding to worries about visitors entering under false pretences.
www.thestar.com
January 17, 2026 at 6:49 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
Sudanese applicants “are not here in Canada waiting for their permanent residence status. They’re in a war zone trying to get to safety. The government needs to act with the commensurate urgency in bringing those families to safety,” says NDP immig critic Jenny Kwan
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Their loved ones died waiting for Canada to let them in. Now they’re pleading on behalf of others from Sudan
Federal government urged to prioritize the resettlement of displaced Sudanese amid competition from Ukrainians, Hong Kongers.
www.thestar.com
January 16, 2026 at 7:31 PM
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French-speaking candidates made up 42% of the people invited for perm residence via EE in 2025.
Prioritization of francophone immigration outside Quebec frustrates non-French speaking applicants/critics, especially now that Ottawa has slashed immig levels
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada’s immigration system is favouring these kinds of applicants — even over others who score higher
After rule changes in recent years, prioritization of francophone immigration outside Quebec has angered non-French-speaking candidates and critics.
www.thestar.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:20 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
The Trump administration is nearly tripling the number of countries whose passport holders will be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States. The 38 countries are in Africa as well as Latin America and Asia
www.thestar.com/news/world/u...
U.S. nearly triples list of countries whose citizens must post bonds up to $15,000 to apply for visas
More than 35 countries — most in Africa but some in Latin America and Asia —are now on the list, which makes the process of obtaining a U.S. visa unaffordable
www.thestar.com
January 8, 2026 at 11:02 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
A year after new rule 4 int'l students' postgrad work permits, govt application portal still doesn't have direct upload field 4 language test results. "Now people are getting refused en masse for not uploading a document that you didn’t ask me to upload.”
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
These international students in Canada didn’t submit test scores because they weren’t asked to. Now, their work permits are refused
Immigration Department portal didn’t mention that the test showing language proficiency was needed. “It may sound stupid, but I trusted the system.”
www.thestar.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:25 PM
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“When I worked there, you would give people your business card and you would meet with them face to face. I realized today people don’t even know the name of the officer and they’ll surely never meet the officer," says former IRCC officer/memoir author.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
A look at the workings of Canada’s immigration system — through the eyes of a longtime insider
Neil Cochrane’s memoir describes a time when dealing with applicants was often very personal — especially when marriage fraud was suspected.
www.thestar.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:30 PM
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Ottawa has pushed to reduce immigration levels amid public backlash over Canada’s rapid population growth. “I wouldn’t be surprised if other (immigration) programs would be on the chopping board.”
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada cancels intake for two economic immigration programs
Ottawa says it will stop accepting new applications for the Start-Up Visa program beginning on Jan. 1, and pause the Home Care Worker pilots.
www.thestar.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:22 AM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
The biggest problem facing Canada's post-secondary education sector now is not the cap cos many schools haven't even met their allocated spots the past 2 years because interest in studying in Canada has plummeted. Time to think about "recovery": expert
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
International student spots in Ontario will go mostly to public colleges, universities
The number of applications given to the province for 2026 have been drastically reduced by the Canadian government.
www.thestar.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:16 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
Now, the 1-generation limit to citizenship-by-descent is lifted, children born/adopted abroad to Canadians, or Canadians considering starting a family abroad, should know how it works to restore lost citizenship or if this may change their life plan.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Are you a Canadian by descent? New citizenship rules are in effect for ‘Lost Canadians’
Bill C-3 restored citizenship rights to people cut off by the previous “two-generation rule.” Here’s what it means.
www.thestar.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:10 PM
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The new digital visa is an electronic version of the current physical visa or counterfoil placed in a traveller’s passport, and the secure and verifiable digital record can be stored in a digital wallet on Apple or Android mobile devices.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada is testing a new digital visa for travellers. Here’s how it works
The electronic version of the physical visa or counterfoil placed in traveller’s passport can be stored in an Apple or Android device.
www.thestar.com
December 12, 2025 at 7:56 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
“Canada is certainly trying to make it more challenging for asylum seekers to seek refuge. Canada in the recent past has done a lot to make itself less attractive. To what extent will that play a role in possible demand? It’s hard to say at the moment.”
www.thestar.com/news/gta/afg...
Donald Trump’s latest anti-immigration policies may drive migrants to Canada. But are they welcome here?
Review of U.S. asylum system following attack on National Guard in D.C. leads Afghans to wonder if they’d be safer in Canada — if they could get in.
www.thestar.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:12 PM
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Interim injunction in place to halt the province fm enforcing minimum 2-year high school requirement till court decides if it's constitutional. International medical grads still eligible to apply for Ontario residency under old criteria until 5 pm Dec. 8.
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Ontario judge grants international medical school grads a temporary lifeline
Ontario judge extends applications for grads who would have been excluded from first round of matching for residency under a controversial new rule.
www.thestar.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:58 PM
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“Maybe it’s just because of the bureaucracies or maybe it’s politics...I don’t know. But why are refugees being processed faster in other regions (than Africa)?”
www.thestar.com/news/canada/...
Canada takes longest to settle refugees from this region, report reveals, calling it ‘systemic racism’
Canadian Council for Refugees report, released Friday, is based on Immigration Department data and looks at wait times by region.
www.thestar.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:45 PM
nicholaskeung.bsky.social
In 2026, Ontario will receive 104,780 applications with a target of 70,074 actual study permits issued + yet-unknown share of 49,000 master’s & PhD student spots. In 2025, it got 149,011 study permit applications, with extra 32,579 for graduate students.
www.thestar.com/news/gta/int...
Here’s how much the cuts to Canada’s international students have hurt Ontario colleges and universities
New post-secondary figures obtained by the Star reveal massive revenue losses, expected to get worse with the latest federal cuts to foreign students.
www.thestar.com
November 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM