Canada has released over 10,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs)

Written By Ann Arbour Consultants Inc.
Jan 27, 2026

Canada has released over 10,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the Working Holiday Visa category in the first draw of the year.

Here’s what you should know:

The first round (week of Jan 23, 2026) issued 10,689 ITAs to eligible youth applicants.
The total Working Holiday quota for 2026 is over 42,000 spots.
With tens of thousands of candidates already in the IEC pool, this season is shaping up to be fast-moving and competitive.

The Working Holiday Visa is one of the most popular ways for young adults from partner countries to work and travel in Canada without needing a job offer or LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment).

Recent Posts

French Speakers Shine in Canada’s Latest Express Entry Draw

Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held a major Express Entry draw on February 6, 2026, issuing 8,500 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the French‑language proficiency category — one of the largest category‑based draws in history. The minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score was 400, making this draw more accessible for qualified French‑speaking candidates. This round reflects Canada’s ongoing strategy to attract and retain more bilingual skilled workers and strengthen Francophone communities outside Quebec. Earlier in February, IRCC also issued 423 ITAs to Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in another draw, showing multiple pathways are active this month. 💬 As a licensed immigration officer, my opinion is that this February Express Entry activity is very encouraging for prospective immigrants. The French‑language proficiency draw with a CRS cut‑off of 400 presents a rare and significant opportunity, especially for candidates who may not score high enough in general draws but have strong French skills. It shows IRCC’s commitment to diversity and bilingualism — a strategic focus that can benefit both applicants and Canada’s labour market goals. At the same time, candidates with PNP nominations continue to have strong prospects due to the CRS boost, so combining provincial streams with language strengths can be a powerful strategy. In short: if you qualify in French or have a provincial nomination — now is a smart time to act and submit a complete, error‑free profile. 📌 Tips: • Ensure your French language test results (TEF/TCF Canada) are valid and above NCLC 7. • Update your Express Entry profile and monitor category‑based draws. • Explore PNP pathways to maximize chances of receiving an ITA. #CanadaImmigration #ExpressEntry #FrenchLanguageDRAW #PermanentResidence #ImmigrationCanada #CRS400 #PNP #FrancophoneImmigration #VisaOpportunities #PRPathway #SkilledWorkers

Read more
📣 Alberta AAIP kicks off 2026 with a major provincial draw!

On February 2, 2026, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) issued 915 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) for permanent residence under…

Read more
BC PNP launches 2026 with its first major draw of the year!

On February 4, 2026, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued 429 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the…

Read more