February 2026 Global Immigration Recap | Americas

Clark Hill’s Global Immigration practice guides corporate clients and individuals through complex global immigration challenges worldwide.  We pride ourselves on creative, compliant and people-centered solutions – looking at global mobility from a wholistic perspective in an ever-changing immigration environment.  Our team assists with short-term assignments, long-term relocations, consular processing, document procurement, document legalizations/apostilles, and business visas in 100+ countries worldwide.

Below is an overview of the major updates from February 2026 in the Americas region.

Canada

2026 OINP Allocation Confirmed

On Feb. 6, 2026, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) confirmed it has received its 2026 provincial nomination allocation of 14,119 nominations.

Each year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sets nomination spaces through the Provincial nominee Program (PNP) framework.

Nomination Allocation of prior years:

• 2025: 10,750 nominations
• 2024: 21,500 nominations

The Federal immigration strategy for 2026 continues to emphasize economic immigration and regional labor-market responsiveness, with an increased PNP admissions target of 91,500 for 2026 under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. In parallel, Express Entry has become more challenging for many candidates who are not aligned with federally targeted selection priorities, particularly where draws focused on specific categories established by the Minister.

As a result, provincial nomination pathways, especially the OINP, remain a critical retention and workforce planning tool for Ontario employers and foreign national employees who are integral to ongoing operations.

Canada introduces 2026 Express Entry Category-Based Selection Priorities

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have confirmed its 2026 priorities for category-based selection under the Express Entry system, continuing its targeted approach to addressing critical labor market needs. Category-based draws will focus on candidates with specific work experience, language abilities, or other human capitol attributes aligned with Canada’s objectives.

For 2026, IRCC is expected to maintain and refine category-based invitations across key sectors, including healthcare, STEM occupations, trades, transport, agriculture, as well as French-language proficiency. This continued emphasis on category-based selection reflects Canada’s efforts to align immigration selection more directly with workforce shortages and regional priorities. As a result, candidates with experience in designated occupations or French-language abilities may benefit from increased invitation opportunities, even where Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores are lower than typical general draw thresholds.

Argentina

Effective Jan. 14, 2026, nationals of mainland China, the Dominican Republic, and India who hold a valid U.S. Green Card may enter Argentina as business visitors or tourists for up to 30 days without obtaining a visa. Visitors that wish to stay longer than 30 days must still obtain the proper visa prior to entry.

This expansion is in addition to the existing benefit for nationals of mainland China who may also enter Argentina on a valid U.S. business or tourist visa and remain for up to 30 days for business or tourist activities. Nationals of the Dominican Republic and India may also enter Argentina on a valid U.S. business or tourist visa and remain for up to 30 days per entry, historically this was limited to only tourist activities but now has been expanded. Argentina has indicated these measures are intended to streamline immigration procedures and support business and tourism activities, while maintaining security standards.

Mexico

Recent reports indicate that Mexico’s National Immigration Institute (INM) is experiencing notable processing delays across several immigration procedures, particularly for in-country applications. These delays are linked to ongoing operational restructuring, staffing changes and increased application volumes.

Guadalajara is being impacted the most with processing delays due to authorities implementing heightened residential verification procedures for foreign nationals applying for or renewing temporary or permanent residence. These verifications may include in-person site visits to confirm the applicants’ registered address, which can extend overall processing times and introduce additional scrutiny to applications.

Employers and foreign nationals with in country renewals in Guadalajara should plan for extended timelines, ensuring that residential information is up to date, and be prepared for potential site visits as part of the application process.

 

For further information on any of the updates in this bulletin, reach out to one of the members of our Global Immigration team.

To view February’s updates for the EMEA and APAC regions, click the respective region.

This publication is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or a solicitation to provide legal services. The information in this publication is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel. The views and opinions expressed herein represent those of the individual author only and are not necessarily the views of Clark Hill PLC. Although we attempt to ensure that postings on our website are complete, accurate, and up to date, we assume no responsibility for their completeness, accuracy, or timeliness.