As of July 7, the number of individuals awaiting a decision on their Canadian citizenship application has surged to 99,500.

This marks an increase of approximately 17,500 applicants within a month.

Increasing Processing Times

Canada’s tool for tracking citizenship certificate processing times was updated on July 7, revealing a jump to a 19-month wait from the previous 15-month estimate in June.

The queue has significantly expanded since the eligibility for citizenship by descent was broadened in December 2025. In May, there were 70,400 applications with a 12-month wait, which escalated to 82,000 applications and a 15-month wait by June.

Factors Contributing to Delays

Another factor impacting the processing time is a recent review of Canadian citizenship certificates, which may have further slowed down the process.

IRCC paused finalizing new citizenship-by-descent applications in June to review approximately 6,500 certificates issued under Bill C-3. Out of the reviewed certificates, 100 were flagged for potential documentation insufficiencies, with 33 reinstated after confirmation of supporting evidence. The remaining 67 certificates are still being resolved, representing about one percent of certificates issued under the new law.

Implications of Delay

With the current backlog, an application submitted now is expected to be processed around February 2028. The increasing number of applications and processing times since Bill C-3 took effect means delaying an application may result in a longer wait in the future.

IRCC’s estimation of processing times is based on the existing queue, emphasizing the importance of timely application submission.

In June, IRCC updated its guidelines for citizenship supporting documentation, providing clarity on the required documents.