Canada’s immigration department has recently published the latest update on processing times for various application types, including permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship applications.
Several temporary resident applications have experienced extended processing times, depending on the application type and submission location. Notable increases include:
- All study permit applications (regardless of location)
- Work permit applications from Pakistan (17-week increase in wait time)
- Super visa applications from the US (112-day jump in processing time)
Processing times for citizenship grants and proof of citizenship certificates have also increased, possibly due to rising demand. Conversely, family sponsorship submissions, particularly under the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), are seeing a decrease in wait times.
This article analyzes the changes in processing times from January 15 to February 17, 2026.
Permanent Residence Applications
Overall, processing times for permanent residence applications have remained relatively stable, with some decreases in wait times observed for various family sponsorship application types.
Express Entry
A slight increase in processing time is noted for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) submissions.
| Application type | Current processing time | Processing times as of January 15, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 7 months | 6 months |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 7 months | 7 months |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | *N/A | *N/A |
*Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) does not provide processing time estimations for the FSTP due to insufficient data.
IRCC service standard: For all Express Entry program applications, the IRCC aims to process applications within a specific timeframe.