Canada Immigration Update: Latest Application Processing Times Revealed

Canada Immigration Update: Latest Application Processing Times Revealed

Canada’s immigration department has recently disclosed the most recent application processing times, showcasing significant changes since September 10, 2025.

One of the notable shifts is seen in in-Canada spousal sponsorships for individuals settling in Quebec, where waiting periods have increased from 53 to 37 months, marking a 16-month surge. Conversely, in-Canada dependent child sponsorships have shown remarkable improvement, decreasing from 29 to 12 months.

Express Entry

Processing durations for the Canadian Experience Class now average at 6 months (a 1-month increase), while the Federal Skilled Worker Program has seen enhancements, reducing to 5 months.

Provincial Nominee Program

Enhanced (Express Entry) PNPs are currently taking 7 months (down from 8), while base PNPs remain at 19 months.

Quebec Immigration

The Skilled Worker Selection Program maintains a steady processing time of 11 months, with approximately 24,000 applications awaiting review.

Atlantic Immigration Program

Processing times remain unchanged at 13 months.

Family Sponsorship

For spousal sponsorships outside Canada, the waiting period stands at 15 months, while those in Quebec are experiencing extended delays ranging from 41 to 53 months based on the category. The Parents and Grandparents Program maintains a processing time of 26 to 44 months.

Temporary Residence

  • Visitor Visas: Iran (181 days), Canada (15 days), India (75 days), Pakistan (46 days), Nigeria (28 days), and the United States (23 days).
  • Work Permits: Iran (47 weeks), Canada (196 days), India (8 weeks), Pakistan (12 weeks), Nigeria (11 weeks, down from 22), and the United States (3 weeks).
  • Study Permits: Iran (49 weeks), Canada (7 weeks for new permits, 171 days for extensions), India (4 weeks), Pakistan (9 weeks), Nigeria (8 weeks), and the United States (10 weeks).
  • Super Visas: Iran (135 days), India (153 days), Pakistan (151 days, up from 112), Nigeria (52 days), and the United States (78 days).

Citizenship

Processing times have extended to 13 months for citizenship grants and 7 months for proof of citizenship applications.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) emphasizes that the published processing times are forward-looking estimates, reflecting current application backlogs and monthly completion rates, while service standards are internal benchmarks aimed at processing 80 percent of applications within specified timelines.