Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has released its latest update on processing times for temporary residence, permanent residence and citizenship applications.
The new figures show improvements in several visa categories, particularly for visitor visa applicants from India. Some family sponsorship programs also saw changes, while most economic immigration streams remained stable.
Below is a breakdown of the latest updates.
Temporary Residence Applications
Work Permit Processing Times
Processing times for most work permit applications have remained largely stable. However, applicants from India saw a slight improvement, while Nigeria experienced longer wait times.
| Application Location | Previous | Current |
| Inside Canada | 256 days | 259 days |
| India | 8 weeks | 7 weeks |
| Pakistan | 30 weeks | 30 weeks |
| Nigeria | 11 weeks | 13 weeks |
| United States | 10 weeks | 9 weeks |
| Philippines | N/A | 7 weeks |
Service standards
- In-Canada applications: 120 days
- Outside Canada applications: 60 days
- International Experience Canada permits: 56 days
Study Permit Processing Times
Most study permit processing times remained unchanged, except for the United States, which saw a one-week improvement.
| Application Location | Previous | Current |
| Canada | 9 weeks | 9 weeks |
| India | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Pakistan | 15 weeks | 15 weeks |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
| United States | 6 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Philippines | N/A | 5 weeks |
Visitor Visa Processing Times
Visitor visa processing times have improved across several countries. Indian applicants saw the most notable reduction, with wait times dropping by two weeks.
| Application Location | Previous | Current |
| Inside Canada | 19 days | 18 days |
| India | 71 days | 57 days |
| Pakistan | 53 days | 49 days |
| Nigeria | 56 days | 53 days |
| United States | 23 days | 17 days |
| Philippines | N/A | 14 days |
This improvement suggests faster processing for many individuals planning short-term travel to Canada.
Super Visa Processing Times
Super visa processing also saw moderate improvements in several countries.
| Application Location | Previous | Current |
| India | 210 days | 208 days |
| Pakistan | 136 days | 132 days |
| Nigeria | 47 days | 44 days |
| United States | 205 days | 207 days |
| Philippines | N/A | 85 days |
Super visas allow parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to visit Canada for extended periods.
Permanent Residence Applications
Express Entry
Processing times for major economic immigration programs under the Express Entry system remain unchanged.
| Program | Previous | Current |
| Canadian Experience Class | 7 months | 7 months |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | 7 months | 7 months |
All Express Entry programs have a six-month service standard, although actual processing times may vary depending on application volume.
Provincial Nominee Program
There were no changes in Provincial Nominee Program processing times.
| Program Type | Previous | Current |
| Express Entry (Enhanced) | 7 months | 7 months |
| Non-Express Entry (Base) | 13 months | 13 months |
Quebec Skilled Worker Program
Processing times for Quebec’s skilled worker selection program remained unchanged at 11 months.
Atlantic Immigration Program
Processing under the Atlantic Immigration Program continues to remain significantly above its official service standard.
| Program | Previous | Current |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 33 months | 33 months |
Family Sponsorship Updates
Some family sponsorship programs saw minor adjustments.
| Application Type | Previous | Current |
| Spouse inside Canada (Quebec) | 35 months | 36 months |
| Parents & Grandparents (outside Quebec) | 35 months | 34 months |
| Parents & Grandparents (Quebec) | 47 months | 46 months |
In addition, dependent child sponsorship from India saw a significant improvement.
| Application Type | Previous | Current |
| Inside Canada | 19 months | 20 months |
| Outside Canada (India) | 16 months | 8 months |
| Outside Canada (Nigeria) | 19 months | 19 months |
| Outside Canada (Philippines) | N/A | 12 months |
Citizenship Processing Times
Citizenship applications have also seen slight improvements.
| Application Type | Previous | Current |
| Citizenship grant | 14 months | 13 months |
| Citizenship certificate | 11 months | 10 months |
Processing Times vs Service Standards
It is important to understand the difference between processing times and service standards.
Processing times reflect how long applicants may expect to wait for a decision if they submit their application today. These estimates are based on historical data or projections using current application inventories.
Service standards, on the other hand, represent the internal targets set by IRCC for completing around 80% of applications within a specific timeframe.
For personalized guidance on Canada visas, work permits or permanent residence pathways, contact the experts at Oasis Visas.
