Canada remains a preferred destination for immigrants worldwide, making it essential to stay informed about the current processing times for various immigration applications.
Whether you’re pursuing citizenship, renewing a PR card, or applying for temporary residency, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) frequently updates processing times to reflect their workload and efficiency.
Here’s a detailed overview of the latest IRCC processing times as of December 3, 2024, to help you better plan your journey to Canada.
Understanding Processing Times
Keep in mind that these processing times represent 80% of applications, so your experience may vary.
Factors such as the accuracy and completeness of your documents, the complexity of your case, or additional security screenings can impact how long it takes to process your application.
Below is a comprehensive overview of each category:
Monthly Updates on Citizenship Processing Times
- Citizenship Grant: Still takes 7 months, no change from the last update.
- Citizenship Certificate: Now takes 3 months, 1 month faster than before.
- Renunciation of Citizenship: No change, still at 16 months.
- Search of Citizenship Records: Still takes 11 months, no updates.
Note: IRCC is now sending acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) letters for applications submitted during the week of November 11, 2024.
Weekly Updates on Permanent Resident (PR) Card Processing
New PR Card: Processing time remains the same at 24 days, as in the previous week’s update.PR Card Renewal: Processing time has decreased to 47 days, a reduction of 12 days from last week.
Monthly Updates on Family Sponsorship Processing Times
Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Outside Canada, except Quebec): Processing time remains at 10 months, unchanged from the previous update.
Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Outside Canada, for Quebec): Processing time stays at 36 months, unchanged from last month.
Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Inside Canada, except Quebec): Processing time remains at 12 months, consistent with the previous update.
Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Inside Canada, for Quebec): No change, still at 27 months as in November.
Parents/Grandparents (except Quebec): There has been no update, and it is still 24 months from the last monthly update.
Parents/Grandparents (for Quebec): Processing time remains at 48 months, unchanged from November.
Monthly and Weekly Updates on Economic Immigration
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Remains at 5 months.
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): Unchanged at 5 months.
Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry): Still processing in 6 months.
Provincial Nominee Program (without Express Entry): Processing time is now up to 13 months.
Quebec Skilled Workers (QSW): Continues to be at 11 months.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): Remains steady at 8 months.
Federal Self-Employed Persons: No change, still at 48 months.
Quebec Business Class: Processing time has increased to 71 months, up from 58 months in November’s update.
Start-up Visa: Remains steady at 40 months.
Weekly Updates on Temporary Residency Processing Times
Visitor Visa (Outside Canada):
- India: Remains at 114 days, unchanged from last week.
- United States: Increased by 2 days to 27 days.
- Nigeria: Now 173 days, down by 1 day from the previous week.
- Pakistan: Increased by 1 day to 32 days.
- Philippines: Increased by 1 day to 18 days.
Visitor Visa (Inside Canada):
- Online applications: Continues to be processed in 18 days.
- Visitor Extension: Increased by 10 days to 116 days compared to last week.
Super Visa:
- India: Now 129 days, reduced by 1 day.
- United States: Remains steady at 137 days.
- Nigeria: Stays at 63 days.
- Pakistan: Reduced to 133 days, down by 15 days from last week.
- Philippines: Reduced to 86 days, down by 20 days from the previous week.
Study Permit (Outside Canada):
- India: Steady at 3 weeks.
- United States: No change at 14 weeks.
- Nigeria: Remains at 9 weeks.
- Pakistan: Increased to 11 weeks, a 2-week decrease from November.
- Philippines: Continues to be 4 weeks.
Study Permit (Inside Canada):
- Reduced by 1 week to 13 weeks.
- Study Permit Extension: Down by 5 days to 158 days.
Work Permit (Outside Canada):
- India: Decreased by 4 weeks to 19 weeks.
- United States: No change, still at 14 weeks.
- Nigeria: Remains at 24 weeks.
- Pakistan: Reduced by 3 weeks to 15 weeks.
- Philippines: Reduced by 1 week to 4 weeks.
Work Permit (Inside Canada, including extension):
- Increased by 2 days to 171 days.
Other Programs:
- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP): 8 days.
- International Experience Canada: 6 weeks.
- Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): Immediate, processed in 5 minutes.
FAQ’s
What is the processing time for citizenship applications?
It takes 7 months.
How long does it take to process Canadian PR cards?
New PR cards take 24 days, while PR card renewals are processed in 47 days.
How long does spousal sponsorship from outside Canada take?
The processing time is 10 months.
How frequently are IRCC processing times updated?
Processing times are updated monthly for citizenship, family sponsorship, and economic immigration, and weekly for temporary residency and PR cards.
