On August 14 and July 31, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revised the processing times for various immigration applications.
Staying informed about these changes is essential for applicants as they navigate their immigration journey.
Monitoring IRCC processing times is crucial for managing expectations and planning ahead.
These updates highlight IRCC’s continued efforts to enhance and simplify the immigration process for applicants.
Here’s an in-depth overview of the most recent processing times and their implications for different immigration categories.
Summary of Processing Time Revisions
Starting in May 2024, the IRCC initiated monthly updates on average processing times for citizenship, family sponsorship, and economic immigration applications.
Meanwhile, business immigration, all temporary residency applications, and permanent resident cards now receive weekly updates.
These timelines help applicants estimate how long it may take to receive a decision on their applications.
Processing Times for PR Cards and Citizenship
Citizenship (updated monthly):
- Citizenship Grant: 7 months (reduced by 1 month since June 3)
- Citizenship Certificate (Proof of Citizenship): 3 months (no change since June 3)
- Renunciation of Citizenship: 13 months (no change since June 3)
- Search of Citizenship Records: 13 months (no change since June 3)
PR Cards (updated weekly):
- New PR Card: 28 days (reduced by 14 days since July 30 and 48 days since June 25)
- PR Card Renewals: 72 days (no change since July 30, but reduced by 3 days since June 25)
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (updated monthly)
Family sponsorship processing times are updated on a monthly basis. These times are influenced by the volume of applications, the staff processing them, and the expected number of new applications.
Here are the updated times as of July 2024:
Spouse or Common-law Partner:
- Outside Canada (outside Quebec): 10 months (unchanged)
- Outside Canada (Quebec): 35 months (increased by 3 months since July 3)
- Inside Canada (outside Quebec): 11 months (unchanged)
- Inside Canada (Quebec): 24 months (reduced by 4 months since July 3)
Parents or Grandparents:
- Outside Quebec: 24 months (unchanged)
- Quebec: 48 months (unchanged)
Economic Immigration Processing Times
These times are updated both monthly and weekly, depending on the program.
Express Entry:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 5 months (unchanged)
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): 5 months (unchanged)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): No updates since March 1, 2023
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) via Express Entry: 6 months (unchanged)
Non-Express Entry:
- Non-Express Entry PNP: 11 months (unchanged)
- Quebec Skilled Workers (QSW): 9 months (unchanged)
- Quebec Business Class: 46 months (unchanged)
- Federal Self-Employed: 47 months (reduced by 3 months)
- Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): 7 months (unchanged)
- Start-Up Visa: 38 months (reduced by 1 month)
Temporary Residency Processing Times (Updated Weekly)
Processing times for temporary residency applications are updated on a weekly basis. These times indicate the duration it took for IRCC to process most applications, but do not account for biometric processing.
Visitor Visa Outside Canada (varies by country):
- India: 58 days (increased by 7 days since July 24)
- Nigeria: 179 days (reduced by 5 days since July 24)
- United States: 33 days (increased by 4 days since July 24)
- Pakistan: 46 days (reduced by 1 day since July 24)
- Philippines: 27 days (unchanged since July 24)
Visitor Visa Inside Canada (TRV):
- Online: 24 days (reduced by 1 day since July 24)
Visitor Visa extension:
- Online: 114 days
Parents or grandparents Super Visa (varies by country):
- India: 66 days (increased by 7 days since July 24)
- Nigeria: 110 days (increased by 31 days since July 24)
- United States: 299 days (increased by 62 days since July 24)
- Pakistan: 146 days (increased by 5 days since July 24)
- Philippines: 111 days (increased by 5 days since July 24)
Study Permit Outside Canada (varies by country):
- India: 5 weeks (increased by 1 week since July 24)
- Nigeria: 6 weeks (increased by 1 week since July 24)
- United States: 12 weeks (increased by 3 weeks since July 24)
- Pakistan: 8 weeks (reduced by 1 week since July 24)
- Philippines: 7 weeks (reduced by 1 week since July 24)
Study Permits:
- Inside Canada: 11 weeks (increased by 1 week since July 24)
- Study Permit Extension: 64 days (increased by 6 days since July 24)
Work Permit Outside Canada (varies by country):
- India: 19 weeks (unchanged since July 24)
- Nigeria: 14 weeks (unchanged since July 24)
- United States: 16 weeks (reduced by 2 weeks since July 24)
- Pakistan: 15 weeks (reduced by 9 weeks since July 24)
- Philippines: 7 weeks (reduced by 2 weeks since July 24)
Work Permit Inside Canada:
- Online: 113 days (increased by 4 days since July 24)
Other Temporary Residency Categories:
- International Experience Canada (Current Season): 6 weeks (unchanged since July 24)
- Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP): 126 days (increased by 35 days since July 24)
- Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): 5 minutes
To get the latest updates on processing times and for specific case inquiries, it’s best to frequently visit the IRCC website or consult an immigration professional.
