IRCC Updates Processing Times for Immigration Applications

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released new processing times for a wide range of applications, including study permits, work permits, visitor visas, permanent residence, and citizenship. These updates, published on September 10, 2025, are compared to the previous figures from July 23, 2025.

Understanding processing times is important for applicants, as it helps set expectations on how long applications may take. Keep in mind that these are estimates and actual timelines can vary depending on each case.

Temporary Residence Applications

Study Permits

• Inside Canada (initial permits): 6 weeks (down from 12 weeks)
• India: 4 weeks (up from 3 weeks)
• United States: 10 weeks (up from 7 weeks)
• Pakistan: 9 weeks (down from 11 weeks)
• Nigeria: 8 weeks (up from 5 weeks)

Note: Study permit extensions inside Canada are taking about 163 days.

The service standard is 4 months for inside Canada and 2 months for outside Canada applications.

Work Permits

• Inside Canada: 190 days (up from 182 days)
• India: 8 weeks (up from 7 weeks)
• United States: 3 weeks (down from 4 weeks)
• Pakistan: 12 weeks (up from 5 weeks)
• Nigeria: 22 weeks (up from 12 weeks)

The service standard is 120 days inside Canada and 60 days outside Canada (except International Experience Canada, which has a 56-day standard).

Visitor Visas

• Inside Canada: 13 days (down from 25 days)
• India: 63 days (up from 28 days)
• United States: 24 days (up from 21 days)
• Pakistan: 48 days (up from 36 days)
• Nigeria: 31 days (down from 56 days)

The service standard for visitor visas from outside Canada is 14 days.

Super Visa

• India: 139 days (no change)
• United States: 89 days (up from 87 days)
• Pakistan: 112 days (down from 126 days)
• Nigeria: 55 days (down from 57 days)
• Philippines: 71 days (down from 74 days)

The service standard is 112 days.

Permanent Residence Applications

Express Entry

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC): 5 months (no change)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): 6 months (no change)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): Not available

The service standard for Express Entry is 6 months.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

• Enhanced (via Express Entry): 8 months (no change)
• Base: 19 months (no change)

Service standards: 6 months for enhanced and 11 months for base streams.

Quebec Immigration

• Skilled Worker Program (PSTQ): 11 months (up from 9 months)
  Standard: 6 months, excluding Quebec’s internal processing.
  
  

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

• AIP: 13 months (up from 12 months)
  Standard: 11 months.
  
  

Family Sponsorship

• Spouse/Common-law inside Canada:
• Outside Quebec: 23 months (up from 34 months)
• In Quebec: 53 months (up from 38 months)
• Spouse/Common-law outside Canada:
• Outside Quebec: 15 months (up from 11 months)
• In Quebec: 41 months (up from 37 months)
• Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP):
• Outside Quebec: 26 months (down from 36 months)
• In Quebec: 41 months (down from 48 months)
  
  

Service standard: 12 months for spousal sponsorship outside Canada. Other streams do not have set standards.

Dependent Child Sponsorship

• Inside Canada: 29 months
  (No service standard available.)
  
  

Citizenship Applications

• Citizenship grant: 11 months (up from 10 months)
• Proof of citizenship (certificate): 5 months (no change)

Service standard: 12 months for grants.

Understanding Processing Times vs. Service Standards

• Processing times: IRCC’s current estimate of how long a new application will take, based on past data and existing application backlogs.
• Service standards: IRCC’s commitment to process 80% of applications within a set timeframe under normal conditions.
  
  

Processing times are updated regularly, while service standards remain fixed and may not apply to all application types.

Key Takeaway

IRCC processing times continue to vary widely depending on the type of application and country of submission. While some categories, like study permits inside Canada and visitor visas, have improved, others, such as work permits and family sponsorships, are taking longer. Applicants should review both the current processing time and the service standard to plan effectively.