IRCC Processing Times

Official deadlines from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) by application type, automatically collected from the canada.ca public API.

Last updated by IRCC: May 13, 2026

What are these deadlines?

The processing times published by IRCC represent the median time the Canadian government took to process 80% of completed applications in the last 6 months. In practice, it means that if you submit your application today, there is a reasonable (but not guaranteed) chance of receiving a decision within that timeframe.

The data is published monthly on the official canada.ca website and reflects historical processing volume — not the current queue. Sudden demand spikes (such as a large Express Entry draw), policy changes or errors in the application can significantly alter the actual deadline.

Important: these are estimated, not guaranteed deadlines. To simulate the deadline based on your profile and specific country of origin, use the official IRCC tool: canada.ca — Check Processing Times →

How to interpret each category

Permanent Residence — Express Entry

Time from the invitation (ITA) to the final PR decision. Counts from the moment you submit the complete application after receiving the ITA. The 6-month deadline for CEC/FSW is the most predictable in the system, as Express Entry has priority processing.

Permanent Residence — Others

Includes PNP outside Express Entry (paper-based), Atlantic Immigration Program, Start-up Visa and Self-Employed. These programs have lower volume and much longer deadlines — the Start-up Visa, for example, can take 60 months due to the complexity of the assessment.

PR Card

Time to receive the physical Permanent Resident card. "New PR Card" is for those who just obtained PR. "PR Card renewal" is for permanent residents renewing their expired card. Both are processed separately from the PR application itself.

Citizenship

Time to approve Canadian citizenship grant after submitting form CIT 0002. Includes verification of physical presence (1095 days in the last 5 years), language tests, knowledge of Canada and a possible interview. The "Proof of Citizenship" has a separate deadline.

Family Sponsorship

Time to sponsor a spouse or parents/grandparents. Deadlines vary depending on the sponsored person's location (inside or outside Canada) and the province (Quebec has a separate process via MIDI). Sponsoring a spouse inside Canada tends to be faster as it allows study/work status during the process.

Work Permit

Time to approve a temporary work permit. The extension (inside Canada) is generally faster. IEC/Working Holiday has a short deadline as it is a simplified process. SAWP (Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program) is the quickest due to being a structured bilateral program.

Study Permit

Time to approve a student visa. The extension (inside Canada) is faster. Deadline can vary significantly by country of origin — the official IRCC tool allows simulation by country. DLI students with an acceptance letter receive priority processing in some cases.

Temporary Resident

Includes the Visitor Record (extension of stay as a visitor, different from TRV/entry visa) and the extension of visitor status inside Canada. Does not include the TRV (Temporary Resident Visa) entry deadline, which depends on the country of origin and is calculated by the official tool.

Times by country of origin

Select your country of origin to see visitor visa, study permit and work permit deadlines specific to your nationality.

Residência Permanente — Express Entry

Express Entry — Canadian Experience Class (CEC)

6 months ≈ 180 days

Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)

5 months ≈ 150 days

Express Entry — Provincial Nominee (EE)

7 months ≈ 210 days

Residência Permanente — Outros

Atlantic Immigration Program

18 months ≈ 540 days

PNP (fora do Express Entry)

19 months ≈ 570 days

Self-Employed Persons

57 months ≈ 1710 days

Start-up Visa

60 months ≈ 1800 days

PR Card

PR Card (novo)

40 days ≈ 40 days

PR Card (renovação)

27 days ≈ 27 days

Cidadania

Cidadania — Concessão

13 months ≈ 390 days

Cidadania — Prova de Cidadania

7 months ≈ 210 days

Patrocínio Familiar

Patrocínio Conjugal (dentro do Canadá, fora do QC)

24 months ≈ 720 days

Patrocínio Conjugal (fora do Canadá, fora do QC)

15 months ≈ 450 days

Patrocínio de Pais/Avós (fora do QC)

26 months ≈ 780 days

Work Permit

Extensão de Work Permit

209 days ≈ 209 days

IEC / Working Holiday

5 weeks ≈ 35 days

SAWP (Trabalhador Agrícola Sazonal)

7 days ≈ 7 days

Study Permit

Extensão de Study Permit

76 days ≈ 76 days

Residente Temporário

Extensão de Visitante

310 days ≈ 310 days

Visto de Visitante (dentro do Canadá)

13 days ≈ 13 days

Simulate with your specific profile

The official IRCC tool calculates deadlines by country of origin, visa type and location.

Access official tool →