Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), a government department of the Government of Canada, has released a new application processing time list that came into effect on September 10, 2025. These revised data reflect the time required to finalize various applications, including study permits, work permits, visitor visas, family sponsorship, and citizenship.
By comparing new processing times with processing times from July 23, 2025, applicants can better understand immigration service processing speed now, as it impacts planning to visit Canada to study, work, or settle.
Also Read IRCC Changes Processing Times Across Immigration Categories
Temporary Residence Programs Include Study, Work, and Visit
Study Permit Applications
Canadian education is still very much sought after and processing time is highly variable according to where applications are submitted from. Interestingly enough, applications submitted from Canada itself is much quicker than it has been throughout most of this year.
| Country/Region | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Canada* | 6 weeks | 12 weeks |
| India | 4 weeks | 3 weeks |
| United States | 10 weeks | 7 weeks |
| Pakistan | 9 weeks | 11 weeks |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks | 5 weeks |
*Above is only effective for first-time permits for applications submitted from within Canada. Extensions currently take about 163 days.
Technically, IRCC’s service standard is 4 months for in-country submitted applications and 2 months for applications submitted overseas.
Work Permits
Wait times for work permits continue to be lengthy, particularly for applications lodged inside Canada.
| Country/Region | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Canada | 190 days | 182 days |
| India | 8 weeks | 7 weeks |
| United States | 3 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Pakistan | 12 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Nigeria | 22 weeks | 12 weeks |
For information purposes only, processing time is 120 days for Canadian applications while overseas applications take 60 days. Youths applying through the International Experience Canada (IEC) programme should receive an answer about 56 days after submitting their applications.
Visitor Visas
Tourist visa processing is also volatile with steep increases for a few nations.
| Country/Region | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Canada | 13 days | 25 days |
| India | 63 days | 28 days |
| United States* | 24 days | 21 days |
| Pakistan | 48 days | 36 days |
| Nigeria | 31 days | 56 days |
14 days is still the normative processing time for visitor visas submitted abroad.
Super Visa for Parents and Grandparents
This is one such long visa option available to Canadian residents’ parents and grandparents with a consistent pattern of steady processing and slight upticks.
| Country/Region | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| India | 139 days | 139 days |
| United States* | 89 days | 87 days |
| Pakistan | 112 days | 126 days |
| Nigeria | 55 days | 57 days |
| Philippines | 71 days | 74 days |
IRCC sets a service standard for this stream to 112 days.
Permanent Residence Programs
Express Entry
Express Entry processing has been steady with slight variation since July.
| Stream | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 5 months | 5 months |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 6 months | 6 months |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | N/A | N/A |
All applications to Express Entry have a 6-month service standard.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
| Stream | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Enhanced (Express Entry linked) | 8 months | 8 months |
| Base* | 19 months | 19 months |
Enhanced PNP applications follow a 6-month benchmark, while base PNPs average 11 months.
Québec Immigration
| Program | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Skilled Worker (PSTQ) | 11 months | 9 months |
Quebec processing also takes longer, IRCC’s target being 6 months, minus a further review by Quebec’s ministry of immigration.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
| Program | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| AIP | 13 months | 12 months |
11 months is our industry processing time standard.
Family Sponsorship
Spousal sponsorship and family sponsorship is among the lowest streams, primarily for clients who would like to settle in Quebec.
| Category | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Spouse/Partner in Canada (outside Quebec) | 23 months | 34 months |
| Spouse/Partner in Canada (Quebec) | 53 months | 38 months |
| Spouse/Partner outside Canada (outside Quebec) | 15 months | 11 months |
| Spouse/Partner outside Canada (Quebec) | 41 months | 37 months |
| Parents/Grandparents (outside Quebec) | 26 months | 36 months |
| Parents/Grandparents (Quebec) | 41 months | 48 months |
Spousal sponsorship in a non-Canadian location has a standard 12-month period but is variable for some family classifications.
Dependent Children
| Location | Current Processing Time | Service Standard |
| Canada | 29 months | N/A |
This is not yet an up-to-date, finalized service standard.
Citizenship Services
| Application Type | Current Processing Time | Previous (July 23, 2025) |
| Citizenship grant | 11 months | 10 months |
| Proof of citizenship certificate | 5 months | 5 months |
Grants should be within the 12-month horizon, with certificates remaining constant. How
How IRCC Estimates Deadlines
IRCC employs two basic strategies:
Historical averages – The time it took to resolve 80% of prior cases.
Estimates for future periods – With current stock applications and anticipated processing.
Upcoming data is released for high-demand streams, including Express Entry, immigration to Quebec, family sponsorship programs, and citizenship. Concurrent with service standards being established, targets that aim to express IRCC’s intentions to process the majority of applications under standard processing conditions, complex files tend to go beyond such targets.
Common Law Admission Test Latest data reveal that although some streams, like in-Canada study permits as well as temporary visitor visas, are picking up speed, others, particularly family sponsorships within Quebec, remain highly hindered.
Applicants who intend to go to Canada to pursue studies, work, or to join their family should utilize these revised schedules to make practical decisions and be ready for eventualities.
