IRCC’s January processing sees wait times decline for multiple programs including CEC, AIP, and Super Visa
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its processing times for permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship applications—and wait times have declined for many.
Most notably, wait time for Atlantic Immigration Program submissions has finally decreased (by four months), and Parent and Grandparent Program applications (to settle outside Quebec) saw a three-month drop in processing time.
On the other hand, Provincial Nominee Program (non-Express Entry) and dependent child sponsorship (within Canada) have increased by three months, and work permit processing times have spiked.
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This article examines the changes in processing times across different application types since the previous processing times update on December 12, 2025.
The majority of processing time approximations are based on how long a new application would take to be processed if filed on the day an applicant checks IRCC’s latest processing data.
The number of applications in queue for processing will be shared for each application type, with data available.
Permanent residence applications
Express Entry
Despite the 11,000 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued across IRCC’s two December 2025 Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws, application processing times for this Express Entry program have decreased.
| Application type | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 6 months | 7 months |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 7 months | 6 months |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | N/A* | N/A* |
*Due to “not enough data,” IRCC has not published processing times for the FSTP for many months now.
Service standards: Six months across all Express Entry programs.
Total number of people waiting for a decision on their application:
- CEC: 25,400.
- FSWP: 34,600.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The processing time for base PNP applications has finally decreased, after plateauing at 16 months since November 2025.
| Application type | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Through Express Entry (enhanced) | 7 months | 6 months |
| Non-Express Entry (base) | 13 months | 16 months |
Service standards: Six months for enhanced PNP applications; 11 months for base PNP applications.
Total number of people waiting for a decision on their application:
- Enhanced applications: 10,800.
- Base applications: 102,600.
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Quebec Immigration
| Stream | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) | 11 months | 11 months |
Processing times for Quebec’s PSTQ remain unchanged, as the province hasn’t held an invitation round since December 4, 2025.
Service standard: Six months.
Total number of people waiting for a decision on their application: 26,700.
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Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
The processing time for AIP applications has finally dropped (by four months) after stagnating at a 37-month processing time since October 27, 2025.
| Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|
| 33 months | 37 months |
Service standard: 11 months.
Total number of people waiting for a decision on their application: 13,600.
Family sponsorship
While family sponsorship applications still face long waits, Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) applications have seen the biggest decrease in wait time (by three months, for those to reside outside Quebec).
| Application type | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada | 21 months (intending to reside outside Quebec) 36 months (intending to reside in Quebec) | 20 months (intending to reside outside Quebec) 36 months (intending to reside in Quebec) |
| Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada | 14 months (intending to reside outside Quebec) 35 months (intending to reside in Quebec) | 14 months (intending to reside outside Quebec) 36 months (intending to reside in Quebec) |
| Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) | 37 months (intending to reside outside Quebec) 48 months (intending to reside in Quebec) | 40 months (intending to reside outside Quebec) 49 months (intending to reside in Quebec) |
Service standards: 12 months for sponsorship of a spouse or common-law partner living outside Quebec. Service standards for other application types mentioned above are not public.
Total number of people waiting for a decision on their application:
- Partner living in Canada, intending to reside outside Quebec: 52,100.
- Partner living in Canada, intending to reside in Quebec: 12,000.
- Partner living outside Canada, intending to reside outside Quebec: 45,700.
- Partner living outside Canada, intending to reside in Quebec: 19,300.
- PGP, intending to reside outside Quebec: 50,300.
- PGP, intending to reside in Quebec: 12,400.
Dependent child sponsorship
Within Canada
Processing time for sponsorship of a dependent child from within Canada continues to climb, now sitting at over one and a half years.
| Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|
| 19 months | 17 months |
Service standard: Not published by IRCC.
Outside Canada
For submissions from outside Canada, processing times have either increased significantly or remained the same.
| Applying from: | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 16 months | 12 months |
| Nigeria | 20 months | 20 months |
Service standard: 12 months.
Processing data for Pakistan and the US (countries featured throughout this article) are not available for comparative analysis.
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Temporary residence applications
Visitor visas
Most countries examined have seen processing times for visitor visas decline—with the most substantial decrease seen for submissions from Pakistan.
| Applying from: | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 17 days | 17 days |
| India | 99 days | 117 days |
| Pakistan | 57 days | 86 days |
| Nigeria | 36 days | 27 days |
| United States | 27 days | 31 days |
Service standard: 14 days for applications submitted from outside Canada. Applications submitted from within Canada are not published by IRCC.
Work permits
India is the only country featured that saw a decrease in work permit processing time (of one week), while most others experienced increases.
| Applying from: | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 220 days | 218 days |
| India | 9 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Pakistan | 13 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Nigeria | 11 weeks | 8 weeks |
| United States | 7 weeks | 7 weeks |
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Service standard: In-Canada submissions (initial permits and extensions) have a 120-day service standard. For applications submitted outside Canada, it’s 60 days—excluding International Experience Canada (IEC) permits (56-day standard).
IRCC is currently prioritizing the processing of certain healthcare and agriculture and agri-food occupations deemed to “perform or support essential services."
Study permits
Wait times have decreased for study permit submissions made from within Canada and India.
| Applying from: | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 7 weeks | 8 weeks |
| India | 3 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Pakistan | 5 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Nigeria | 6 weeks | 5 weeks |
| United States | 6 weeks | 5 weeks |
Service standard: For in-Canada applications (initial permits and extensions), its 120 days; for submissions from outside Canada, the service standard is 60 days.
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Super Visas
A notable decrease (over two months) in processing time can be seen for Super Visa submissions from Pakistan.
| Applying from: | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 206 days | 182 days |
| Pakistan | 133 days | 198 days |
| Nigeria | 41 days | 46 days |
| United States | 93 days | 42 days |
Service standard: 112 days.
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Citizenship
Processing time for citizenship certificates has increased since last month—likely attributable to the passing of Bill C-3 on December 13, 2025, resulting in an influx of applications.
| Application type | Current processing time | Processing time as of December 12, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | 13 months | 13 months |
| Citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) | 10 months | 9 months |
Service standards: 12 months for citizenship grant applications. IRCC does not release service standards for citizenship certificates.
Total number of people waiting for a decision on their application:
- Citizenship grant: 305,400.
- Citizenship certificate: 42,400.
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Processing times and service standards
Processing times
IRCC’s posted processing times represent the estimated length of time required to finalize a newly submitted application, based on submissions received today.
Processing begins when IRCC receives the application and concludes once a final decision is issued. For paper applications, this date corresponds to when the package arrives at IRCC’s mailroom, while online and in-person submissions are time-stamped at the moment they are successfully submitted.
Several factors can influence how long processing takes, including how easy it is for IRCC to review the information provided and how quickly applicants respond to requests for more details.
Processing estimates are calculated using historical processing data, as well as the number of applications currently awaiting processing in IRCC’s application inventory.
Historical processing times reflect IRCC’s past processing performance, indicating the duration needed to complete 80% of applications. These values are refreshed every week to provide an up-to-date picture.
Forward-looking processing times estimate future timelines using IRCC’s current inventory, factoring in both pending applications and the number of applications expected to be finalized each month.
Which application types utilize forward-looking processing times?
Only the following application types utilize forward-looking processing times:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC);
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP);
- Provincial Nominee Program (base and enhanced);
- Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ);
- Spouse or Common-Law Partner (living within and outside Canada);
- Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP);
- Citizenship grants; and
- Citizenship certificates.
Service standards
Service standards serve as internal performance goals for IRCC’s processing of various application types.
They represent the target time frame for completing most applications—approximately 80%.
The remaining 20% of applications may extend beyond these targets because of complexity or unusual circumstances.
Some application types have no defined service standards, and unlike processing times, these are not updated routinely.
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