Wait times ease for permanent residence and citizenship applicants
Permanent residence processing times have declined by one to two months for many economic immigration and family sponsorship applicants, according to the immigration department’s July 7 processing times update.
This applies to Canadian Experience Class, base Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and Quebec Business Class (QBC) applicants, as well as Parent and Grandparent (PGP) submissions.
See how competitive your Express Entry profile is
The same holds true for citizenship grant submissions, where wait times have dropped to a four-month low.
Only two applicant groups saw processing times rise in this update: Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and spousal sponsorship applicants outside Quebec—both by one month.
This article looks at how wait time estimates for economic, family sponsorship, and citizenship applications compare to the previous June 8 update.
PR: Economic immigration
Enhanced PNP applicants are the only group to see increased wait times under this category; all other programs or streams either declined or remained the same.
Express Entry
The processing time for Canadian Experience Class applications has been reduced by one month, bringing it within Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC’s) service standard.
| Application type | Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 6 months | 7 months |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 7 months | 7 months |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | N/A* | N/A* |
*IRCC does not publish processing times for FSTP applications, citing “not enough data.”
IRCC service standard: Six months across all Express Entry programs.
Applications in inventory awaiting assessment:
- CEC: 61,500 (+600).
- FSWP: 55,800 (+3,800).
See your eligibility for all Express Entry streams
Provincial Nominee Program
While base PNP applications continued to see improving timelines, enhanced PNP processing times have increased by one month.
| Application type | Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Through Express Entry (enhanced) | 7 months | 6 months |
| Non-Express Entry (base) | 12 months | 13 months |
Service standards: Six months for enhanced PNP applications; 11 months for base PNP applications.
Applications in inventory awaiting assessment:
- Enhanced applications: 12,100 (-1,900).
- Base applications: 103,800 (-6,400).
Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams
Quebec immigration
QBC applicants saw a slight improvement in processing times this month, while Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) applicants saw no change.
| Application type | Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) | 11 months | 11 months |
| Quebec Business Class (QBC) | 75 months | 76 months |
Service standard: Six months for PSTQ applicants, unpublished for QBC applications.
Applications in inventory awaiting assessment:
- PSTQ: 22,200 (-2,600).
- QBC: 3,700 (unchanged).
Learn more about your options for immigrating to Quebec
Atlantic Immigration Program
The latest figures show Atlantic Immigration Program wait times staying flat, even as the department processed 600 applications in one month.
| Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|
| 26 months | 26 months |
Service standard: 11 months.
Applications in inventory awaiting assessment: 12,300 (-600).
Other economic immigration programs
SUV and Self-Employed Persons Program wait times remain at over 10 years, while IRCC’s inventory now includes nearly 1,000 more SUV applications—an increase likely tied to the June 30 application deadline for 2025 commitment certificate holders.
| Application type | Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Start-up visa (SUV) | 10+ years | 10+ years |
| Federal Self-Employed Persons Program | 10+ years | 10+ years |
Service standards are not available for the above programs.
Applications in inventory awaiting assessment:
- Start-up visa: 47,500 (+900).
- Federal Self-Employed Persons Program: 8,000 (-100).
PR: Family sponsorship
Processing times fell for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) in and outside Quebec, but climbed for spousal sponsorship outside Quebec.
Outside Quebec
Wait times continue to increase by one-month for spousal sponsorship applications inside and outside Canada; PGP wait times are now the lowest seen in at least three months.
| Application type | Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada | 27 months | 26 months |
| Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada | 17 months | 16 months |
| Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) | 30 months | 32 months |
Service standard: 12 months for sponsorship of a spousal sponsorship outside Quebec; IRCC does not publish standards for other application types.
Applications in inventory awaiting assessment:
- Partner living in Canada: 56,900 (+1,700).
- Partner living outside Canada: 54,100 (+2,800).
- Parent and Grandparents: 40,400 (-3,100).
Within Quebec
Little changed across Quebec family sponsorship timelines this update, with PGP as the outlier: a two-month decrease pushed it to a three-month low.
| Application type | Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse or common-law partner living inside Canada | 32 months | 32 months |
| Spouse or common-law partner living outside Canada | 33 months | 33 months |
| Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) | 65 months | 67 months |
IRCC does not provide published service standards for those intending to settle within Quebec.
Applications in inventory awaiting assessment:
- Partner living in Canada: 13,700 (+1,600).
- Partner living outside Canada: 18,600 (unchanged).
- Parent and Grandparents: 10,500 (-500).
Sponsor your family for Canadian immigration
Citizenship
Citizenship processing times were steady across the board, aside from grant submissions, which fell to their lowest level since April 2026.
| Application type | Current (July 7) | Previous (June 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | 12 months | 13 months |
| Renunciation of citizenship | 7 months | 7 months |
| Search of citizenship records | 17 months | 17 months |
Service standard (grants): 12 months.
IRCC’s citizenship grant inventory now sits at 326,200 applications (-200).
Schedule a Free Canadian Citizenship Consultation
How processing times and service standards differ
Although both relate to application timelines, processing times and service standards are two separate measures.
Processing times are intended to give applicants an estimated timeline for how long any given application type may take to process.
They are intended as general guidance only and do not guarantee when an application will be finalized. Actual processing times may differ depending on factors such as the complexity of the file, whether the application is complete, and whether IRCC needs to request additional documents, information, or clarification.
IRCC uses two kinds of processing estimates:
- Historical estimates: based on how long it took IRCC to finalize 80% of similar applications in the past.
- Forward-looking estimates: based on IRCC’s current application inventory and expected processing capacity.
By contrast, service standards are internal targets that reflect how quickly IRCC aims to process certain application types under normal operating conditions. Generally, IRCC seeks to finalize roughly 80% of applications within the relevant service standard.
While processing times are updated on a weekly or monthly basis, depending on the application type, service standards are revised far less often.
- Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
- Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
