The immigration system in Canada has kept on changing, and the latest processing time update published by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was published on November 6, 2025.
Processing times are the waiting period that individuals have to spend to join their family members, new studies, work arrangements under skilled programs, or get permanent residence/citizenship.
These changes are very essential to the applicants who intend to take the step next time, be it a visa, a permanent citizenship, work permit, study permit, or citizenship.
We have been monitoring such timelines in the past four years, and that has assisted applicants to make sound choices regarding their immigration avenue.
Recently, IRCC has reconfigured its processing tool to display realistic timelines of 80 percent of applications as opposed to set targets which were no longer in line with reality.
Currently, the timeframes of the permanent residence and citizenship are renewed once every month, whereas the processing times of temporary visa, PR card, and permit are renewed on a weekly basis.
One has to keep in mind that the estimates provided by IRCC are not a guarantee.
The processing speed may range extensively depending on the nation of application, background checks, the complexity of the case and the workload that is being carried out by IRCC.
This complete resource will cover the latest processing times of IRCC under all significant categories, compare the latest updates with the previous ones, and discuss why such schedules are becoming more significant than ever in 2025.
Citizenship Processing Times – Updated Monthly
| Application Type | Number of People Waiting | Processing Time as of November 6, 2025 | Change Since October Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship Grant | ~290,700 +7,000 | 13 months | No change |
| Citizenship Certificate* | ~39,000 +3,600 | 9 months | +1 month |
| Resumption of Citizenship | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| Renunciation of Citizenship | Not available | 22 months | +12 months |
| Search of Citizenship Records | Not available | 13 months | No change |
*Delays for citizenship certificates are longer when requested from outside Canada or the United States.
IRCC is currently issuing acknowledgement of receipt letters for citizenship applications submitted around July 28, 2025.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times – Updated Weekly
| Application Type | Processing Time (November 5, 2025) | Change Since October 29 |
|---|---|---|
| New PR Card | 61 days | No change |
| PR Card Renewal | 29 days | -1 day |
Applicants applying for renewals are seeing modest improvements, while new cards are experiencing slightly longer waits.
Family Sponsorship Processing Times – Updated Monthly
| Sponsorship Category | People Waiting | Processing Time as of November 6, 2025 | Change Since October Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse/Common-Law (Outside Canada, non-Quebec) | ~45,200 -700 | 14 months | -1 month |
| Spouse/Common-Law (Outside Canada, Quebec) | ~20,100 -200 | 37 months | -2 months |
| Spouse/Common-Law (Inside Canada, non-Quebec) | ~49,900 +400 | 20 months | -2 months |
| Spouse/Common-Law (Inside Canada, Quebec) | ~12,200 +100 | 37 months | -2 months |
| Parents/Grandparents (non-Quebec) | ~47,100 +5,600 | 42 months | +16 months |
| Parents/Grandparents (Quebec) | ~12,900 +1,100 | 50 months | +6 months |
Family sponsorships continue to be among the longest categories to process, particularly in Quebec, where provincial approval adds another layer of delay.
Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) and Protected Persons in Canada – Updated Monthly
| Category | People Waiting | Processing Time as of November 6, 2025 | Change Since October Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&C Outside Quebec | ~49,300 -100 | More than 10 years | No change |
| H&C In Quebec | ~17,000 +300 | More than 10 years | No change |
| Protected Persons (Outside Quebec) | ~141,300 +4,200 | About 100 months | +1 month |
| Protected Persons (In Quebec) | ~54,900 +1,200 | About 106 months | +2 months |
| Dependents of Protected Persons | Not available | 50 months | No change |
These humanitarian pathways remain among the slowest, with backlogs stretching across several years.
Canadian Passport Processing Times
| Application Type | Current Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|
| New Passport (In-person, Canada) | 10 business days | No change |
| New Passport (Mail, Canada) | 20 business days | No change |
| Urgent Pick-Up | Next business day | No change |
| Express Pick-Up | 2–9 business days | No change |
| Passport Mailed from Outside Canada | 20 business days | No change |
Processing for passports remains stable and predictable, with most requests handled within two to three weeks.
Permanent Residency – Economic Class
| Program | People Waiting | Processing Times as of November 6, 2025 | Change Since October Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | ~19,800 +1,900 | 7 months | +1 month |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | ~24,500 +700 | 6 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| PNP (Express Entry) | ~10,700 -800 | 6 months | -1 month |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | ~96,000 +1,300 | 16 months | No change |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | ~26,400 +1,600 | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~4,100 | 84 months | No change |
| Federal Self-Employed | ~8,500 -100 | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | ~13,300 +200 | 37 months | No change |
| Start-Up Visa | ~43,800 +600 | More than 10 years | No change |
The latest data shows mixed trends. While Express Entry programs remain steady, business immigration and Atlantic programs have experienced massive jumps in processing time.
Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) Processing Times – Updated Weekly
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
| Country | Processing Time (November 6, 2025) | Change Since October 29 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 99 days | +13 days |
| United States | 36 days | -4 days |
| Nigeria | 27 days | -3 days |
| Pakistan | 59 days | +3 days |
| Philippines | 21 days | -3 days |
- Visitor Visa (Inside Canada): 19 days (No change)
- Visitor Extension (Record): 186 days ( +4 days)
Super Visa Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (November 5, 2025) | Change Since October 29 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 169 days | +1 day |
| United States | 58 days | -18 days |
| Nigeria | 50 days | -1 day |
| Pakistan | 200 days | -3 days |
| Philippines | 102 days | +25 days |
Study Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (November 5, 2025) | Change Since October 29 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 4 weeks | -1 week |
| United States | 5 weeks | No change |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks | No change |
| Pakistan | 9 weeks | -1 week |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | No change |
- Study Permit (Inside Canada): 12 weeks ( +1 week)
- Study Permit Extension: 169 days ( +1 day)
Work Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (November 5, 2025) | Change Since October 29 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 10 weeks | No change |
| United States | 4 weeks | No change |
| Nigeria | 9 weeks | -1 week |
| Pakistan | 6 weeks | -2 weeks |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | No change |
- Work Permits From Inside Canada (Initial and Extension): 227 days ( +1 day)
- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program: 15 days ( -44 days)
- International Experience Canada (IEC): 6 weeks (No change)
Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA): Most applicants require 5 minutes although some can require up to 72 hours because of additional screening.
IRCC update of November 2025 is a mixed picture.
Whereas other Express Entry programs such as Federal Skilled Worker Program and Provincial Nominee Program have improved, other programs such as Citizenship, CEC and Super Visa programs have increased their length in the timeline.
Processing capacity, regional backlog, and the increase in immigration volumes have continued to affect the wait times in categories.
Quebec apps are still slower because of provincial and federal coordination.
To prevent unjustified delays, it is important that the applicants check new changes frequently, set time frames realistically, and create full applications.
The immigration applications that are being processed by Canada are still at record levels, and the increasing demand makes it more crucial than ever to keep track of the processing times.
It is also advisable that the applicants keep an eye on the updates and have correct documents ready and implement flexibility in their plans. The recent data indicates that the categories are also stabilizing, although some categories have been experiencing increased delays.
Staying updated will assist the applicants save time, expectations and have a better planning of their future in Canada.