Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its latest update as of May 12, 2026, and the stats show some of the largest changes so far in the year.
The processing time for inland work permits fell by 41 days, which means that it is now 29 days shorter than the January 28 figure.
Timelines for super visas have fallen dramatically for all countries, including the United States where the decline since January totals 84 days.
However, there has been an increase of over 14,000 applications for citizenship certificates in one month, visitor record extension timelines are creeping towards one year, and the FSWP queue is expanding rapidly.
The May 2026 processing times update from the IRCC for all streams – from citizenship and permanent residence to humanitarian categories, family sponsorship, and temporary visas.
The estimates provided by the IRCC are calculated using the results achieved by applicants and indicate the range between which 80% of applicants have received their decisions.
Monthly categories such as citizenship and permanent residence were updated on May 12th, whereas the weekly categories, including visitor visa, study permit, work permit, and PR card, were updated on May 6th and will be updated again on May 13th or 14th.
It should be noted that individual cases may differ due to the level of security screening, country of origin, completeness of documentation, and IRCC’s own capacity.
Further below is the full breakdown of all categories and processing times from the May 2026 update.
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
The citizenship section presents a mixed trend for the May 2026 update.
Granting of citizenship increased to 13 months compared to an estimate of 12 months reported during April. The backlog increased by 7,900 to roughly 321,100 individuals.
| Application Type | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | ~321,100 (+7,900) | 13 months | +1 month |
| Citizenship certificate* | ~70,400 (+14,100) | 12 months | +2 months |
| Resumption of citizenship | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| Renunciation of citizenship | Not available | 7 months | -3 months |
| Search of citizenship records | Not available | 17 months | No change |
As of now, IRCC is issuing receipt notices for applications for granting of citizenship that have been received around December 19, 2025.
Processing of Citizenship certificates presented the worst performance among all sections in the monthly report.
The estimate was up by two months to 12 months, and the backlog went up by 14,100 to about 70,400 people.
The increase in backlog in just one reporting period is highly unusual and points towards a massive inflow that IRCC is unable to process.
Search of citizenship records remained unchanged at 17 months. Resumption of citizenship lacks data to give a meaningful estimate.
* Individuals applying outside of Canada and the United States can expect higher waiting times.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times (Updated weekly)
The processing of PR cards remains among the best-performing processes within the IRCC and has sped up even more in the May release.
Fresh PR cards are now being issued in roughly 42 days, which is two days less compared to the previous week, nine days less compared to March 31, and an impressive 20 days lower compared to January 21.
| Application Type | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated on May 13 or 14 |
Change Since Last Week | Change Since March 31 | Change Since January 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New PR card | 42 days | -2 days | -9 days | -20 days |
| PR card renewal | 28 days | No change | +1 day | -3 days |
For PR card renewals, it takes 28 days, which is unchanged from last week, one day higher compared to March 31, and three days less than January 21.
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
The family class for May 2026 exhibits a gentle upward pressure on the spousal streams and steady progress for parents and grandparents.
Spousal sponsorship outside Quebec to non-Quebec destinations saw an increase of one month, bringing the processing time to 16 months. There was an increase of 2,100 in the queue to bring it to approximately 51,300.
Outside Quebec spousal sponsorship processing time remained unchanged from April at 32 months, while being three months shorter than in March. The queue fell by 100, landing around 18,600.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~51,300 (+2,100) | 16 months | +1 month |
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (Quebec) | ~18,600 (-100) | 32 months | No change, but -3 months since March 2026 |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~55,200 (+1,300) | 25 months | +1 month |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (Quebec) | ~13,100 (+400) | 31 months | No change |
| Parents/grandparents (non-Quebec) | ~43,500 (-1,400) | 33 months | -1 month |
| Parents/grandparents (Quebec) | ~11,000 (-200) | 66 months | -1 month |
Within Canada, non-Quebec spousal sponsorship gained one month to stand at 25 months. The queue went up by 1,300, totaling approximately 55,200.
In Canada, Quebec sponsorship remains unchanged at 31 months, while the queue increased by 400 to approximately 13,100.
Sponsorship of parents and grandparents in non-Quebec cases was extended by one month to 33 months, while the queue decreased by 1,400 to approximately 43,500.
The decrease in the queue and the processing time suggest that IRCC is making some progress in this stream.
In Quebec, parents’ and grandparents’ sponsorship fell by one month to 66 months, while the queue reduced by 200 to approximately 11,000.
Although the reduction by one month is encouraging, the processing period of 66 months is still extraordinarily high compared to other streams of sponsorship.
Humanitarian and Compassionate And Protected Persons (Updated monthly)
This category still remains the greatest bottleneck in Canada’s immigration process.
Both non-Quebec and Quebec H&C cases remain stuck for over 10 years.
The non-Quebec H&C queue has increased by 1,200 applicants to be 53,000 in total. In addition, the Quebec H&C queue has gone up by 400 applicants reaching 19,100.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&C outside Quebec | ~53,000 (+1,200) | More than 10 years | No change |
| H&C in Quebec | ~19,100 (+400) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Protected persons inside Canada (outside Quebec) | ~104,300 (+600) | About 15 months | -1 month |
| Protected persons inside Canada (in Quebec) | ~39,100 (+1,100) | About 117 months | +3 months |
| Dependents of protected persons (outside Quebec) | ~59,200 (+1,100) | About 32 months | No change |
| Dependents of protected persons (in Quebec) | ~21,400 (+200) | More than 10 years | No change |
For protected persons outside Quebec, the processing times have improved by a month reaching 15 months. Moreover, the queue size was increased by 600 to reach 104,300.
As for Quebec, there is an additional three-month delay with processing time of about 117 months. The queue size is also increasing by 1,100 reaching about 39,100.
Regarding dependents of protected persons who live outside of Quebec, their processing period still stands at 32 months with no improvements. However, the queue size has grown by 1,100 reaching 59,200.
Finally, the dependants of Quebec protected persons still remain stuck at 10 years with about 21,400 people
Canadian Passport Processing Times
The passport service is once again displaying its record of flawless reliability. The timing on each of these timelines is exactly the same as what IRCC has been stating for many months.
For in-person passport applications done through Service Canada locations, the waiting time is ten business days. Mail-in applications from within Canada require twenty business days.
For urgent pickup service, the waiting period is just one business day. For express pickup service, the waiting time is two to nine business days.
Mail-in applications from outside Canada require twenty business days.
| 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 pickup | Next business day | No change |
| Express pickup | 2–9 business days | No change |
| Passport mailed from outside Canada | 20 business days | No change |
Important note: Passport services are the most reliable part of the IRCC operation.
Permanent Residency Processing Times (Updated monthly)
The economic immigration streams for Canada have seen a build-up in the queues for many programs in May 2026 even though most processing times have remained static.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) stayed constant at seven months without any changes. However, the queue saw an addition of 6,300 applicants pushing the total number to around 60,900.
This is a significant monthly increase, which shows sustained pressure in the queue and will eventually lead to increased processing times if the rate stays at a similar pace.
However, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) saw its processing times increase by one month to become seven months.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | ~60,900 (+6,300) | 7 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | ~52,000 (+7,900) | 7 months | +1 month |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| PNP (Express Entry) | ~14,000 (+300) | 7 months | No change |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | ~110,200 (+2,100) | 14 months | +1 month |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | ~24,800 (-900) | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~3,700 (-100) | 78 months | No change |
| Federal Self-Employed | ~8,100 (No change) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | ~12,900 (-300) | 38 months | +7 months |
| Startup Up Visa | ~46,600 (+400) | More than 10 years | No change |
The queue witnessed a rise of 7,900 to around 52,000 applicants, which was the highest monthly increase this year.
Applications for Express Entry PNP program continue to be seven months, with 14,000 in backlog, an increase of 300.
For the Non-Express Entry PNP program, it took 14 months, increasing by one month compared to last month’s 13 months, while the backlog also saw an increase of 2,100 to reach 110,200.
The processing time for Quebec Skilled Workers remained at 11 months, but the backlog shrank by 900 to reach 24,800. Meanwhile, Quebec Business Class continued to take 78 months, remaining unchanged.
On the other hand, for the Atlantic Immigration Program, the time taken continues to be 38 months, registering a change of +7 months from April. The backlog has reduced by 300 to around 12,900.
The Federal Self-Employed and Start-Up visas both remain beyond 10 years with no movement.
Temporary Visa Processing Times (Updated weekly)
May 2026’s temporary visa scenario has some of the most important weekly changes of the whole year.
It is due to the fact that the figures are updated weekly instead of monthly. The figures presented below have been updated as of May 6, 2026.
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
Timelines for visitors visas remain quite constant across most countries this week with some fluctuations.
Applicants from India are maintaining their current status with 27 days unchanged for this week. They remain 55 days lower than the previous week that ended on January 28.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 |
Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 27 days | No change | -55 days |
| United States | 22 days | No change | -3 days |
| Nigeria | 47 days | +2 days | +7 days |
| Pakistan | 50 days | +2 days | -6 days |
| Philippines | 18 days | +1 day | +2 days |
It has been the greatest number of days saved for any visa category since late January this year. Visa applications from the US are unchanged with applicants taking 22 days, three days fewer than January 28.
Applications by Nigerians have increased by 2 days to 47 days but still maintain a seven-day lead on those filed in late January. The number of days taken by Pakistanis in their visa applications has also increased by two days to 50 days.
Visitors Inland applications take 11 days, which is the same as the previous week but 3 days less than on December 31, 2025.
Urgent information: Record extensions for visitors have risen to 308 days, an increase of 2 days since last week and a huge 147 days more than on January 28, 2026.
This type of application has now gone beyond the 10-month point and is rising with no signs of abatement.
Those intending to extend their visitor record must apply promptly in order to maintain implied status pending adjudication by IRCC.
Super Visa Processing Times
Super Visa Processing is the clear winner for the May 2026 Temporary Visa revision.
All monitored countries except Pakistan have improved on a weekly basis, while the long-term performance metrics are even more astounding.
Indians take 160 days, 8 fewer than the previous week and 54 fewer than the January 28th benchmark.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 |
Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 160 days | -8 days | -54 days |
| United States | 103 days | -12 days | -84 days |
| Nigeria | 35 days | -2 days | -3 days |
| Pakistan | 107 days | +5 days | -17 days |
| Philippines | 32 days | -2 days | -77 days |
The United States’ super visa processing time has tumbled 12 days to 103 days, an astonishing 84 days below its January level.
Nigerians boast the quickest super visa processing time of 35 days, 2 days faster than last week and 3 days faster than late January.
Pakistan has increased by 5 days to 107 days, although this still leaves it 17 days behind the January baseline.
Filipinos must wait only 32 days, which is 2 days fewer than last week and 77 days fewer than the category’s start-of-year benchmark.
Study Permit Processing Times
There has been some variation regarding the processing time for study permits in a number of countries, with a handful showing an increase while some remain stable.
The processing time for Indian applicants rose to 4 weeks, which remains unchanged from the January average.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 |
Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 4 weeks | +1 week | No change |
| United States | 5 weeks | -1 week | -3 weeks |
| Nigeria | 5 weeks | No change | No change |
| Pakistan | 11 weeks | +2 weeks | +7 weeks |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | +1 week | No change |
The processing time for American applicants increased to 5 weeks, 3 weeks down from late January. Processing times for Nigerian study permits continue to be stable at 5 weeks, without any variation.
The processing time for Pakistan increased to 11 weeks, 7 weeks higher than the January average. The processing time for Philippine applicants is now 5 weeks, the same as it was in January.
Inland study permit applications have a processing time of 6 weeks, which is 2 weeks shorter than the previous processing time. Study permit extension applications stand at 83 days, which is 3 days less than last week but 21 days lower than January 28, 2026.
Work Permit Processing Times
The work permit section provides one of the more optimistic pieces of information in the entire May report.
Indian applicants continue to be at 9 weeks without any changes from week-to-week, 1 week ahead of the January benchmark.
Processing for American citizens declined 1 week to 5 weeks, which is 5 weeks behind where it was late January.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 |
Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 9 weeks | No change | +1 week |
| United States | 5 weeks | -1 week | -5 weeks |
| Nigeria | 6 weeks | -1 week | -3 weeks |
| Pakistan | 8 weeks | No change | -12 weeks |
| Philippines | 8 weeks | +1 week | +2 weeks |
Work permits for Nigeria decreased 1 week to 6 weeks, 3 weeks lower than the January figure.
Pakistan continues to be at 8 weeks without any changes, 12 weeks lower than the January benchmark.
A decrease of 12 weeks below the January benchmark is the most substantial improvement among all countries under work permits.
Philippine applicants gained 1 week to 8 weeks, which is 2 weeks higher than January.
Major Development: Inland work permit processing times, including renewals, now stand at 212 days, 5 days less than last week, 41 days lower than March 31, and 29 days less than January 28, 2026.
While the number is still 2 days higher than December 31, 2025, the consistent drop throughout April marks the most important turnaround seen this year.
The consistent drop throughout April marks an important turnaround in this category.
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program continues to operate efficiently, coming in at 7 days without any change week-over-week but 3 days faster than on December 31st.
International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits clock in at 5 weeks, marking no difference week-over-week but 2 weeks more than March 31 and 1 week less than December 31, 2025.
eTA approval notifications still occur within about five minutes for most applicants, while those needing additional scrutiny may face up to 72 hours.
May 2026 processing times at IRCC reflect a system making significant progress on many fronts.
Processing for inland work permits, super visa applications, Pakistan work permits, and PR card applications all continue trending lower, with Pakistan work permits currently running 12 weeks quicker than their January levels.
However, there are notable exceptions. The citizenship certificate queue jumped by more than 14,000 applications in just one month, with visitor record extension processing times surpassing 300 days. Processing times for the FSWP and CEC programs are rising sharply, along with spousal sponsorship outside and within Canada for non-Quebec applicants.
Individuals applying to IRCC should always apply well in advance, provide all necessary documentation, and monitor their portal accounts regularly to ensure they can respond to any requests that might increase their processing time.