IRCC processing times in January 2026: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the last to release its current processing time as of January 14, 2026, in the largest of the application categories.
Such estimates are grounded on actual timelines that are experienced by 80 percent of applicants compared to the older target-based approach which may not have recorded real waits.
Categories of permanent residency and citizenship are renewed every month and the temporary resident applications (visitor visas, work permits, study permits) and PR cards are renewed every week.
The processing time may vary with cases because of security checks, country of application, completeness of documents, background checks and capacity of IRCC.
The following is the full, category-by-category list of all processing time included in the January 2026 update, even those with no change.
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
IRCC is also starting to provide acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) to applications submitted until October 6, 2025, to citizenship.
| Application type | People waiting (change) | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) | Change Since December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | ~305,400 (+8,400) |
13 months | No change |
| Citizenship certificate* | ~42,400 (+2,000) |
10 months | +1 month |
| Resumption of citizenship | Not available | Not available | No change |
| Renunciation of citizenship | Not available | 11 months | No change |
| Search of citizenship records | Not available | 13 months | No change |
Applicants who are not part of Canada or the United States may take more time to be processed.
What this means in practice:
- Citizenship grants remain steady at 13 months.
- Citizenship certificates lengthened to 10 months, which can matter for people needing proof of citizenship for passports, benefits, or travel.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times (Updated weekly)
| Application type | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) | Processing time (Dec 31, 2025) | Change Since December 31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New PR card | 59 days | 55 days | +4 days |
| PR card renewal | 35 days | 34 days | +1 day |
Key takeaway:
Both new cards and renewals got slightly slower, with the larger increase on new PR cards.
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
| Category | People waiting (change) | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) | Change Since December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~45,700 (+500) | 14 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (Quebec) | ~19,300 (-100) | 35 months | -1 month |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~52,100 (+1,500) | 21 months | +1 month |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (Quebec) | ~12,000 (-200) | 36 months | No change |
| Parents/grandparents (non-Quebec) | ~50,300 (-1,300) | 37 months | -3 months |
| Parents/grandparents (Quebec) | ~12,400 (-200) | 48 months | -1 month |
Why Quebec is slower:
Quebec sponsorship files require an additional provincial approval layer, adding time on top of federal processing.
Humanitarian and Compassionate And Protected Persons (Updated monthly)
| Category | People waiting (change) | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) | Change Since December |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&C outside Quebec | ~48,900 (+800) | More than 10 years | No change |
| H&C in Quebec | ~17,800 (+200) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Protected persons outside Quebec | ~95,900 (-49,700) | About 17 months | -86 months |
| Protected persons in Quebec | ~36,300 (-19,600) | About 110 months | +2 months |
| Dependents of protected persons outside Quebec | 54,100 | About 35 months | -16 months |
| Dependents of protected persons in Quebec | About 20,400 | About 118 months | Not available |
Important context:
- H&C remains among the longest waits in the entire system at “more than 10 years” (both in and outside Quebec).
- Protected persons (outside Quebec) shows a dramatic improvement in the estimate (to about 17 months), while Quebec estimates remain exceptionally lengthy.
Canadian Passport Processing Times
| Application type | Current processing time | Change Since December |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Key takeaway:
Passport processing is stable and remains one of the most predictable services.
Permanent Residency Processing Times Under Economic Class (Updated monthly)
| Category | People waiting (change) | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) | Change Since December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | ~25,400 (+3,700) | 6 months | -1 month |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | ~34,600 (+7,00) | 7 months | +1 month |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| PNP (Express Entry) | ~10,800 (+600) | 7 months | +1 month |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | ~102,600 (+4,100) | 13 months | -3 months |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | ~26,700 (+500) | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~4,000 (-100) | 79 months | -5 months |
| Federal Self-Employed | ~8,200 (-300) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | ~13,600 (+200) | 33 months | -4 months |
| Start-Up Visa | ~45,200 (+800) | More than 10 years | No change |
Key takeaways:
- CEC improved to 6 months.
- FSWP and Express Entry PNP both increased to 7 months.
- Non-Express Entry PNP improved to 13 months, but volumes remain high.
- AIP remains heavily delayed at 33 months despite improvement.
- Start-Up Visa and Self-Employed remain “more than 10 years.”
Temporary Visa Processing Times (Updated weekly)
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
| Country | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) | Change Since December 31 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 99 days | +18 days |
| United States | 27 days | +2 days |
| Nigeria | 36 days | +5 days |
| Pakistan | 57 days | -18 days |
| Philippines | 17 days | No change |
Additional visitor timelines:
- Visitor visa inside Canada: 17 days (+3 days since Dec 31)
- Visitor record extension: 153 days (-20 days since Dec 31)
Super Visa Processing Times
| Country | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) | Change Since December 31 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 206 days | +9 days |
| United States | 93 days | +16 days |
| Nigeria | 41 days | +3 days |
| Pakistan | 133 days | -45 days |
| Philippines | 112 days | -5 days |
Study Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) |
Change Since December 31 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 3 weeks | No change |
| United States | 6 weeks | No change |
| Nigeria | 6 weeks | +1 week |
| Pakistan | 5 weeks | No change |
| Philippines | 4 weeks | No change |
Additional study timelines:
- Study permit inside Canada: 7 weeks (no change since Dec 31)
- Study permit extension: 115 days (-4 days since Dec 31)
Work Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing time (Jan 14, 2026) |
Change Since December 31 |
|---|---|---|
| India | 9 weeks | No change |
| United States | 7 weeks | -2 weeks |
| Nigeria | 11 weeks | +2 weeks |
| Pakistan | 13 weeks | +1 week |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | +1 week |
Additional work timelines:
- Work permits inside Canada: 220 days (+10 days since Dec 31)
- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program: 10 days (+1 day since Dec 31)
- International Experience Canada (IEC): 7 weeks (+1 week since Dec 31)
- Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): 5 minutes for most applicants; up to 72 hours for additional screening
Why These Processing Times Can Change Quickly In 2026
Although no one can manage the workloads at IRCC, applicants can minimize avoidable delays by:
- surges in application volumes in specific streams or countries
- staffing and resource reallocation inside IRCC
- security screening intensity and verification workloads
- policy-driven intake changes (caps, pauses, special measures)
- application quality, including missing documents or unclear proof
How Applicants Can Reduce The Risk Of Delays
While no one can control IRCC workloads, applicants can reduce preventable slowdowns by:
- submitting complete documentation from day one (including translations where required)
- avoiding gaps in employment, travel history, or address history without explanation
- double-checking forms for consistency across names, dates, and supporting evidence
- preparing for additional document requests by keeping updated proof ready
- monitoring updates weekly or monthly depending on the application type
The January 14, 2026 process time update indicates that there is a system that is moving in different directions simultaneously.
There were improvements in some programs (CEC, Non-Express Entry PNP, AIP, and some parts of the process of protected persons outside Quebec), and extensions of others (citizenship certificates, new PR cards, in-Canada work permits, some visitor and Super Visa timelines).
Provided that in 2026 your plans rely on a permit, visa, PR decision, PR card, and citizenship outcome, add buffers to your schedule, provide full documentation, and monitor the progress according to your category.