The immigration system of Canada is still developing and recently, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently published its most current processing times as of October 1, 2025.
With these updates, there are crucial changes that applicants need to know when determining their route to Canada, be it in visa, permanent residency, work permit, study permit, and citizenship.
So in this guide, you will see the latest IRCC processing times in all major categories of immigration, a comparison with previous processing times, and what makes them even more important than ever in 2025.
Why Tracking IRCC Processing Times Matters
IRCC processing times are more than just numbers—they determine how long applicants wait to:
Reunite with family in Canada.
Begin studies at Canadian universities.
Start work under skilled programs.
Secure permanent residency or citizenship.
We (INC – Immigration News Canada) have been keeping up with these changes since 2021 and have always provided the right timelines to guide our applicants to make the right choice.
In 2022, IRCC revamp its online processing tool to give realistic estimated timelines on 80% of cases processed rather than old static service standards.
This fact-based system will make sure that the applicants have a better idea of what they should anticipate.
Permanent residency and citizenship applications are updated monthly, temporary visas and PR cards are updated on a weekly basis.
Important: Processing time is not guaranteed, but estimated. Cases may take shorter or longer durations than the posted timelines due to individual circumstances e.g. background checks, country of application and the capacity of IRCC to handle them.
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
As of October 1, 2025:
| Application Type | Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change Since Last Update |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship Grant | 13 months |  Increased by 2 months |
| Citizenship Certificate* | 7 months | Increased by 2 months |
| Resumption of Citizenship | Not enough data | No change |
| Renunciation of Citizenship | 10 months | No change |
| Search of Citizenship Records | 13 months | No change |
*Delays for citizenship certificates may occur when requested from outside Canada or the U.S.
Latest update: IRCC is currently issuing Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) letters for applications submitted around July 21, 2025.
Permanent Resident Card (Updated Weekly)
| Application Type | Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change since last update |
|---|---|---|
| New PR Card | 56 days | Increased by 10 days |
| PR Card Renewal | 32 days |  Reduced by 1 day |
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
| Sponsorship Category | Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change since last update |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse/Common-Law (Outside Canada, non-Quebec) | 15 months | No change |
| Spouse/Common-Law (Outside Canada, Quebec) | 41 months | No change |
| Spouse/Common-Law (Inside Canada, non-Quebec) | 24 months | Increased by 1 month |
| Spouse/Common-Law (Inside Canada, Quebec) | 37 months | Reduced by 1 month |
| Parents/Grandparents (non-Quebec) | 26 months | No change |
| Parents/Grandparents (Quebec) | 44 months | No change |
Key insight: Quebec’s family sponsorship applications generally take longer due to additional provincial requirements.
Canadian Passport Processing Times
| Application Type | Current Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|
| In-Canada New Passport (In-Person, Regular) | 10 business days | No change |
| In-Canada New Passport (Mail, Regular) | 20 business days | No change |
| Urgent Pick-Up | End of next business day | No change |
| Express Pick-Up | 2 to 9 business days | No change |
| Passport Mailed from Outside Canada | 20 business days | No change |
Permanent Residency Economic Class (Updated Monthly)
| Program | Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change since last update |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 6 months | Increased by 1 month |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 5 months | Reduced by 1 month |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not enough data | No change |
| Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry) | 7 months | Reduced by 1 month |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | 19 months | No change |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | Not enough data | No change |
| Federal Self-Employed | 61 months | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | 13 months | No change |
| Start-Up Visa | 53 months | No change |
Temporary Resident Visa Processing Times (Updated Weekly)
Visitor Visas from Outside Canada
| Country | Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change since last update |
|---|---|---|
| India | 75 days | +2 days |
| United States | 23 days | -5 days |
| Nigeria | 28 days | No change |
| Pakistan | 46 days | +1 day |
| Philippines | 18 days | No change |
Other categories:
Visitor Visa (Inside Canada): 15 days (No change)
Visitor Record (Extension): 165 days (No change)
Super Visa Processing
| Country | Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change since last update |
|---|---|---|
| India | 153 days | +10 days |
| United States | 78 days | +4 days |
| Nigeria | 52 days | +1 day |
| Pakistan | 151 days | +18 days |
| Philippines | 68 days | +2 days |
Study Permits
| Country | Current Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change since last update |
|---|---|---|
| India | 4 weeks | No change |
| United States | 10 weeks | No change |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks | No change |
| Pakistan | 9 weeks | No Change |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | No Change |
Study Permit from inside Canada: 6 weeks (⬇ Reduced by 1 week)
Study Permit Extension: 171 days (⬆ +2 days)
Work Permits
| Country | Current Processing Time (October 1, 2025) | Change since last update |
|---|---|---|
| India | 8 weeks | Reduced by 1 week |
| United States | 3 weeks | No Change |
| Nigeria | 11 weeks | Reduced by 1 week |
| Pakistan | 12 weeks | +1 week |
| Philippines | 7 weeks | +1 week |
Work permits from inside Canada (Initial & Extension): 196 days (⬆ +4 days)
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program: 70 days (⬆ +2 days)
International Experience Canada (IEC): 5 weeks (No change)
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
5 minutes approval in most cases.
Some applicants may face additional checks taking up to 72 hours.
The update of October 2025 indicates that although some programs such as the Federal Skilled Worker Program and PNP Express Entry have become better, other programs such as Citizenship applications, CEC and Super Visa timelines have become longer.
As Canada still receives immigrants in record numbers, processing capacity, volume of applications and regional variations (particularly in Quebec) will continue to be significant determinants of wait times.
To the applicants, it is imperative to understand such changes in order to plan on traveling, working, studying, or reuniting with their family.
To avoid such delays and unrealistic expectations, it is always better to keep in touch with the current IRCC processing times.