The latest numbers on IRCC processing times were announced on August 10, 2026, and the key metric is quite eye-opening.
The processing time for citizenship certificates is now at 25 months, an increase of six months in one single reporting cycle, while the number of applications increased by 22,300, totaling about 121,800 people.
In March 2026, the number was at only three months, so processing time for this category added 22 months in a matter of five months.
In contrast to the first case, the Federal Skilled Worker Program managed to improve and got a six-month processing time for the first time this year, while the CEC queue decreased by 1,800 applications but the processing time remained the same at six months.
The most worrisome turn of events in the weekly report is that visitor record extensions processing time reached 316 days, which is an increase of 112 days since the previous update (July 23) and 165 days compared to January 28.
IRCC uses real applicant experience to calculate the processing times and reports the window during which 80% of applications are decided.
Citizenship, permanent residence, and family sponsorship are among the monthly processing categories that have been updated on August 10.
Visitor visas, study permits, work permits, and PR cards are among the weekly processing categories that have been last updated on August 5 and will be updated again on August 12.
The data on August has come at a time when Canada has had a busy immigration month, especially with the opening of the Ontario Workforce Priority Stream on August 4 and a new batch of Express Entry draws.
Incomplete documentation is among the top refusal grounds for many of the immigration processing categories.
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
| Application Type | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | ~328,200 (+2,000) | 12 months | No change |
| Citizenship certificate* | ~121,800 (+22,300) | 25 months | +6 months |
| Resumption of citizenship | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| Renunciation of citizenship | Not available | 4 months | -3 months |
| Search of citizenship records | Not available | 17 months | No change |
IRCC is currently sending acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) notices for citizenship applications that were submitted on or around March 19, 2026.
* Applicants residing outside Canada or the United States may face longer processing windows.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times (Updated weekly)
| Application Type | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New PR card | 41 days | No change | -21 days |
| PR card renewal | 42 days | +2 days | +11 days |
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~58,000 (+3,900) | 17 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (Quebec) | ~19,000 (+400) | 33 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~56,800 (-100) | 27 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (Quebec) | ~14,000 (+300) | 32 months | No change |
| Parents/grandparents (non-Quebec) | ~39,000 (-1,400) | 29 months | -1 month |
| Parents/grandparents (Quebec) | ~10,400 (-100) | 64 months | -1 month |
Humanitarian and Compassionate And Protected Persons (Updated monthly)
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&C outside Quebec | ~55,800 (+1,300) | More than 10 years | No change |
| H&C in Quebec | ~20,100 (+400) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Protected persons inside Canada (outside Quebec) | ~92,200 (-6,100) | About 13 months | -1 month |
| Protected persons inside Canada (in Quebec) | ~41,900 (+1,000) | More than 120 months | No change |
| Dependents of protected persons (outside Quebec) | ~60,700 (-100) | About 40 months | +2 months |
| Dependents of protected persons (in Quebec) | ~22,400 (+300) | More than 10 years | No change |
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 pickup | Next business day | No change |
| Express pickup | 2–9 business days | No change |
| Passport mailed from outside Canada | 20 business days | No change |
Permanent Residency Processing Times (Updated monthly)
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | ~59,700 (-1,800) | 6 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | ~52,400 (-3,400) | 6 months | -1 month |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| PNP (Express Entry) | ~11,800 (-300) | 7 months | No change |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | ~102,400 (-1,400) | 13 months | +1 month |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | ~21,200 (-1,000) | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~3,700 (No change) | 75 months | No change |
| Federal Self-Employed | ~8,000 (-100) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | ~12,100 (-200) | 26 months | No change |
| Start Up Visa | ~47,600 (+100) | More than 10 years | No change |
Temporary Visa Processing Times (Updated weekly)
IRCC updates temporary residence processing times on a weekly basis, and the figures below reflect data as of August 5, 2026.
We will update this section as soon as IRCC publishes new weekly data, so check back regularly for the latest numbers.
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
| Country | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 27 days | +6 days | -55 days |
| United States | 21 days | -6 days | -4 days |
| Nigeria | 68 days | +5 days | +28 days |
| Pakistan | 48 days | +8 days | -8 days |
| Philippines | 16 days | No change | No change |
Visitor Visa From Inside Canada
Visitor visa applications filed from inside Canada now take 21 days, 8 days lower compared to the July 23 update.
Visitor Record Extension
Extensions of visitor records remain very high at 316 days, which is 112 days higher than that of July 23, and 165 days higher than that of January 28, 2026.
The significant increase marks an end to several months of decrease for this category of applications and reflects the processing pressure on those who wish to extend their stay in Canada.
Super Visa Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 56 days | +7 days | -194 days |
| United States | 126 days | +2 days | -61 days |
| Nigeria | 43 days | +4 days | +5 days |
| Pakistan | 185 days | -9 days | +61 days |
| Philippines | 100 days | +32 days | -9 days |
The super visa processing time for India continues to be 194 days shorter than what is seen in January 2026, making this the most impressive sustained performance for a temporary stream in the year.
The Philippines is clearly the big winner for this week, jumping by 32 days to 100 days, while Pakistan has fallen 9 days to 185 days following last week’s rise.
Study Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 5 weeks | No change | No change |
| United States | 5 weeks | No change | No change |
| Nigeria | 7 weeks | +2 weeks | +2 weeks |
| Pakistan | 7 weeks | +1 week | +3 weeks |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | +1 week | No change |
Inside Canada Study Permit: Inland study permits require 7 weeks, same as the last update from July 23, but 1 week more than the June 24 update.
Study Permit Extension: Extensions of study permits have taken 70 days, which is 2 days less than July 23 update and 34 days less than January 28, 2026.
Work Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 9 weeks | No change | No change |
| United States | 3 weeks | No change | No change |
| Nigeria | 7 weeks | +1 week | No change |
| Pakistan | 25 weeks | +15 weeks | +5 weeks |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | -1 week | No change |
Inside Canada Work Permits (Initial and Renewals): The processing time for inland work permits, including renewals, is at 119 days, down 3 days from the last update on July 23, down 87 days from the update on May 20, down 133 days from March 31, and down 117 days from January 28, 2026.
The continuing downward trend in this category remains one of the best pieces of news in the 2026 processing times data.
Other Work Permit Categories
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) currently sits at 71 days, 24 days higher than the previous July 23 update, and 60 days higher than the previous May 20 update.
Meanwhile, International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits stand at 7 weeks, 1 week higher than the previous July 23 update, and 4 weeks higher than March 31.
As regards Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), approval is typically within the range of five minutes, while those requiring further scrutiny may take 72 hours.
The latest IRCC processing times as of August 2026 indicate a process that continues to make progress with respect to economic immigration, although the citizenship certificate processing backlog continues to worsen.
Inland work permit at 119 days, SAWP at six months, faster processing for Canadian Experience Class (CEC) applications, and reduction in parental/g-grandparent sponsorship applications for four consecutive months are all indications of IRCC clearing processing backlogs in certain areas.
But an increase in 316-day visitor record extension, 25-week Pakistan work permit processing time, and more than 120,000 pending citizenship certificates show that capacity issues are becoming worse for certain high volume processing streams.
August will be the start of another payment schedule from CRA and also mark the start of Ontario’s immigration system redesign. Thus, there will be financial aspects along with the policy aspect for newcomers and permanent residents.
To stay ahead of any additional delays due to a request, one is advised to file their applications early, provide full documentation, and frequently review their IRCC portals.
