Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated processing timelines for a number of immigration applications as of October 16 2024.
These improvements provide applicants a better understanding of how long their applications might take to process and reflect the continuous efforts to raise transparency and service standards across various immigration categories.
PR cards, temporary residency, and business immigration all receive weekly updates.
Understanding the most recent processing timeframes will help you better plan your immigration journey, regardless of whether you’re seeking for citizenship, permanent residency (PR), or a temporary visa.
Significant Reductions of October 2024 Processing Times
- Citizenship Grant, reduced by 1 month
- Parents and Grandparents Visa From USA, reduced by 52 days
- Parents and Grandparents Visa From Pakistan, reduced by 21 days
- Work Permit Visa From USA, reduced by 4 weeks
- Work Permit Visa From Philippines, reduced by 4 weeks
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
| Application Type | Processing Times as of October 8 | Change Since Last Update on September 4 |
| Citizenship Grant | 6 months | Reduced by 1 month |
| Citizenship Certificate (Proof of citizenship) | 4 months | Increased by 1 month |
| Renunciation of Citizenship | 16 months | No Change |
| Search of Citizenship Records | 12 months | Increased by 1 month |
Permanent Resident (PR) Cards Processing Times (Updated Weekly on October 15)
| Application type | Processing time | Change Since September 24 |
| New PR Card | 24 days | Reduced by 1 day |
| PR Card Renewal | 65 days | Reduced by 5 days |
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
| Application Type | Processing Times as of October 8 | Change Since Last Update On September 4 |
| Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Outside Canada, excl. Quebec) | 10 months | Unchanged |
| Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Outside Canada, for Quebec) | 35 months | Unchanged since last update, but overall increased by 3 months since July 3 |
| Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Inside Canada, excl. Quebec) | 13 months | Unchanged since last update, but overall increased by 2 months since July 31 |
| Spouse/Common-Law Partner (Inside Canada, for Quebec) | 27 months | Unchanged since last update, but overall increased by 3 months since July 31 |
| Parents/Grandparents (Outside Quebec) | 24 months | No change |
| Parents/Grandparents (for Quebec) | 48 months | No change |
Economic Immigration Processing Times (Updated monthly and weekly)
| Permanent Residence Programs | Processing Times as of October 8 | Change Since Last Update |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 5 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 5 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | N/A | No updates since March 2023 |
| Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry) | 6 months | No change |
| Provincial Nominee Program (non-Express Entry) | 12 months | Unchanged since last update, but overall increased by 1 month since July 31 |
| Quebec Skilled Workers (QSW) | 9 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | 49 months | Increased by 2 months |
| Federal Self-Employed | 48 months | Unchanged since last update, but overall increased by 1 month since July 31 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | 8 months | Increased by 1 month |
| Start-Up Visa | 40 months | Unchanged since last update, but overall increased by 2 months since July 31 |
Temporary Residency Processing Times (Updated Weekly on October
Visitor Visa (from Outside Canada) varies by country
| Country | Processing time | Change since last updates |
| India | 114 days | Increased by 12 days since September 24 and 50 days since August 20 |
| Nigeria | 175 days | Increased by 1 day since September 24, but reduced by 1 days since August 20 |
| United States | 32 days | Reduced by 2 days since September 24 and by 4 days since August 20 |
| Pakistan | 24 days | Reduced by 3 days since September 24 and by 23 days since August 20 |
| Philippines | 19 days | Reduced by 3 days since September 24 and by 6 days since September 4 |
Visitor Visa (Inside Canada):
Online: 27 days (Unchanged since September 24, but increased by 2 days since August 20)
Parents or Grandparents Super Visa (Varies by Country):
| Country | Processing time | Change since last updates |
| India | 107 days | Increased by 20 days since September 24 and by 39 days since August 20 |
| Nigeria | 61 days | Increased by 1 day since September 24, but reduced by 3 days since September 17 |
| United States | 158 days | Reduced by 52 days since September 24 and by 124 days since August 27 |
| Pakistan | 125 days | Reduced by 21 days since September 24 and by 19 day since September 4 |
| Philippines | 114 days | Increased by 3 days since September 24, but reduced by 1 day since September 4 |
Study Permit (Outside Canada) varies by country
| Country | Processing time | Change since last updates |
| India | 7 weeks | Increased by 1 week since September 24 and by 2 weeks since September 11 |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks | Increased by 1 week since September 24 and by 4 weeks since August 20 |
| United States | 14 weeks | Increased by 2 weeks since September 24 and by 5 weeks since July 24 |
| Pakistan | 11 weeks | Increased by 2 weeks since September 24 and by 3 weeks since August 27 |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | Reduced by 1 week since September 24 and by 2 weeks since July 24 |
- Study Permit from Inside Canada: 17 weeks (Increased by 1 week since September 24 and by 6 weeks since August 14)
- Study Permit Extension: 131 days (Increased by 24 days since September 24 and by 61 days since August 20)
Work Permit (Outside Canada) varies by country
| Country | Processing time | Change since last updates |
| India | 28 weeks | Increased by 1 week since September 24 and by 8 weeks since August 20 |
| Nigeria | 23 weeks | Increased by 8 weeks since September 24 and by 10 weeks since August 20 |
| United States | 10 weeks | Reduced by 4 weeks since September 24 and by 7 weeks since August 27 |
| Pakistan | 20 weeks | Increased by 3 weeks since September 24 and by 10 weeks since August 27 |
| Philippines | 9 weeks | Reduced by 4 weeks since September 24, but increased by 1 week since August 14 |
- Work Permit Inside Canada: Online: 138 days (Increased by 10 days since September 24 and by 21 days since August 20)
Factors Influencing Processing Times
The volume of applications filed, the unique circumstances of each applicant, and outside variables like geopolitical conditions all affect how long it takes the IRCC to review applications. Because individual processing dates can vary, applicants should maintain flexibility even though the IRCC tries to offer accurate timelines.
Additionally, processing delays have been impacted by the volume of applications received after the outbreak. Timelines have fluctuated as a result of increased immigration activity in many countries.
Depending on the category and application country, the October 2024 modified IRCC processing timeframes show a combination of efficiency gains and some increased wait times. Knowing these processing dates lets you prepare, whether you’re applying for citizenship, a temporary visa, or permanent residence. To prevent delays and to keep an eye on the IRCC website for the most recent information, it is always advised to submit applications that are correct and complete.
Stay Informed about these times with TheCanadaTime which can help you better prepare for your immigration or residency process in Canada.
