Canada’s immigration department released updated processing‑time estimates on 10 August 2026 for permanent‑residence (PR) and citizenship applications. The new figures show modest improvements for several economic streams and for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), while the base Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) experienced a one‑month increase.
Economic immigration – permanent residence
| Program (as of 10 Aug) | Current wait time | Previous (7 Jul) |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 6 months | 6 months |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 6 months | 7 months |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | N/A (no data) | N/A |
| Enhanced PNP (through Express Entry) | 7 months | 7 months |
| Base PNP (non‑Express Entry) | 13 months | 12 months |
| Quebec Skilled Worker Selection (PSTQ) | 11 months | 11 months |
| Quebec Business Class (QBC) | 75 months | 75 months |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | 26 months | 26 months |
| Start‑up Visa (SUV) | 10 + years | 10 + years |
| Federal Self‑Employed Persons | 10 + years | 10 + years |
-
Service‑standard targets: 6 months for all Express Entry streams, 6 months for enhanced PNP, 11 months for base PNP, 6 months for PSTQ (QBC standard unpublished), 11 months for AIP.
-
Inventory at the time of the update (applications awaiting assessment):
- CEC – 59,700 (down 1,800)
- FSWP – 52,400 (down 3,400)
- Enhanced PNP – 11,800 (down 300)
- Base PNP – 102,400 (down 1,400)
- PSTQ – 21,200 (down 1,000)
- QBC – 3,700 (unchanged)
- AIP – 12,100 (down 200)
- SUV – 47,600 (up 100)
- Self‑Employed – 8,000 (unchanged)
Family sponsorship – permanent residence
Outside Quebec
| Category | Current wait time | Previous (7 Jul) |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common‑law partner (inside Canada) | 27 months | 27 months |
| Spouse/common‑law partner (outside Canada) | 17 months | 17 months |
| Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) | 29 months | 30 months |
Within Quebec
| Category | Current wait time | Previous (7 Jul) |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common‑law partner (inside Canada) | 32 months | 32 months |
| Spouse/common‑law partner (outside Canada) | 33 months | 33 months |
| Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) | 64 months | 65 months |
-
Service standard for spouse/common‑law partner sponsorship outside Quebec is 12 months; no published standards for other family categories.
-
Inventory (applications awaiting assessment) for Quebec sponsorship:
- Partner inside Canada – 14,000 (up 300)
- Partner outside Canada – 19,000 (up 400)
- Parents and Grandparents – 10,400 (down 100)
Citizenship
| Application type | Current wait time | Previous (7 Jul) |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | 12 months | 12 months |
| Renunciation of citizenship | 4 months | 7 months |
| Search of citizenship records | 17 months | 17 months |
- Service standard for citizenship grants is 12 months.
- IRCC’s inventory held 328,200 citizenship‑grant applications on 10 Aug, 2,000 more than a month earlier.
Processing times vs. service standards
- Processing times are statistical estimates indicating how long it typically takes to complete 80 % of similar applications. They are updated monthly for permanent‑residence and citizenship streams and can vary with case complexity, completeness, and any additional information requests.
- Service standards are performance targets set by IRCC that define the timeframe the department aims to meet under normal operating conditions. For many streams (e.g., Express Entry, enhanced PNP) the standard is 6 months; for base PNP it is 11 months.
Processing estimates are forward‑looking and reflect current inventory and processing capacity, whereas service standards are relatively static and may remain unchanged for years. The department’s goal is to meet the service standard for roughly 80 % of applications covered by that standard.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
