Canada PNP & Immigration Processing Times: Jan 2026 Update

IRCC January 2026 Processing Times: Faster for AIP and PGP, Slower for Work Permits and Child Sponsorship

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has kicked off the new year with a fresh update to immigration processing times—and for many applicants, it’s good news. While some application types have seen notable improvements, others are facing longer waits. Let’s break it all down so you can see what’s changed and how it might affect your plans.

Key Highlights

• Atlantic Immigration Program processing times drop by four months, now at 33 months.
• Parents and Grandparents Program (outside Quebec) sees a three-month decrease.
• Base PNP applications improve, but enhanced PNP times increase slightly.
• Work permit and dependent child sponsorship times rise significantly.
• Visitor and study permits from India and Pakistan see faster results.
• Citizenship certificate processing slows down due to increased demand.

Whether you’re applying for permanent residence, sponsoring a family member, or coming to Canada temporarily, these updates from January 2026 may impact your immigration timeline. Here’s a detailed look at the changes across major IRCC application categories.

Permanent Residence Processing Times

Express Entry Programs

Express Entry applicants under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) saw some relief this month, with processing times dropping from 7 to 6 months. However, the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) increased slightly to 7 months from 6 months. The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) still lacks enough data to report timelines.

Applicants in the queue:
CEC: 25,400
FSWP: 34,600

See how competitive your Express Entry profile is

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

The base (non-Express Entry) PNP stream has shown improvement, now sitting at 13 months—down from 16 months. The enhanced stream, however, has increased slightly to 7 months (up from 6 months).

If you’re considering the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, check out our MPNP Points Calculator to assess your eligibility.

Applicants in the queue:
Enhanced: 10,800
Base: 102,600

Check your PNP eligibility now

Quebec Skilled Worker Program (PSTQ)

No changes here—processing remains steady at 11 months. The province of Quebec hasn’t held a new invitation round since early December 2025, which may explain the flat timeline.

Applicants in the queue: 26,700

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

Finally, some relief for AIP applicants: processing times have dropped to 33 months from a lengthy 37. While it’s still far above the 11-month service standard, it’s a step in the right direction.

Applicants in the queue: 13,600

Family Sponsorship Processing Times

Spouse or Common-Law Partner

Those sponsoring a spouse or partner from inside Canada saw a slight increase to 21 months (outside Quebec), while outside-Canada applications remain steady at 14 months. Applicants intending to reside in Quebec are still facing lengthy waits—35 to 36 months.

Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)

Good news here: the PGP timeline dropped by 3 months for applications outside Quebec (now 37 months). Quebec-bound applications remain longer at 48 months.

Dependent Children Sponsorship

Timelines for sponsoring dependent children from within Canada continue to rise, now sitting at 19 months. Applications from outside Canada vary: India’s timeline jumped to 16 months (from 12), while Nigeria remains unchanged at 20 months.

Temporary Residence Processing Times

Visitor Visas

Applicants from Pakistan saw the biggest improvement—down to 57 days from 86. India also improved slightly (99 days), while other countries saw modest changes or remained the same.

Work Permits

Not-so-great news for most work permit applicants: processing times have gone up in Pakistan (13 weeks from 5), Nigeria (11 weeks from 8), and Canada (220 days from 218). Only India saw a slight improvement.

IRCC continues to prioritize work permits for essential services in healthcare and agriculture sectors.

Study Permits

Wait times for study permits have improved for applications from Canada and India. Pakistan, Nigeria, and the U.S. saw either no change or slight increases.

Explore your study options in Canada

Super Visas

Pakistan saw a sharp drop in Super Visa processing—down to 133 days from 198. However, India’s wait times went up to 206 days (from 182).

Citizenship Applications

The processing time for citizenship certificates has increased to 10 months (up from 9), likely due to a wave of new applications after Bill C-3 came into effect in December 2025. Citizenship grants remain steady at 13 months.

Applicants in the queue:
Citizenship grant: 305,400
Citizenship certificate: 42,400

Understanding IRCC Processing Times

How Are Timelines Calculated?

IRCC calculates processing times based on historical data and current inventory. These estimates are updated weekly and reflect the time it takes to complete 80% of applications.

There are also “forward-looking” estimates available for certain programs, including:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Base and Enhanced PNPs
• Quebec PSTQ
• Spousal/Common-Law sponsorship
• Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
• Citizenship grants and certificates

What Are Service Standards?

Service standards are IRCC’s internal benchmarks for how long applications should take. For example, most Express Entry applications aim to be processed within six months. However, 20% of cases may exceed these standards due to complexity or missing information.

Final Thoughts

While IRCC is making strides in bringing down