IRCC updates March 2026 immigration processing times
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued its latest processing time update for temporary residence, permanent residence, and citizenship applications, reflecting data current to March 9 and March 11, 2026.
The update shows minor shifts across several application categories, including faster processing for some family sponsorship and visitor visa streams, and longer waits for specific work permit submissions.
The figures are based on IRCC’s online processing time tool, which is updated regularly to reflect recent averages.
- In-Canada spousal sponsorship within Quebec increased by one month
- Parent and Grandparent sponsorship decreased by one month both inside and outside Quebec
- Dependent child sponsorship from India dropped by eight months
- Visitor visas saw shorter waits for Indian and U.S. applicants
- Work permit processing from Nigeria rose by two weeks
- Citizenship grant and certificate applications decreased by one month
Temporary residence application processing
Temporary residence categories include work permits, study permits, visitor visas, and super visas. The latest March 2026 figures are compared with those published on February 26, 2026.
Work permits
Processing times for work permits remained steady across most countries. Indian applicants saw a one-week improvement, while applications from Nigeria now take about 13 weeks, two weeks longer than in February. In-Canada work permit processing increased slightly from 256 to 259 days. U.S.-based applications improved by one week.
IRCC’s service standards are 120 days for in-Canada submissions and 60 days for applications made outside Canada.
Study permits
Study permit processing times were unchanged for most countries. Only the United States recorded a one-week reduction, bringing waits to five weeks. India maintained a four-week timeline, and Canada-based applications continued to average nine weeks. The service standard remains 120 days for domestic submissions and 60 days for international ones.
Visitor visas
Visitor visa applicants experienced shorter processing times across all regions. India saw the most significant improvement, with waits dropping to 57 days from 71 days. U.S. applicants saw a reduction from 23 to 17 days, while in-Canada submissions now average 18 days. The IRCC service standard for visitor visas filed abroad is 14 days.
Super visas
Super visa processing also improved modestly. India’s average decreased to 208 days, Pakistan’s to 132 days, and Nigeria’s to 44 days. Applications from the United States increased slightly to 207 days. The service benchmark for super visas is 112 days, and these cannot be filed from within Canada.
Permanent residence application processing
Permanent residence categories—including Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), Quebec immigration, and family sponsorship—showed limited movement this period. Express Entry and PNP processing times remained unchanged.
Express Entry
All Express Entry programs, including the Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker Program, continue to average seven months. IRCC’s service standard for these programs is six months.
Provincial Nominee Program
Processing times for both enhanced and base Provincial Nominee Program applications held at seven months and 13 months, respectively. These streams include applications under programs such as the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. Service standards remain six months for enhanced and 11 months for base nominations.
Quebec immigration
Applications under Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program maintained an 11-month processing time, consistent with the February figures. The target service standard for these applications is six months.
Atlantic Immigration Program
Wait times under the Atlantic Immigration Program remain at 33 months, significantly above the 11-month service goal. No change was reported from the previous update.
Family sponsorship
Family sponsorship categories saw the most movement. In-land spousal sponsorship within Quebec increased to 36 months, up one month. Parent and Grandparent sponsorships dropped to 34 months outside Quebec and 46 months inside Quebec. Other spousal sponsorship categories showed no change. IRCC’s service standard for out-of-Quebec spousal sponsorship is 12 months.
Dependent child sponsorship
Dependent child sponsorship processing times varied widely. India-based applications saw a sharp drop from 16 to 8 months. In-Canada applications increased slightly to 20 months. Nigeria remained stable at 19 months, while the Philippines was recorded at 12 months.
Citizenship application processing
Processing times for citizenship grants and citizenship certificates (proof of citizenship) both decreased by one month. Grants now average 13 months, while certificates take about 10 months. The official service standard for citizenship grants is 12 months.
Understanding processing times and service standards
IRCC distinguishes between processing times and service standards. Processing times represent the average duration required to finalize an application submitted today, while service standards are internal performance targets the department aims to meet for most cases.
Processing time calculations are based on how long it took to finalize 80% of applications of a certain type in the past. Forward-looking projections also factor in the current inventory and projected decision rates. Service standards likewise target completion of 80% of cases within a stated period, excluding more complex files.
Public relevance
IRCC’s regular updates provide transparency on application backlogs and progress across immigration categories. These figures are used by applicants, employers, and government partners to monitor trends and understand processing capacity across global offices.
Further updates are expected as IRCC continues to adjust timelines based on workload and operational capacity.
For more facts and updates on Canadian immigration programs, including PNP and federal streams, explore related coverage on this site.