IRCC updates April processing times for immigration
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published updated processing timelines for permanent residence and citizenship applications as of April 7, 2026.
The latest figures show a combination of shorter waits in some categories and longer delays in others, reflecting shifting application volumes and inventory levels.
The changes affect applicants across major programs, including Express Entry, provincial nominations, and citizenship grants.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program processing reduced to six months
- Citizenship grant timelines declined to 12 months
- Canadian Experience Class backlog increased by more than 10,000 cases
- Atlantic Immigration Program processing rose sharply to 40 months
- Provincial Nominee Program timelines remained unchanged
- Quebec business immigration processing saw a slight improvement
Express Entry processing trends
IRCC reported a reduction in processing time for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), which decreased from seven months to six months. This marks the first improvement recorded for this stream since early 2025.
Processing timelines for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) remained at seven months, matching the previous update. The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) continues to have no published estimate due to limited data availability.
Despite stable timelines, the CEC inventory increased significantly. IRCC data shows approximately 54,600 applications awaiting decision, reflecting a monthly rise of over 10,000 cases.
In contrast, the FSWP inventory declined to about 44,100 applications. The reduction in both processing time and backlog indicates a shift in case handling within this category.
All Express Entry streams continue to carry a six-month service standard for most applications.
Provincial Nominee Program remains steady
Processing times for Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications showed no change in the latest update. Enhanced streams linked to Express Entry remain at seven months, while base streams continue at 13 months.
Application inventories show 13,700 cases pending in enhanced streams and approximately 108,100 in base streams. These figures indicate minimal month-to-month movement.
Base PNP processing remains above its 11-month service standard, while enhanced streams continue to align more closely with federal targets. Provinces such as Manitoba operate nomination pathways under this system, with eligibility often assessed through tools like the Manitoba PNP points calculator.
Quebec immigration timelines
Processing times for Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) remained unchanged at 11 months. The number of pending applications declined to approximately 25,700.
Quebec’s business immigration category saw a slight improvement, with processing times reduced from 80 months to 78 months. Despite this change, it remains among the longest processing streams in the system.
The inventory for Quebec business applications stands at about 3,800 cases, reflecting limited movement compared to other categories.
Atlantic Immigration Program sees sharp increase
The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) recorded the most significant increase in processing times in this update. Timelines rose from 33 months to 40 months.
IRCC reported approximately 13,200 applications in the AIP inventory, a slight decrease from the previous month. The program’s service standard remains 11 months.
The extended timeline places AIP processing well above its target benchmark, indicating continued delays in finalizing applications.
Other economic immigration streams
Processing times for the Start-Up Visa and Federal Self-Employed programs continue to exceed 10 years. No changes were reported for either category in the latest update.
The backlog for the Start-Up Visa program stands at approximately 46,200 applications, while the Federal Self-Employed category has around 8,100 pending cases.
IRCC does not publish service standards for these streams.
Citizenship processing shows improvement
Citizenship grant processing times decreased to 12 months, down from 13 months in the previous update. This is the second consecutive reduction recorded in 2026.
The inventory of citizenship grant applications declined to about 313,200, marking the first decrease in backlog levels this year. IRCC’s service standard for citizenship grants is 12 months.
Applications for citizenship certificates remained at a 10-month processing time. However, the backlog increased to approximately 56,300 cases.
Other citizenship-related processes, including renunciation and record searches, showed no change, staying at 10 months and 17 months respectively.
IRCC indicated that acknowledgment of receipt notices are being issued for citizenship applications submitted around October 22, 2025.
Understanding processing times and service standards
IRCC distinguishes between processing times and service standards in its reporting. Processing times represent typical durations based on current or historical data, while service standards reflect internal targets.
Processing estimates may be calculated using historical data, covering the time required to finalize the majority of applications, or forward-looking models based on existing inventories.
Service standards are set to indicate how long most applications should take under normal conditions. A portion of cases may exceed these timelines due to complexity or additional review requirements.
Ongoing updates expected
IRCC regularly updates processing times to reflect operational conditions, application volumes, and inventory changes across immigration programs.
Further updates are expected as the department continues to adjust processing priorities and manage application backlogs across economic and citizenship streams.