Latest Canadian Immigration Processing Times – Sept 2025 Update

IRCC Updates Processing Times for Canadian Immigration and Visa Applications as of September 2025

If you’re planning to study, work, visit, or immigrate to Canada, staying up to date with application processing times is key. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has just released its latest processing time estimates as of September 10, 2025, giving applicants a clearer picture of what to expect across various immigration and visa categories.

In this post, we’ll walk you through the latest numbers and highlight any significant changes compared to the previous update from July 23, 2025. Whether you’re applying from within Canada or abroad, this guide will help you plan your next steps with confidence.

Key Highlights

• Study permit processing times inside Canada have improved—dropping from 12 weeks to 6 weeks.
• Work permit processing times from Canada have increased slightly to 190 days, now well above IRCC’s service standard.
• Visitor visas from India saw a significant delay, now taking 63 days from 28 days in July.
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) base stream remains long at 19 months, while enhanced stream is holding steady at 8 months.
• Family sponsorship for spouses planning to settle in Quebec has seen notable delays, now up to 53 months.
• Citizenship grants are now taking 11 months, just shy of the 12-month service standard.

Temporary Residence Applications

Study Permits

Applicants inside Canada saw a major improvement, with processing times reduced from 12 weeks to just 6 weeks. However, for some countries like the U.S. and Nigeria, processing times went up slightly since July. India continues to see relatively fast processing at 4 weeks.

Note: Extensions for study permits within Canada are taking much longer, currently around 163 days.

Work Permits

If you’re applying from inside Canada, you may be facing delays—processing now takes about 190 days, which is well beyond the 120-day service standard. For applicants in the U.S., the process is quicker, around 3 weeks. However, countries like Nigeria and Pakistan have seen a noticeable increase in processing times since July.

Visitor Visas

Visitor visa processing times vary significantly depending on where you’re applying from. Applicants inside Canada benefit from quick processing in around 13 days. However, those applying from India now face a longer wait at 63 days, more than double the time from July (28 days).

Super Visa

Processing times for the Super Visa—which lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens visit for extended periods—range from 55 days (Nigeria) to 139 days (India), with minimal change from July’s figures. These numbers remain within or close to IRCC’s 112-day service standard.

Economic Immigration

Express Entry

Processing times for the Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker Program remain steady at 5 and 6 months respectively—right in line with IRCC’s 6-month service standard. Currently, there’s no available data for the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

Curious about your eligibility under Express Entry? Use our Express Entry calculator to find out!

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

The enhanced PNP stream, which is linked to Express Entry, continues to process in about 8 months. However, applicants under the base PNP stream are still facing lengthy waits of up to 19 months—well above the 11-month service standard.

If you’re applying through the Manitoba PNP, make sure to check your score and eligibility before submitting your application.

Other Immigration Pathways

Quebec Immigration

Under Quebec’s Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ), processing times rose to 11 months (up from 9 months in July). This exceeds the 6-month service standard and doesn’t include time spent with Quebec’s provincial immigration office.

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

Processing times under the AIP have increased slightly from 12 to 13 months, compared to the 11-month service standard.

Family Sponsorship

Spouses and Common-Law Partners

For applicants living inside Canada and planning to settle outside Quebec, the wait time is now 23 months. If the destination is Quebec, the processing time is significantly higher at 53 months—up from 38 months in July.

Applicants outside Canada face a 15-month wait (outside Quebec) or 41 months (for Quebec-bound applicants).

Parents and Grandparents

The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) processing time has improved slightly to 26 months for those not settling in Quebec. However, applicants planning to reside in Quebec still face a longer wait at 41 months.

Dependent Children

Processing time for sponsoring a dependent child from within Canada is now 29 months. Unfortunately, no service standard or previous comparison data is currently available for this category.

Canadian Citizenship

Here’s how long it’s currently taking to process Canadian citizenship applications:

• Citizenship grants: 11 months (up from 10 months in July)
• Proof of citizenship: Steady at 5 months

Both categories are holding fairly close to IRCC’s 12-month service standard.

Understanding IRCC’s Processing Times vs. Service Standards

It’s important to understand the difference between processing times and service standards when tracking your application:

• Processing times are updated regularly and reflect how long it’s currently taking to process new applications based on IRCC’s backlog and historical trends.
• Service standards are IRCC’s goals—how long they aim to process 80% of applications under normal circumstances. These aren’t updated as frequently and don’t apply to every category.

Some programs, like Express Entry and various sponsorship streams, use forward-looking data (based on current inventories and expected monthly processing capacity). Others rely on historical data to generate their estimates.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re applying for a study permit, work visa, or permanent residency, staying informed about processing times can help you better prepare and avoid unnecessary stress. While some processing times have improved since July, others—like family sponsorship for Quebec residents or visitor visas from India—have seen delays.

Make sure your application is complete and accurate to avoid unnecessary delays, and don’t hesitate to consult with an immigration expert if you need guidance.

Want to check your eligibility for Express Entry or another Canadian immigration program? Click here to get started with our free assessment tool.

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