Canada PNP & Express Entry Processing Times: Oct 2025 Update

IRCC Processing Times Update: What’s Changed as of October 2025?

Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its latest round of processing times for immigration, work, study, and citizenship applications. Whether you’re sponsoring a family member, applying for Express Entry, or submitting a visitor visa, these timelines can impact your plans in a big way.

In this post, we’ll walk through the major changes to processing times since September 10, 2025, and what they might mean for you or your loved ones looking to settle, work, or study in Canada.

Key Highlights

• Spousal sponsorship in Quebec saw the biggest increase—up to 37 months for in-Canada applicants.
• Dependent child sponsorship applications within Canada have dropped by 17 months.
• Express Entry timelines remain close to the standard six months, with minor fluctuations.
• PNP enhanced stream now takes 7 months, while base stream remains long at 19 months.
• Work permits from Nigeria now process in 11 weeks, down from 22 weeks.
• Citizenship applications are taking slightly longer, up to 13 months for grants.

Permanent Residence Processing Times

Express Entry

IRCC aims to process Express Entry applications within six months. Here’s how that’s playing out right now:

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Currently taking 6 months (up from 5 months).
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): Now takes 5 months (quicker than the previous 6 months).
• Federal Skilled Trades Program: Processing times not available at this time.

Learn more about how Express Entry works and check your eligibility here.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)

If you’re applying through a Provincial Nominee Program, your processing time will depend on whether you’re applying through Express Entry (enhanced stream) or directly to a province (base stream):

• Enhanced PNP: 7 months (slightly improved from 8 months).
• Base PNP: Still sitting at 19 months.

Thinking of applying through the Manitoba PNP? Use our points calculator to see where you stand!

Quebec Immigration

IRCC continues to receive a large volume of applications through Quebec’s Skilled Worker Program (PSTQ), with nearly 24,000 applications pending.

• PSTQ stream: Steady at 11 months, though the service standard is 6 months.

If Quebec is where you’re headed, be sure to explore your options with our Quebec immigration guide.

Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)

Processing times remain unchanged at 13 months, despite the IRCC’s goal of 11 months for this stream. If you’re considering settling in Atlantic Canada, be prepared for some delays.

Family Sponsorship: The Big Changes

Spousal and Common-Law Sponsorship

One of the most notable changes is in the sponsorship of spouses or common-law partners applying from inside Canada while planning to settle in Quebec:

• In-Canada (Quebec): Increased from 53 months to 37 months — a 16-month improvement, but still long.
• In-Canada (outside Quebec): 24 months (up from 23 months).
• Outside Canada (both Quebec & non-Quebec): Stable at 15–41 months, depending on location.

Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)

• Outside Quebec: 26 months
• In Quebec: 44 months (up from 41 months)

Dependent Child Sponsorship

Good news here for in-Canada applicants:

• Within Canada: Down to 12 months from 29 months — a major 17-month reduction.
• From India: 6 months
• From Nigeria: 18 months

Want help bringing your family to Canada? Start a family sponsorship assessment today.

Temporary Residence Updates

Visitor Visas

Processing times vary significantly depending on where you’re applying from:

• From within Canada: 15 days
• India: 75 days (up from 63)
• Pakistan: 46 days
• Nigeria: 28 days
• United States: 23 days

Note: Outside Canada visitor visas have a 14-day service standard, but many countries exceed this.

Work Permits

If you’re applying for a work permit, here’s how long it might take:

• From Nigeria: 11 weeks — cut in half from 22 weeks!
• From Canada: 196 days
• India: 8 weeks
• United States: 3 weeks

The service standard is 60 days for most outside-Canada applicants and 120 days for those applying from within Canada.

Study Permits

Students expecting to study in Canada can expect the following wait times:

• From Canada (initial): 7 weeks
• From India: 4 weeks
• From the U.S.: 10 weeks

Study permit extensions from within Canada are currently taking up to 171 days — something to keep in mind if you’re continuing studies here.

Super Visas

The Super Visa, often used to bring parents or grandparents to Canada, has seen mixed results. Notably:

• From Pakistan: Increased to 151 days (from 112)
• India: 153 days
• United States: 78 days

The service standard is 112 days, so most countries are currently exceeding that benchmark.

Citizenship Application Processing

Those applying for Canadian citizenship are seeing slightly longer timelines:

• Citizenship grant: 13 months (up from 11 months)
• Proof of citizenship: 7 months

IRCC aims to process 80% of citizenship applications within 12 months. If you’re thinking it’s time to make the move toward becoming Canadian, book a citizenship consultation with us today.

How Processing Times Are Calculated

IRCC uses two main methods to determine processing times:

1. Historical Processing Times

This metric looks at how long 80% of applications took to process in the past. These figures are updated weekly.

2. Forward-Looking Processing Times

This forward-focused approach estimates how long a new application might take, based on IRCC’s current inventory and expected throughput.

Programs using forward-looking processing times include:

• CEC, FSWP, PNP (Express Entry & base)
• Quebec Skilled Worker Program (PSTQ)
• Spousal Sponsorship (inside & outside Canada)
• Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
• Citizenship (grants and proof)

Final Thoughts

It’s clear that while some areas of Canada’s immigration system are speeding up — like dependent child sponsorships and Nigerian work permits — others, such as spousal sponsorship in Quebec, remain delayed.

Understanding these processing times can help you plan better and avoid surprises. If you’re unsure where you stand or how to navigate your options,