How Long Does Canada Immigration Take?

IRCC's published times put an Express Entry PR application at about 6 to 7 months, spousal sponsorship at 18 to 26 months, and a visitor visa or study permit from outside Canada at about 5 to 6 weeks. These are general estimates only. IRCC updates its published times regularly, some each month and some each week.

See the current times on the Processing Times page

Last verified: November 2026

6 to 7 months
Express Entry permanent residence application, after the invitation
18 to 26 months
Spousal sponsorship, outland to inland (non-Quebec)
6 weeks
Study permit from outside Canada, the middle of IRCC’s country figures
5 weeks
Visitor visa, the middle of IRCC’s country figures

IRCC published the permanent residence figures October 9, 2026 and the temporary residence figures November 4, 2026. The Processing Times page carries the full table.

How long does permanent residence take?

Processing times vary by pathway, application type, country of origin and individual circumstances. IRCC’s historical processing times show how long it took to process 80% of that type of application in the past, and some permanent residence lines show forward-looking estimates.

Express Entry: IRCC's service standard is 6 months for 80% of complete applications. Its published times (October 9, 2026) are about 6 months for the Canadian Experience Class, 7 months for Federal Skilled Workers and 7 months for provincial nominees through Express Entry. This clock starts after you submit your complete PR application following an ITA.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): A two-stage process. The provincial stage has its own timeline, set by each province. The federal PR application then takes about 7 months for enhanced PNP via Express Entry and about 13 months for base PNP applications outside Express Entry.
Spousal or common-law sponsorship: IRCC's published estimate (non-Quebec) is about 18 months for outland applications, filed from outside Canada, and about 26 months for inland applications, filed from inside Canada. Inland is the slower route. A sponsored spouse or partner who lives in Canada with the sponsor may be eligible for an open work permit, under either class, applied for after IRCC acknowledges receipt of the application.

The rule

IRCC calculates historical processing times from how long it took to process 80% of that type of application in the past.

IRCC, canada.caVerify on canada.ca

How long do study permits, work permits and visitor visas take?

Study permit: About 6 weeks from outside Canada, which is the middle of IRCC's country figures, and 8 weeks from inside Canada. The international student cap and the provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) requirement govern who can apply. Since January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students in a degree-granting program at a public designated learning institution do not need a PAL/TAL, and IRCC says it has committed to process doctoral study permit applications from outside Canada within 14 days.
Employer-specific work permit: About 8 weeks from outside Canada and 16 weeks from inside, plus the LMIA step where one is required. ESDC publishes current LMIA processing times each month, and the Global Talent Stream's standard is 10 business days, 80% of the time. LMIA-exempt work permits, such as those for CUSMA professionals and intra-company transferees, skip the LMIA step.
Open work permit (spousal or PGWP): IRCC publishes one "work permit in Canada" time that covers Post-Graduation Work Permits and spousal open work permits applied for from inside Canada: 16 weeks.
Visitor visa (TRV): About 5 weeks is the middle of IRCC's country figures. Some countries take longer.
eTA: The electronic Travel Authorization for visa-exempt countries shows a published time of 5 minutes. Most are approved within minutes, and some take several days.

Why can a file take longer than the published time?

IRCC lists these reasons an application can take longer than the published time.

Incomplete application: IRCC says your application may be delayed or returned if it isn’t complete.
Criminal inadmissibility review: IRCC lists a criminal, security or other admissibility issue as one reason a file takes longer.
Security screening: IRCC may need to check more things on your application for security reasons, and a permanent residence file can wait while background checks are still in progress.
Medical exam follow-up: A medical condition for which you may need more tests or consultations can lengthen a file, and so can a medical exam that expired and has to be redone.
Country of residence or citizenship: IRCC publishes different times by country for visitor visas, study permits and work permits, and it lists consulting other offices in Canada or abroad as one reason a file takes longer.
Biometrics not completed: You have 30 days to give biometrics after the instruction letter. If you can’t, tell IRCC by web form why you need more time. IRCC cannot finish a file that needs biometrics until they are given.
Additional document requests: IRCC will contact you if it needs more information or documents. A file takes longer when requested documents are not sent on time, or at all.

How do you check your application status?

Log in to your IRCC account
Log in to your IRCC secure account. Your account shows the status of your application and any requests from IRCC.
Compare with the published time
Use IRCC’s official processing times tool to check if your application is still within the expected window before taking action.
Send a web form enquiry
If your application is past its normal processing time and your IRCC account shows no activity, use IRCC’s web form to ask about your application.
Ask your Member of Parliament’s office
If your application is significantly delayed beyond published times, your federal Member of Parliament’s office can make an inquiry to IRCC on your behalf. IRCC runs a centre that answers MP offices about constituents’ files.

Which free tool checks your own case?

Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.

What do people ask?

How long is the processing time for permanent residence in Canada?

It depends on the program. A complete Express Entry application has a 6-month service standard, and IRCC's published times (October 9, 2026) are about 6 months for the Canadian Experience Class, 7 for Federal Skilled Workers and 7 for provincial nominees in Express Entry. A base PNP file takes about 13 months, and spousal sponsorship 18 to 26. The Processing Times page carries the full table.

What is the Canada visitor visa processing time in 2026?

About 5 weeks is the middle of IRCC's country figures published November 4, 2026, and some countries take longer. The time depends on your country and on how complete your file is. Most visa-exempt travellers who fly need an eTA instead, with a published time of 5 minutes. The Processing Times page shows the current figures, and IRCC's tool shows your own country.

How long do study permits and work permits take?

In IRCC's figures published November 4, 2026, a study permit takes about 6 weeks from outside Canada and 8 weeks from inside. An employer-specific work permit takes about 8 weeks from outside Canada and 16 weeks from inside, and the inside figure also covers the PGWP and spousal open work permits. An LMIA, where required, comes first.

Does processing go faster after biometrics?

Only in one sense: IRCC cannot finish your file until you give them. You have 30 days from the instruction letter to give them, and if you can't, you tell IRCC by web form why you need more time. The published times describe complete applications, so give biometrics soon after the letter arrives. Missing documents, security screening and medical reviews can also slow a file.

Why do visa processing times differ by country, such as India or Pakistan?

IRCC publishes separate figures by country for visitor visas, study permits and work permits, and it lists consulting other offices in Canada or abroad as one reason a file can take longer. The number in this guide is the middle of those figures, not your country's figure. IRCC's processing-times tool lets you pick your country, and the Processing Times page links to it.

How does IRCC calculate its published processing times?

For its historical times, IRCC looks back at finished files and posts the time within which 80% of that type of application was processed. Some permanent residence lines now show forward-looking estimates instead, based on the applications IRCC already has and the number it expects to process. IRCC updates its figures each week or each month, so they shift. They are not a maximum or a guarantee, and your file can be faster or slower depending on completeness, security and medical checks, and the office.

My application is past the processing time. What should I do?

First check IRCC's live estimate, since the published time moves. If your file is past it and your IRCC account shows no activity, send a web form enquiry about your application. Your Member of Parliament's office can also ask IRCC about a delayed file. For an extreme delay, a lawyer can advise on judicial review in the Federal Court.

Does the 6-month Express Entry processing time include time in the pool?

No. The 6-month service standard covers the permanent residence application after you receive an invitation to apply and submit a complete file. Time waiting in the Express Entry pool for an invitation is separate. A profile stays in the pool for up to 12 months (Ministerial Instructions, s.4(1)), and the wait for an invitation depends on your CRS score and on the rounds IRCC holds. The Express Entry page and the CRS Calculator explain how the pool works.

Part of:Immigrating permanently

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.