After submitting applications for work visas or study permits in Canada, immigrants often wonder how long it will take for their applications to be processed. Processing times signify the duration required to process an application under typical circumstances.
The processing time commences on the day Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives an application and concludes upon making a decision. For applications sent via mail, the time period initiates upon arrival at the IRCC mailroom, while for online or in-person submissions, it starts upon application submission.
In a bid to fortify Canada’s immigration system, IRCC is enhancing the online processing times tool to aid new immigrants in estimating the duration for processing a complete application.
Utilizing the IRCC tool for timeframes, forward-looking processing timeframes are recommended, providing insight into the expected duration for foreigners applying today before receiving a final decision on their application (or citizenship oath for citizenship award applicants).
These estimates will be regularly updated, offering immigrants practical and current information to facilitate planning vacations and living arrangements based on specific timelines.
Forward-looking processing times are now accessible for the following applications:
Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry)
Provincial Nominees Program (Express Entry and non-Express Entry)
Federal Skilled Workers (Express Entry)
Quebec Skilled Workers
Citizenship grants
Citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship)
Spouse or common-law partner residing in Canada
Spouse, common-law, or conjugal partner residing outside Canada
Parents or grandparents
For other application categories, IRCC will continue using backward-looking historical processing times. These times are calculated based on the duration taken by IRCC to process 80% of permanent residence applications in the preceding six months, along with 8 or 16 weeks for temporary residency programs.
As of May 7, 2024, FE Online discovered that the processing time for a temporary residence application for visiting, studying, or working for study permits (from outside Canada) is 14 weeks (Last updated: April 30, 2024 Updated weekly).
Similarly, for a work permit (from outside Canada), the processing time was 21 weeks. However, if not applying to work in an essential occupation, the processing time may be longer than indicated.
It’s important to note that processing time reflects the duration taken by IRCC to process most complete applications in the past. This doesn’t include the time required for sending an application between a visa application center and the IRCC office, as well as the time for providing biometrics.
If you’ve already applied and are awaiting completion of your application, the updated forward-looking times may indicate estimates shorter than your actual wait time. The tool indicates the time a new applicant today could anticipate to wait, starting from the end of the queue, as various factors influence IRCC’s processing timelines throughout the year.
If you’ve already applied, you’re closer to the front of the queue. Applications will still be processed in the order received by IRCC, and in most cases, you’ll wait no longer than the new forward-looking processing time for a final decision. Avoid reapplying, as this would place your application at the end of the queue, prolonging processing time.