Tool
How Long Does IRCC Take to Process Applications?
Current estimated processing times for immigration and citizenship applications. Last updated March 2026.
How long does it take to get Canadian citizenship?
As of March 2026, citizenship grant processing takes approximately 13 months from application to ceremony. Express Entry permanent residence takes about 6 months, and spousal sponsorship takes about 12 months. Processing times vary by application type and individual circumstances.
These are approximate times based on publicly available IRCC data. Actual processing times vary by application type, country, and individual circumstances. Check the official IRCC processing times tool for the most current data.
How Long Does Citizenship Processing Take?
| Application Type | Est. Time | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant (test to ceremony)Down from 14 months in Feb 2026 | ~13 months | ↓ |
| Proof of citizenship | ~11 months | → |
| Citizenship certificate (replacement) | ~10 months | → |
How Long Does Permanent Residence Processing Take?
| Application Type | Est. Time | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry (CEC)Processing standard: 6 months | ~6 months | → |
| Express Entry (FSW) | ~6 months | → |
| Provincial Nominee (Express Entry) | ~6 months | → |
| Provincial Nominee (non-EE) | ~18 months | ↓ |
| Spousal sponsorship (inland) | ~12 months | → |
| Spousal sponsorship (outland) | ~12 months | → |
| Parent/grandparent sponsorship | ~20-24 months | → |
How Long Does Temporary Residence Processing Take?
| Application Type | Est. Time | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Work permitVaries by country | ~8 weeks | ↓ |
| Study permitStudent Direct Stream faster | ~8 weeks | → |
| Visitor visaVaries significantly by country | ~30 days | → |
| Super Visa | ~120 days | → |
| eTAOften approved in minutes | ~72 hours | → |
Source: IRCC published processing times (March 2026). Times are estimates and may vary.
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