Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released updated processing times for various immigration streams, including permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship applications. These changes reflect efforts by the IRCC to improve transparency and provide applicants with more accurate timelines.
Among the most notable changes are shifts in family sponsorship processing times, particularly for in-Canada spousal sponsorship and dependent child sponsorship applications for those intending to settle in Quebec. These categories have historically been prioritized, and applicants in these streams may experience delays or faster processing based on the current influx of cases and available resources.
Under the Express Entry system, which includes the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), minor changes were reported. The CEC now has a processing time of six months, up from five months as of September 10, 2025. Conversely, FSWP applicants are seeing a shorter wait of five months compared to six last month. The FSTP data remains unavailable.
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) saw a reverse in wait times for its Express Entry-aligned (enhanced) stream, currently averaging seven months—down from eight. However, the non-Express Entry (base) stream remains unchanged at 19 months. While the official service standard for enhanced PNP applications is six months, base stream applications typically take about 11 months, though actual processing times can vary depending on submission timing.
For candidates applying through Quebec’s Skilled Worker Program (Programme de sélection des travailleurs qualifiés [PSTQ]), processing times remain consistent at 11 months. Quebec operates its own selection process and thus maintains timelines separate from other federal and provincial streams.
These figures highlight the fluctuating nature of immigration processing, impacted by resource allocation, applicant volume, and regional variations. IRCC updates processing time estimates regularly and urges applicants to monitor official channels for the latest information.
Maple News will continue to monitor ongoing changes to Canada’s immigration system and provide timely updates for aspiring newcomers.