Canada’s Immigration Services has announced new processing times for February 2025, starting from February 5th.
These updates are important for anyone applying to move to Canada.
According to Immigration News Canada (INC), these updates provide a snapshot of the current processing times, highlighting the importance of planning ahead for immigration applications.
Knowing these timelines allows applicants to manage expectations, prepare their documentation, and avoid delays.
How processing times are calculated by IRCC
Reports inform that IRCC determines processing times based on the completion of 80% of applications. These times can be influenced by various factors, such as the completeness of the application, case complexity, application volumes, and program-specific requirements.
Incomplete applications or missing documentation often lead to delays, and cases with legal or security complexities may take longer to process.
Other factors, such as the number of applications received in a given period, also affect processing times. Each immigration program has its unique processing requirements, which can further impact timelines.
Updates on citizenship and permanent resident card processing
As of February 2025,
- The processing time for a citizenship grant is now 8 months, reflecting a one-month increase from the previous update
- The processing time for a citizenship certificate remains at 3 months
- While renunciation of citizenship has dropped by 4 months, now taking 12 months.
- The search for citizenship records has increased by 9 months to 16 months.
- In terms of Permanent Resident (PR) cards, the time required to process a new PR card is now 24 days, a reduction of 2 days from the previous update.
For PR card renewals, the processing time has been shortened to 17 days, a reduction of 1 day.
Family sponsorship and economic immigration processing times
For family sponsorship, processing times have remained relatively stable for most categories.
- For spousal or common-law partner sponsorships outside Canada, the process takes about 10 months, while for Quebec, it remains at 36 months.
- Inside Canada, the processing time for spouses or common-law partners excluding Quebec has increased to 28 months, up by 4 months from January.
In terms of economic immigration, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program remains one of the fastest with a processing time of 5 months.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) applicants can expect a 6-month wait, while applicants under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) will see times of 6 months for Express Entry and 21 months for non-Express Entry applicants.
- For those applying under Quebec programs, the processing time for Quebec Skilled Workers is 9 months, while Quebec Business Class applicants may face a lengthy wait of 71 months. Other programs such as the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) are stable at 9 months.
Temporary residency and other immigration program updates
For temporary residency applications, such as visitor visas, processing times vary by country.
1. Visitor visas (outside Canada):
- India: 106 days (up by 2 days)
- United States: 28 days (up by 4 days)
- Nigeria: 153 days (down by 1 day)
- Pakistan: 17 days (down by 1 day)
- Philippines: 18 days (down by 4 days)
2. Visitor visa (inside Canada): 40 days (down by 9 days)
3. Visitor visa extension (visitor record): 125 days (down by 6 days)
4. Super visa
- India: 128 days (up by 3 days)
- United States: 225 days (down by 24 days)
- Nigeria: 44 days (down by 4 days)
- Pakistan: 68 days (down by 7 days)
- Philippines: 136 days (up by 3 days)
5. Study Permit (Outside Canada)
- India: 15 weeks (no change)
- United States: 10 weeks (down by 1 week)
- Nigeria: 8 weeks (no change)
- Pakistan: 8 weeks (no change)
- Philippines: 5 weeks (down by 1 week)
6. Study permit (inside Canada): 5 weeks (no change)
7. Study permit extension: 112 days (down by 4 days)
8. Work permit (outside Canada)
- India: 20 weeks (no change)
- United States: 15 weeks (down by 1 week)
- Nigeria: 15 weeks (down by 1 week)
- Pakistan: 10 weeks (no change)
- Philippines: 5 weeks (no change)
9. Work permit (inside Canada): 120 days (down by 5 days)
Other temporary residency programs such as the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) remain immediate, with a processing time of 5 minutes.
- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP): 8 days
- International Experience Canada (IEC): 5 weeks (down by 3 weeks)
Understanding these processing times is important for planning your move to Canada, managing expectations, and preparing documents.
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always check the official IRCC website.
