On November 7, the Province of Nova Scotia released an action plan to promote the expansion of the French-speaking population. This new plan is also part of the Province’s National Francophone Immigration Week celebration.
From November 6 to 12, National Francophone Immigration Week honours the numerous significant contributions made by French-speaking immigrants in Canada. In this article, learn about:
- Growing Nova Scotia’s Francophone Population Plan details
- Nova Scotia Immigration Minister Comments
- Nova Scotia Immigration Goals
Growing Nova Scotia’s Francophone Population Plan details
The Province wants to achieve or surpass the 4.4% goal set by the federal government for immigrants who speak French in Canada.
To achieve this goal, the Province will invite 150 Francophone candidates from the federal Express Entry system to apply to Nova Scotia’s Labour Market Priorities stream of the Provincial Nominee Program.
Expanding efforts to attract francophone newcomers from other countries and provinces are part of Growing Nova Scotia’s Francophone Population – An Action Plan for Success (2022–25). It involves work on the following:
- Increasing partner and community engagement
- Promoting and attracting newcomers
- Population growth initiatives
- Inclusion and retention through settlement services
- Program research and evaluation
The new action plan is the result of collaboration with francophone partners from across Nova Scotia, including:
- Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse,
- Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse,
- Université Sainte-Anne,
- Provincial Council of School Boards, and
- Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
In response to this new plan, Conseil Scolaire Acadien Provincial, president Marcel Cottreau says,
“As a francophone organization, the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial looks forward to working with the Province on this new plan. This action plan will allow us to welcome more francophone newcomers to our beautiful province and, in turn, will increase our student population, expand our qualified staff, and develop Nova Scotia’s Acadian and francophone community.”
– Marcel Cottreau, President, Conseil scolaire acadien provincial
Nova Scotia Immigration Minister Comments
Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration Jill Balser says, “The Acadian and francophone communities have been an essential part of our province’s identity and heritage for more than 400 years.”
“Our new action plan demonstrates Nova Scotia’s commitment to increasing the number of French-speaking newcomers throughout the province and ensuring they have opportunities and supports to thrive,” said Balser.
Moreover, during the Destination Canada Mobility Forum in France and Morocco the following week, Minister Balser will go with a provincial delegation to promote Nova Scotia to skilled French-speaking employees.
Nova Scotia Immigration Goals
Nova Scotia is making headway in attracting French-speaking residents.
Since the launch of the first francophone immigration action plan in 2019, the percentage of French-speaking candidates approved under the Provincial Nominee Program has increased from less than 1% in 2018 to 6.4% in 2021.
Additionally, Nova Scotia exceeded its one million population goal in December 2021 and intends to reach two million by 2060.
Click here to view the Growing Nova Scotia’s Francophone Population – An Action Plan for Success (2022–25).
Source: Nova Scotia News Release
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- Canada Visa Refusal Overturned After Officer Ignored Key Evidence
A new Federal Court of Canada ruling has set aside a Canadian visa refusal after finding that the immigration officer failed to meaningfully address significant financial and family ties, evidence that directly contradicted the stated reasons for refusing the application.
In Kumar v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2026 FC 1138, Justice Azmudeh of the Federal Court held on September 10, 2026, that the refusal of a temporary resident visa application filed by Indian citizen Seema Kumar was unreasonable because the officer’s reasons did not engage with the contradictory evidence that was plainly part of the record.
The evidence before the officer included statements covering eleven bank accounts with ongoing deposits totalling ₹5,534,658.16, which Kumar estimated at more than CAD $90,000, along with documentation of business income, rental income, and financial support from the applicant’s sister in Canada whose bank assets alone reportedly exceeded CAD $215,000.
Despite this record, the officer’s notes cited concerns about the applicant’s financial circumstances, the source and sufficiency of her funds, whether the purpose of the visit was consistent with a temporary stay, and a lack of significant family ties outside Canada.
The Court did not order Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to issue a visa. Instead, it set aside the refusal and returned the application for reconsideration by a different officer.
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What Canada Visa Seema Kumar Applied For?
Kumar, a citizen of India, applied for a temporary resident visa to visit her sister in Montreal for approximately one month.
Part of the purpose of the trip was to attend her nephew’s baptism, a specific, time-limited family event.
The application was refused on December 19, 2024. The officer’s Global Case Management System (GCMS) notes recorded several concerns that are common in temporary resident visa refusals:
- the purpose of the visit,
- the applicant’s financial circumstances,
- the source and availability of funds, and
- whether the applicant had significant family ties outside Canada.
Those concerns, on their own, are legitimate factors that visa officers routinely consider when assessing whether an applicant will leave Canada at the end of an authorized stay.
Under section 179 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, an officer must be satisfied that an applicant will leave Canada by the end of the period authorized for their stay before issuing a temporary resident visa.
The problem was not that the officer raised these concerns. The problem was that the record contained extensive evidence that directly contradicted each of them, and the officer’s reasons did not address that evidence.
The Financial Evidence the Officer Did Not Address
Kumar’s application included extensive financial documentation.
She submitted statements covering eleven bank accounts showing ongoing deposits totalling ₹5,534,658.16, which she estimated at more than CAD $90,000.
The funds were not unexplained lump-sum deposits. They were traceable to documented income sources.
Kumar had recently established a real estate business and submitted a registered business license, financial statements, and tax-related documentation in support of the application. She also submitted a lease agreement documenting rental income from the business.
On the Canadian side, Kumar’s sister in Montreal provided an invitation letter along with an undertaking to provide accommodation and other support during the visit.
To back that undertaking, the sister submitted evidence of her own income and financial position, including Canadian bank assets reportedly exceeding CAD $215,000.
None of this evidence was disputed. It was part of the record that was before the officer when the refusal was issued.
Yet the officer’s reasons raised concerns about the source, availability, and sufficiency of Kumar’s funds without explaining how those concerns survived in the face of this documentation.
Family Ties the Officer Did Not Adequately Consider
The officer’s notes also cited a lack of significant family ties outside Canada as a reason for refusing the application.
The record told a different story. Kumar submitted evidence showing that she lived with her elderly mother and brother in India.
She also provided documentation relating to her relationship with her mother and her responsibilities toward her, which suggested that Kumar had strong personal reasons to return home after a one-month family visit.
Combined with her newly established business, documented rental income, and ₹5.5 million across eleven accounts, this evidence directly contradicted the officer’s concern about insufficient family ties outside Canada when assessing a temporary visit to Canada.
The officer did not explain why those ties were considered insufficient.
Why the Federal Court Intervened
The Federal Court’s role in judicial review is not to decide whether Kumar deserved a visitor visa. The Court does not reweigh the evidence or substitute its own opinion for that of the visa officer.
What the Court does assess is whether the officer’s decision was reasonable.
Under the framework established by the Supreme Court of Canada in Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65, a reasonable decision must be based on an internally coherent chain of reasoning that is justified in light of the legal and factual constraints on the decision-maker.
Justice Azmudeh found that the officer’s reasons fell short of that standard. The Court held that the officer’s failure to engage with the contradictory evidence in the record “created a logical vacuum which resulted in a breakdown in the chain of reasoning” (para. 15).
The Court described the resulting reasons as unintelligible, unjustified, and opaque, and therefore unreasonable (para. 16).
This does not mean that visa officers must write lengthy decisions for every application. The Court acknowledged that officers processing high volumes of temporary resident visa applications are not expected to produce detailed written reasons in every case.
However, when significant evidence in the record directly contradicts the stated grounds for refusal, the reasons must show that the officer actually considered that evidence.
An applicant and a reviewing court must be able to understand why the decision was reached, especially when important evidence appears to undermine the conclusion.
Listing standardized refusal concerns without connecting them to the actual file does not meet that requirement.
The Court Rejected Post-Hoc Rationalization
One notable aspect of the decision is the Court’s treatment of the respondent’s attempts to fill the gaps in the officer’s reasoning during the judicial review hearing.
Government counsel pointed to potential weaknesses in Kumar’s evidence that could, in theory, explain why the officer was not satisfied.
Justice Azmudeh rejected this approach. The Court stated that without any engagement or analysis by the officer in the actual decision, counsel’s submissions amounted to speculation about what factors may have been important to the officer (para. 15).
This is a recurring theme in Federal Court immigration decisions.
When an officer’s reasons do not explain why certain evidence was insufficient or unconvincing, a lawyer cannot fill that reasoning gap after the fact.
The reasonableness of a decision is assessed based on the reasons the decision-maker actually gave, not the reasons that might have existed.
What Happens After a Federal Court Sets Aside a Visa Refusal
The Court granted the application for judicial review, set aside the December 2024 refusal, and returned the file for redetermination by a different officer.
The Court declined to address the applicant’s procedural fairness arguments after finding the decision unreasonable on substantive grounds. No question was certified for appeal.
It is important to understand what this remedy means and what it does not mean.
The Federal Court did not order IRCC to issue a visitor visa to Kumar. A successful judicial review does not result in visa approval.
It means the original refusal has been removed, and the application goes back to IRCC to be decided again by a fresh decision-maker.
The new officer must assess the application according to law and provide a reasonable decision based on the record.
If the evidence genuinely supports a refusal, the officer can still refuse the application. The difference is that the new officer must explain why the evidence that contradicted the initial refusal is not sufficient, rather than simply ignoring it.
The new officer may approve or refuse the application after reassessing it. The Federal Court’s decision does not predetermine the outcome.
Does Having Strong Finances Guarantee a Canadian Visitor Visa
No, this is one of the most common misconceptions about the Canadian temporary resident visa process.
Financial evidence is one of several factors that visa officers consider when assessing a temporary resident visa application and makes your case strong.
But officers also look at the purpose of the trip, travel history, ties to the home country, the applicant’s immigration history, and any other relevant circumstances.
An applicant with CAD $90,000 in documented funds can still be refused if the officer has legitimate, explained concerns about other aspects of the application.
What an officer cannot do, as Kumar confirms, is cite financial concerns while ignoring extensive financial evidence that directly addresses those concerns.
The legal significance of this case is not that strong finances guarantee approval. It is that when an officer raises a concern that the record contradicts, the officer must grapple with that contradiction.
A decision that ignores the contradiction is not a reasonable one.
How Much Explanation Does a Visa Officer Have to Provide?
Visa officers deciding temporary resident visa applications are not expected to produce detailed written reasons comparable to those of a tribunal or a court.
The Federal Court has consistently recognized that officers at visa posts process large volumes of applications and that their reasons will necessarily be brief.
However, brief reasons are not the same as no reasons. Even in a high-volume environment, the officer’s notes must allow the applicant and a reviewing court to understand why the application was refused in light of the evidence that was submitted.
When an applicant submits evidence of eleven bank accounts, a registered business, documented rental income, and financial support from a Canadian host with over CAD $215,000 in assets, and the officer’s notes simply say the funds are insufficient without further explanation, there is a gap in the reasoning that cannot be bridged.
That gap is what Justice Azmudeh described as a “logical vacuum.” It is not a demand for perfection. It is a basic requirement that reasons connect to the record.
What Applicants Can Learn From This Case
While each temporary resident visa application is assessed on its own facts, the Kumar decision highlights several practical points that applicants and their representatives should keep in mind.
First, the strength of the evidentiary record matters. Kumar’s application included detailed, sourced financial evidence that left very little room for the officer to question her financial position.
Applicants should ensure that bank statements, income documentation, and proof of ties to their home country are comprehensive and clearly presented.
Second, host-side financial evidence is valuable. Kumar’s sister submitted proof of more than CAD $215,000 in Canadian bank assets along with her invitation and undertaking.
That evidence was directly relevant to whether the applicant’s funds were sufficient for the proposed travel, and the officer’s silence on it contributed to the unreasonableness finding.
Third, a temporary resident visa refusal is not necessarily the final word.
Applicants who receive a refusal that does not engage with the evidence they submitted have options, including requesting the officer’s GCMS notes, filing a request for reconsideration with the visa office, or applying for leave and judicial review in the Federal Court of Canada.
Under section 72 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the normal deadline to file an application for leave and judicial review is 60 days when the matter arises outside Canada and 15 days when it arises inside Canada.
A Federal Court judge may allow an extension for special reasons under section 72(2)(c), but applicants should not assume an extension will be granted.
Fourth, reapplying without addressing the refusal is rarely the most effective path forward.
A new application that does not explain why the earlier refusal was wrong risks producing the same result, and it adds a second refusal to the applicant’s immigration history.
Case Details at a Glance
Case Citation Kumar v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2026 FC 1138 Court Federal Court of Canada Decision Date September 10, 2026 Judge Justice Azmudeh Docket IMM-289-25 Applicant Seema Kumar, citizen of India Application Type Temporary Resident Visa (Visitor Visa) Date of Refusal December 19, 2024 Outcome Judicial review granted; refusal set aside; redetermination by a different officer Question Certified No This case comes at a time of high temporary resident visa refusal rates in Canada.
IRCC reports that the global TRV refusal rate reached 54% in 2024, compared with 39% in 2023. Approximately 1.95 million visitor visa applications were refused in 2024 alone.
Separately, the federal government has introduced measures to reduce temporary resident volumes, particularly among international students and temporary workers, as it works toward reducing the non-permanent resident share of Canada’s population.
Those temporary resident arrival targets do not include visitors arriving on temporary resident visas.
Regardless of the broader policy direction, the legal requirement remains that each individual application be assessed on its own merits with reasons that are justified, transparent, and intelligible.
The Kumar decision is a reminder that high-volume processing environments do not excuse decision-making that ignores the applicant’s actual evidence.
Officers who rely on standardized refusal language without connecting it to the specific file risk producing decisions that cannot withstand judicial scrutiny.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can IRCC still refuse Seema Kumar’s visitor visa after the Federal Court overturned the original refusal?
Yes, the Federal Court’s decision returned the application to IRCC for a new decision by a different officer. That officer must assess the application according to law and provide a reasonable decision based on the record. If the evidence supports a refusal for clearly explained reasons, the officer can still refuse the application. The difference is that the new officer must engage with the evidence rather than repeat the same boilerplate concerns that led to the original refusal being set aside.
How long do I have to challenge a Canadian visitor visa refusal in Federal Court?
Under section 72(2)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the normal deadline to file an application for leave and judicial review is 60 days from the date the decision was communicated when the decision was made outside Canada. For decisions made inside Canada, the deadline is 15 days. A Federal Court judge may allow an extension for special reasons under section 72(2)(c), but applicants should not assume an extension will be granted and should treat these deadlines as firm.
Does having CAD $90,000 or more in the bank guarantee approval of a Canadian visitor visa?
No, financial evidence is one of several factors that visa officers assess. Officers also consider the purpose of the visit, travel history, ties to the applicant’s home country, and other circumstances. What the Kumar decision establishes is that when an applicant submits substantial financial evidence, the officer cannot cite financial concerns in the refusal without explaining why that evidence was insufficient or unconvincing.
What is the difference between a judicial review and an appeal in Canadian immigration law?
A judicial review is not an appeal. On judicial review, the Federal Court does not substitute its own decision for that of the officer. Instead, the Court assesses whether the officer’s decision was reasonable, meaning whether it was based on a coherent chain of reasoning that engaged with the evidence and the applicable law. If the decision is found unreasonable, the Court sets it aside and sends the file back to IRCC for a new decision. The Court does not approve or refuse the visa application itself.
What should I do if my Canadian visitor visa was refused and the officer did not address the evidence I submitted?
Start by carefully reviewing the officer decision note provided with your refusal letter. IRCC now provides these notes with most temporary resident visa refusal letters, giving applicants more information about why the application was refused. If additional records are needed, applicants may also request their immigration file through an access-to-information request. If the reasons do not meaningfully engage with important evidence submitted in the application, there may be grounds to consider judicial review. Given the strict filing timelines, applicants considering a court challenge should seek qualified advice promptly.
Fact-Checked: This article has been reviewed for factual accuracy against the Federal Court judgment in Kumar v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2026 FC 1138, official IRCC guidance, and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. All case details, paragraph references, and legal outcomes have been verified.
Disclaimer: This article is published for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration News Canada is not a law firm and does not provide individualized legal or immigration advice. Readers should consult a qualified immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) for advice specific to their circumstances.
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- Deportations From Canada Surge For Indian Nationals In 2026
Canada has already enforced more than 12,000 immigration removals in the first seven months of 2026, and one nationality stands dramatically ahead of all others on the latest Canada Border Services Agency enforcement list.
A total of 3,717 Indian nationals were removed from Canada between January 1 and July 31, 2026, according to CBSA’s most recently published data.
That figure represents approximately 29.8% of all enforced removals recorded during that period, meaning nearly three in every ten people removed from Canada so far this year held Indian citizenship.
India also leads CBSA’s much larger removal-in-progress inventory, with 8,817 Indian nationals currently listed among cases actively moving through the enforcement pipeline.
The 12,491 enforced removals recorded through July 31, 2026, therefore include a mix of deportation orders, exclusion orders, and departure orders.
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CBSA’s Latest Extortion Crackdown Leads To 111 Removals
Alongside its broader removal operations, CBSA announced on September 14, 2026, that its targeted enforcement initiative against extortion networks had resulted in 111 removals from Canada.
As of September 3, 2026, the agency reported that 188 removal orders had been issued on various inadmissibility grounds as part of this initiative, with 111 of those individuals already removed.
The regional breakdown of the extortion-linked enforcement activity is as follows.
Region Removal Orders Issued Individuals Removed Pacific Region 91 58 Prairie Region 47 30 Greater Toronto Area 50 23 Total 188 111 Source: Canada Border Services Agency, as of September 3, 2026. CBSA began formally tracking immigration enforcement cases with potential links to extortion in the Pacific and Prairie regions in August 2025, later extending the initiative to the Greater Toronto Area in November 2025.
The agency highlighted four recent individuals linked to extortion or organized criminal schemes who were removed from Canada.
Palwinder Singh was removed after the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada found him inadmissible for being a member of a criminal organization linked to extortion-related violence, including an extortion-related shooting in the fall of 2025.
Jasmer Singh, who had been convicted in Canada of forcible confinement, was found inadmissible for serious criminality and was issued a deportation order before being removed.
Amitoz Bajwa was removed after the IRB found him inadmissible for being a member of an organization engaged in a pattern of criminal activity, with links to firearms-related activity and an extortion-related shooting.
Sahibjot Singh was found inadmissible by the IRB for links to an organization engaged in a pattern of criminal activity and acknowledged committing offences forming part of that organization’s criminal pattern before being removed.
It is important to note that the 111 extortion-linked removals represent a separate targeted initiative and should not be merged with the nationality-level statistics presented earlier.
CBSA’s release does not identify the citizenship of the 111 removed individuals, and the agency has emphasized that these cases involve investigations into potential links to extortion and can involve different inadmissibility grounds.
Indians Top Canada’s Latest Removal List
India’s position at the top of CBSA’s 2026 removal list is not merely a matter of leading by a narrow margin.
The gap between India and the second-ranked nationality, Mexico, is substantial.
Mexico recorded 1,936 enforced removals through July 31, meaning India’s total is nearly double that of the next closest country.
This represents a significant shift from recent years, when Mexico consistently led CBSA’s nationality rankings.
Top 10 Nationalities Removed From Canada In 2026
The following table shows the top 10 citizenship groups in CBSA’s enforced removal statistics through July 31, 2026.
Citizenship Enforced Removals (Jan–Jul 2026) India 3,717 Mexico 1,936 United States 510 Colombia 473 Haiti 414 Romania 356 Bangladesh 269 Nigeria 260 Turkey 253 China 230 Remaining nationalities 4,073 Total 12,491 Source: Canada Border Services Agency, Immigration removal statistics, data through July 31, 2026. Several features of this table are worth noting.
The United States ranks third with 510 removals, reflecting the fact that enforcement applies to nationals from all countries, including Canada’s closest ally and neighbour.
Colombia, Haiti, and Romania round out the middle of the list, while Bangladesh, Nigeria, Turkey, and China each recorded between 230 and 269 removals.
The remaining nationalities not individually listed account for 4,073 removals combined, illustrating that CBSA’s enforcement mandate reaches a wide range of citizenship groups.
India Also Tops Canada’s Removal-In-Progress List
Beyond the 12,491 removals that have already been enforced, CBSA maintains a separate inventory of cases still working through the enforcement pipeline.
As of July 31, 2026, this removal-in-progress inventory contained 44,781 individuals.
India leads this inventory as well, with 8,817 Indian nationals currently listed.
Citizenship Removal-In-Progress Inventory India 8,817 Mexico 6,239 Nigeria 2,264 China 1,867 United States 1,641 Colombia 1,372 Pakistan 1,291 Bangladesh 1,190 Ghana 1,083 Remaining nationalities 17,698 Total 44,781 Source: Canada Border Services Agency, inventory as of July 31, 2026. *Note: CBSA’s published citizenship rows do not add up to its stated removal-in-progress total of 44,781. The displayed rows are short by 1,319 cases, but CBSA’s published table does not identify those 1,319 cases as Haiti. Immigration News Canada has therefore reproduced only the citizenship figures explicitly published by CBSA.
The removal-in-progress inventory includes individuals who can currently be processed for removal but whose cases may face practical barriers, including the issuance of travel documents by foreign governments.
CBSA also maintains separate inventories for individuals who are not yet actionable (452,178 cases), those whose removal is not currently possible (36,027 cases), and wanted individuals whom CBSA is working to locate (34,039 cases).
The combined total across all four inventories stood at 567,025 as of July 31, 2026.
How 2026 Indian Removal Numbers Compare With 2025
The 2026 data becomes even more striking when placed alongside the full-year 2025 figures.
During the entire 2025 calendar year, Canada removed 3,779 Indian nationals.
By July 31, 2026, with five full months still remaining in the year, Canada had already removed 3,717 Indian nationals.
That means the first seven months of 2026 had reached approximately 98.4% of the total number of Indian nationals removed during the entire previous year.
At the current pace, the 2026 full-year total for Indian nationals is on track to significantly exceed the 2025 total.
The shift is also visible in the nationality rankings.
In 2025, Mexico led the removal list with 4,837 removals and India ranked second with 3,779.
In the latest 2026 data, India has overtaken Mexico to occupy the number-one position, while Mexico’s 2026 total through July (1,936) is running well below its 2025 pace.
Citizenship Full Year 2025 Jan–Jul 2026 India 3,779 3,717 Mexico 4,837 1,936 Haiti 2,275 414 Colombia 892 473 Romania 828 356 United States 803 510 Source: Canada Border Services Agency. How Many People Has Canada Removed Each Month In 2026?
CBSA publishes monthly removal figures that reveal significant variation across the first seven months of the year.
Month Enforced Removals January 2,652 February 1,267 March 1,423 April 1,787 May 2,217 June 1,599 July 1,546 Total (Jan–Jul) 12,491 Source: Canada Border Services Agency, data through July 31, 2026. January recorded the highest monthly total at 2,652 enforced removals, followed by May at 2,217. February was the lowest month at 1,267 removals.
The data does not show a consistent month-over-month increase or decrease, and CBSA has previously noted that removal volumes can fluctuate due to factors including court proceedings, travel document availability, and international cooperation timelines.
Canada Recorded A Historic Removal High In 2025
The 2025 calendar year marked a record for CBSA enforcement.
The agency carried out 23,160 enforced removals during the year, which Public Safety Canada and CBSA have described as the highest number of inadmissible persons removed in the history of the agency.
The following table places 2026’s partial-year total in historical context.
Year Total Enforced Removals 2020 12,858 2021 7,523 2022 8,335 2023 15,231 2024 17,397 2025 23,160 2026 (through July 31) 12,491 Source: Canada Border Services Agency. The 2021 figure of 7,523 was depressed by travel restrictions and operational limitations during the pandemic.
Removals increased sharply from 2022 through 2025, rising from 8,335 to 23,160, with 2025 reaching the highest annual removal total recorded in CBSA history.
The 2026 figure of 12,491 through seven months should not be directly compared against the full-year totals above without noting that five months of data remain outstanding.
It would be premature to claim that 2026 will surpass the 2025 record based on the available partial-year data alone.
What the data does show clearly is that the 2026 surge in Indian national removals is one of the most distinctive enforcement trends visible in this year’s CBSA statistics.
Why Are People Being Removed From Canada?
Understanding why individuals are removed from Canada requires looking at CBSA’s inadmissibility data, which breaks down enforced removals by the legal grounds under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Inadmissibility Ground Removals (Jan–Jul 2026) Non-compliance (s. 41) – refugee claimants 10,050 Non-compliance (s. 41) – non-claimants 1,544 Criminality (s. 36) 746 Other inadmissibility grounds 84 Misrepresentation (s. 40) 67 Total 12,491 Source: Canada Border Services Agency, data through July 31, 2026. The most significant takeaway from this table is that 10,050 of the 12,491 enforced removals, or approximately 80.4%, involved non-compliance by refugee claimants.
This category includes refugee claimants whose claims were not approved and individuals who did not pursue their claims or comply with requirements under the refugee determination process.
An additional 1,544 removals involved non-compliance by individuals who were not refugee claimants, such as people who overstayed visas or violated the conditions of work or study permits.
Criminality under section 36 of IRPA accounted for 746 removals, representing approximately 6% of the total.
The “other” category of 84 removals covers inadmissibility on grounds including security concerns under section 34, human or international rights violations under section 35, organized crime under section 37, health grounds under section 38, financial inadmissibility under section 39, cessation under section 40.1, and inadmissible family members under section 42.
Misrepresentation, which includes making false statements or withholding material information in immigration applications, accounted for 67 removals.
This breakdown is critical because it demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of enforced removals in 2026 are not criminal deportations.
CBSA does not publish a nationality-by-inadmissibility cross-tabulation in this dataset, which means the fact that Indian nationals lead the overall removal list does not, on its own, tell us how many Indian nationals were removed for criminality versus non-compliance or other grounds.
Deportation vs Removal: What Is The Difference?
Canadian immigration law draws an important distinction between the general concept of removal and the specific legal category of a deportation order.
When public discussion and news headlines refer to “deportation,” they are typically using the term as a broad shorthand for any removal from Canada.
However, CBSA tracks three separate types of removal orders, and the consequences of each one differ significantly.
Through July 31, 2026, CBSA recorded the following removal-order breakdown.
Removal Order Type Number (Jan–Jul 2026) Deportation order 7,333 Departure order 2,618 Exclusion order 2,540 Total 12,491 Source: Canada Border Services Agency, data through July 31, 2026. Deportation orders accounted for 7,333 of the 12,491 enforced removals, or approximately 58.7% of the total.
The remaining 41.3% were departure orders and exclusion orders, which carry different re-entry rules.
Three Types Of Canada Removal Orders Explained
Each removal order type under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act carries specific consequences for the individual’s ability to return to Canada.
Departure order: This order requires the individual to leave Canada within 30 days after it becomes enforceable and to confirm their departure with CBSA by obtaining a certificate of departure.
If the individual does not leave within 30 days, the departure order automatically becomes a deportation order.
Exclusion order: This order requires the individual to leave Canada and generally bars them from returning for one year.
If the exclusion order was issued on grounds of misrepresentation under section 40 of IRPA, the bar extends to five years.
In either case, the individual may apply for an Authorization to Return to Canada where applicable.
Deportation order: This is the most serious type of removal order.
It requires the individual to leave Canada and permanently bars them from returning unless they obtain written Authorization to Return to Canada from IRCC.
How Removals Are Carried Out
Not every enforced removal involves CBSA officers physically escorting someone onto a flight.
According to CBSA’s 2026 data through July 31, approximately 66% of removals were confirmed departures from Canada, meaning CBSA verified that the individual left the country and issued a certificate of departure.
Approximately 34% were administrative removals, a category CBSA uses for cases where sufficient evidence establishes that an individual who did not formally confirm their departure is no longer in Canada and the removal order can be administratively enforced.
Less than 1% fell into other verification methods.
What The Latest CBSA Numbers Mean For The Rest Of 2026
Canada’s immigration enforcement apparatus is operating at an elevated tempo heading into the final months of 2026.
CBSA has stated it is removing approximately 400 people per week, the removal-in-progress inventory contains nearly 45,000 individuals, and the government has committed significant new funding and staffing to enforcement.
Bill C-12, which received Royal Assent in March 2026, introduced new asylum-claim eligibility rules and changes intended to make asylum processing more efficient, including provisions that can make removal orders effective sooner in certain circumstances.
The targeted extortion crackdown is continuing, with CBSA signalling that further investigations and removals will follow as cases progress.
For Indian nationals specifically, the data suggests that the full-year 2026 removal total is very likely to exceed the 2025 figure of 3,779.
The broader removal-in-progress inventory of 8,817 Indian nationals indicates that enforcement activity involving Indian citizens will remain a prominent feature of CBSA operations well beyond September.
Whether the overall 2026 annual removal total will match or exceed the record 23,160 set in 2025 will depend on CBSA’s operational capacity, legal proceedings, the availability of travel documents from foreign governments, and the pace at which cases clear the remaining enforcement stages.
What is clear from the latest data is that Canada’s immigration enforcement system is operating at historically elevated levels, Indian nationals now occupy the most prominent position in the country’s removal statistics, and the federal government has signalled no indication that this enforcement posture will soften before the year ends.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many people has Canada deported in 2026?
Canada enforced 12,491 immigration removals between January 1 and July 31, 2026, according to the latest CBSA data. These enforced removals include three types of removal orders under Canadian immigration law: deportation orders (7,333), departure orders (2,618), and exclusion orders (2,540). The term “deported” in popular usage refers broadly to all removals from Canada, but only deportation orders, which accounted for approximately 58.7% of the total, are technically classified as deportations under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. CBSA has stated it is currently removing approximately 400 inadmissible individuals per week, and additional removals will continue to be recorded through the remainder of the year.
Which nationality has the most deportations from Canada in 2026?
India leads CBSA’s 2026 removal list with 3,717 enforced removals recorded through July 31, representing approximately 29.8% of all removals during that period. Mexico ranks second with 1,936, followed by the United States (510), Colombia (473), and Haiti (414). India also leads CBSA’s removal-in-progress inventory with 8,817 cases as of July 31, 2026. This marks a shift from 2025, when Mexico led the annual removal list with 4,837 and India ranked second with 3,779. CBSA does not break down nationality data by removal-order type or by inadmissibility ground, so the 3,717 figure includes Indian nationals removed under all three types of removal orders and across all inadmissibility categories.
Why is Canada removing so many Indian nationals in 2026?
CBSA’s published data does not offer a specific explanation for why India leads the 2026 removal list, and the agency does not publish a cross-tabulation of nationality by inadmissibility ground.
What the broader inadmissibility data shows is that 80.4% of all 2026 enforced removals involved non-compliance by refugee claimants. This category includes claimants whose claims were not approved as well as individuals who did not pursue their claims or comply with requirements under the refugee determination process.
An additional 12.4% involved non-compliance by non-claimants, such as visa overstayers or work and study permit violators, while 6% involved criminality. The overall data suggests that the majority of removals across all nationalities are connected to the refugee determination system rather than to criminal inadmissibility.Can someone return to Canada after being deported?
The answer depends on which type of removal order was issued. A departure order allows the individual to leave Canada voluntarily within 30 days and, once confirmed, does not bar future applications to return. An exclusion order bars the individual from returning for one year, or five years if it was issued on misrepresentation grounds, unless they obtain an Authorization to Return to Canada. A deportation order permanently bars the individual from returning unless they obtain a written Authorization to Return to Canada from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
When assessing an Authorization to Return to Canada application, immigration officers consider factors including the reason for the original removal order, how much time has passed, the applicant’s current circumstances, the reason they want to return, and whether the circumstances that led to the removal have changed. Any underlying inadmissibility must also be resolved before an Authorization to Return to Canada can be issued.How many people are currently waiting to be removed from Canada?
As of July 31, 2026, CBSA’s removal-in-progress inventory contained 44,781 individuals who could currently be processed for removal. Beyond that, 452,178 individuals were in the not-yet-actionable inventory, which includes people with pending refugee applications or other unresolved proceedings. A further 36,027 were in the removal-not-possible category due to factors such as pending Federal Court appeals or criminal proceedings, and 34,039 were listed as wanted individuals whom CBSA is actively working to locate. The combined total across all four removal sub-inventories stood at 567,025. India leads the removal-in-progress inventory with 8,817 cases, followed by Mexico (6,239), Nigeria (2,264), and China (1,867).
Fact-Checked: The information presented in this article is based on official data published by the Canada Border Services Agency on its immigration removal statistics page, last modified September 11, 2026, and on CBSA news releases published on Canada.ca. All figures, percentages, and legal explanations have been independently verified against these primary sources.
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Individuals facing removal proceedings or immigration enforcement action should consult a qualified immigration lawyer or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant.
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- New Express Entry Draw On September 15 Sent 2,000 Invitations For PR
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada invited 2,000 candidates to apply for permanent residence through a new Canadian Experience Class Express Entry draw on September 15, 2026.
The Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff dropped to 519 points, continuing a gradual decline from the 523 peak that the August 18 CEC round had established as the highest threshold of the year.
This is the second consecutive CEC draw in which the cutoff has decreased, falling from 523 on August 18 to 521 on September 1 and now to 519 on September 15.
The draw arrived one day after the September 14 PNP round that issued 576 invitations at CRS 734, maintaining the cluster sequencing that IRCC has followed since March.
Invited candidates now have 60 calendar days to submit a complete permanent residence application to IRCC.
Table of Contents
September 15 Express Entry Draw Details
IRCC conducted this round at 10:21:41 UTC, targeting candidates who qualified under the Canadian Experience Class.
Draw Detail Value Draw Category Canadian Experience Class Date and Time (UTC) September 15, 2026, at 10:21:41 Number of Invitations Issued 2,000 CRS Score of Lowest-Ranked Candidate 519 Rank Needed 2,000 or above Tie-Breaking Rule March 26, 2026, at 00:16:39 UTC The tie-breaking timestamp for this draw reaches back to March 26, 2026, nearly six months before the draw itself.
The March 26 tie-breaking timestamp indicates that more eligible CEC candidates were tied at the 519 cutoff than could be invited in this round.
It does not necessarily mean those candidates have held a CRS score of 519 since March, because Express Entry scores can change as profiles are updated
Eligible CEC candidates with a CRS above 519 received invitations regardless of their profile submission date, while those at exactly 519 needed to have entered the pool before March 26, 2026, at 00:16:39 UTC.
CEC Cutoff Falls For Second Consecutive Draw
CEC cutoffs spent most of 2026 locked inside a narrow band, holding between 514 and 518 from April through early August regardless of whether IRCC issued 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 invitations per round.
That equilibrium broke on August 18 when IRCC cut the CEC volume to just 1,000 invitations, the smallest CEC round of the year, which pushed the cutoff sharply upward to 523.
The September 1 draw restored the volume to 2,000, and the cutoff eased to 521, marking the first CEC decline since the July 21 round
Today’s draw holds the same 2,000-invitation volume and the cutoff has fallen two more points to 519. The results strongly suggest that the smaller 1,000-invitation round on August 18 contributed to the temporary spike, although CRS cutoffs also depend on the number and ranking of eligible CEC candidates in the pool.
The relationship between invitation volume and CRS threshold has been the single most consistent pattern across CEC draws in 2026.
When IRCC issued 8,000 invitations in the first CEC draw of January, the cutoff sat at 511.
As volumes shrank through the spring, the cutoff climbed in near-lockstep, reaching 515 by April and peaking at 523 when the August 18 draw slashed invitations to their lowest point.
September’s consecutive declines indicate that the pool is absorbing the 2,000-invitation volume without building additional upward pressure on the CRS floor.
For context, CEC cutoffs started the year between 508 and 511 when IRCC was issuing 6,000 to 8,000 invitations per round in January and February.
The reduction in draw sizes through the spring, from 4,000 invitations in early March to around 2,000 by April, coincided with CRS cutoffs moving above 510 and into the 514 to 518 band, where they remained for months.
At the current 2,000-invitation pace, a CRS of 519 sits roughly 8 to 12 points above where the cutoff would land if IRCC returned to the larger volumes it used at the beginning of the year.
Who The Canadian Experience Class Targets
The Canadian Experience Class is designed for skilled workers who have already accumulated qualifying work experience inside Canada.
Candidates must have completed at least 12 months of full-time skilled work in an NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation within the three years before their permanent residence application is submitted.
Part-time work qualifies as well, provided the candidate accumulates the equivalent of 1,560 hours, such as 15 hours per week over 24 months.
CEC applicants must intend to live outside Quebec. Self-employment and work experience gained while studying full-time generally do not count toward the CEC minimum work-experience requirement, although qualifying physicians providing publicly funded medical services can benefit from a specific temporary public policy
The minimum language requirement is CLB 7 in English or NCLC 7 in French for TEER 0 and 1 occupations and CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French for TEER 2 and 3 occupations.
IRCC accepts CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French.
CEC does not require a minimum education level for eligibility, though education contributes significantly to the CRS score that determines ranking in the Express Entry pool.
The pathway is especially relevant for international graduates transitioning from Post-Graduation Work Permits and for temporary foreign workers who have built their careers in Canada over multiple years.
CEC applicants are not required to show proof of funds, which distinguishes this program from the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades categories, where proof of funds may be mandatory depending on the applicant’s job offer and work authorization status.
CEC Draw History In 2026
IRCC has conducted 16 Canadian Experience Class draws between January and mid-September 2026, making CEC one of the most frequently used program-specific draw types this year.
The table below captures the recent trajectory of CEC invitation volumes and CRS cutoffs across the second half of the year, where the most significant shifts have occurred.
Draw Date Invitations CRS Cutoff April 28, 2026 2,000 514 May 27, 2026 3,000 518 June 23, 2026 4,000 516 July 7, 2026 2,000 517 July 21, 2026 2,000 516 August 5, 2026 3,000 516 August 18, 2026 1,000 523 September 1, 2026 2,000 521 September 15, 2026 2,000 519 The August 18 draw stands out as the clear outlier, with its 1,000-invitation volume producing a CRS spike that was seven points above the band that had held steady for four months.
Every CEC round since then has gradually unwound that spike, bringing the cutoff back toward the 514 to 518 range that defined most of the year.
What The Pool Distribution Tells CEC Candidates
The Express Entry pool snapshot from September 13 showed 20,784 candidates with CRS scores between 501 and 600.
However, this figure covers the entire Express Entry pool and is not limited to candidates eligible for the Canadian Experience Class.
In a CEC-specific round, IRCC ranks only candidates eligible to be invited under the Canadian Experience Class.
The overall pool distribution, therefore, cannot be used to determine exactly how many CEC-eligible candidates were sitting above or at the 519 cutoff
The 72,107 profiles in the overall Express Entry pool with scores between 451 and 500 were below the CRS threshold of every CEC draw held so far in 2026.
For candidates in the low-500s who are within striking distance of the cutoff, the current downward trend offers some encouragement, but the pool continues to replenish as new profiles enter and existing ones are updated with improved language scores or additional work experience.
Candidates scoring below 510 may find a faster path to permanent residence through a provincial nomination or by qualifying for a category-based draw targeting specific occupations or French-language proficiency, both of which have produced lower CRS thresholds this year.
September Draw Cluster Taking Shape
IRCC has organized its Express Entry draws into clusters since March 2026, typically starting each cluster with a PNP round and following up with a CEC draw within one to two business days.
The September 15 CEC draw fits this pattern precisely, arriving one day after the September 14 PNP round that opened the current cluster.
The previous cluster ran from August 31 through September 4, consisting of a PNP draw on August 31, the September 1 CEC round, a physicians draw on September 3, and a healthcare category draw on September 4.
Based on that sequencing, the current cluster may close with a category-based draw later this week, potentially targeting French-language proficiency, healthcare occupations, or another priority group from the 2026 category list.
IRCC does not publish a fixed draw schedule, so candidates should monitor their IRCC online account closely throughout the week.
Several immigration policy changes are also taking effect in September 2026, and candidates should review whether any updates affect their eligibility or application requirements.
Positioning For The Next CEC Draw
Candidates who were not selected in this round should assess which CRS factors offer the fastest improvement path before the next CEC draw.
Improving language results can be one of the most effective ways to raise a CRS score, particularly when a candidate crosses an important CLB or NCLC threshold.
The exact CRS gain depends on the candidate’s age, education, work experience, spouse factors and the combination of language scores across all four abilities.
Candidates with foreign credentials who have not yet completed an educational credential assessment should do so, as education points can make the difference for profiles sitting just below the CEC cutoff range.
Accumulating additional Canadian work experience beyond the 12-month minimum also adds CRS points, with the system awarding progressively more points for two, three, four, and five or more years of qualifying experience.
Candidates whose occupations align with IRCC’s category-based draw targets should ensure their Express Entry profiles accurately reflect the correct NOC 2021 code, as IRCC continues to use that classification for Express Entry eligibility.
Candidates whose CRS falls below the CEC range but who qualify for the Express Entry category draws should track those rounds as well, since category-based cutoffs in healthcare, trades, and French-language proficiency have consistently run below CEC thresholds.
The Express Entry draw slowdown analysis published earlier this year noted that IRCC frontloaded much of its 2026 invitation volume into the first quarter, and the smaller CEC rounds observed since April are consistent with that operational pattern.
The September 15 CEC draw extends a three-round sequence of declining CRS cutoffs, bringing the threshold back toward the 514 to 518 range that characterized most of 2026.
At 519 points and 2,000 invitations, this round offers a clear signal that the August 18 spike was a volume-driven anomaly rather than a new competitive floor.
Candidates with Canadian work experience, valid language scores, and profiles in the low-to-mid 500s remain within the realistic range of a CEC invitation, provided they keep their profiles current and explore score improvement strategies before the next round.
Follow Immigration News Canada for the latest Express Entry draw results, immigration policy updates, and official IRCC round data as each new draw is published.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why has the CEC cutoff been declining since August 18?
The August 18 CEC draw was the smallest of 2026 at just 1,000 invitations, which artificially compressed the selection pool and pushed the cutoff to its yearly peak of 523. When IRCC restored the invitation volume to 2,000 for the September 1 and September 15 rounds, the department reached deeper into the ranked candidate list, which naturally brought the minimum qualifying score down. The decline from 523 to 521 to 519 reflects the larger draw size pulling in candidates at progressively lower CRS levels rather than a sudden weakening of competition in the pool.
What does a tie-breaking date of March 2026 mean for candidates at exactly 519 CRS?
The March 26 tie-breaking timestamp means that among eligible CEC candidates tied at 519, the profile submission date determined who received the remaining invitations. Candidates at exactly 519 whose applicable profile timestamp came after the tie-breaking point were not invited in this round. The timestamp does not reveal how long individual candidates have held a CRS score of 519 or how many future draws would be required to clear candidates at that score.
Is self-employment counted toward CEC work experience?
No, IRCC does not count self-employment toward the 12-month Canadian work experience requirement for the Canadian Experience Class. The qualifying experience must be gained as an employee in a paid position under a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation while holding valid work authorization in Canada. Freelance or contract work where the candidate is not employed by a Canadian employer does not meet the CEC definition, even if the work was performed in Canada and falls within a qualifying NOC code.
Can work experience from a Post-Graduation Work Permit count toward CEC eligibility?
Yes, and the PGWP-to-CEC pathway is one of the most common routes to permanent residence for international graduates in Canada. Work experience accumulated on a valid Post-Graduation Work Permit in an NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation counts toward the 12-month requirement, provided it was gained within the three years before the permanent residence application is submitted. Graduates should ensure their work aligns with the duties described in their claimed NOC code and should keep detailed records, including pay stubs, T4 slips, and reference letters from their employers.
How soon after this draw should the next CEC round be expected?
IRCC does not publish a fixed Express Entry draw schedule, so the exact timing of the next CEC round cannot be confirmed in advance. Based on the biweekly cluster pattern that IRCC has maintained throughout 2026, the next CEC draw would most likely arrive in late September or early October, following the PNP round that typically opens each new cluster. The interval between CEC draws has ranged from as few as 6 days to as many as 29 days during the May pause, with the most common spacing in recent months falling between 13 and 17 days.
Fact-Checked: All draw figures, CRS cutoffs, invitation counts, tie-breaking timestamps, and CEC eligibility requirements cited in this article are sourced directly from the official Express Entry rounds of invitations page published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on September 15, 2026. Application fees reflect the IRCC fee increase effective April 30, 2026. CEC draw history data is cross-referenced against prior IRCC publications and Immigration News Canada reporting throughout 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, immigration advice, or a substitute for consultation with a licensed immigration professional. Immigration rules, draw volumes, CRS cutoffs, and processing timelines can change without notice. Readers should verify all requirements directly with IRCC before acting on any information in this article.
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- Latest Express Entry Draw On September 14 Issues 576 PR Invitations
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducted a new Provincial Nominee Program Express Entry draw on September 14, 2026, issuing 576 invitations to apply for permanent residence.
The Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff for the lowest-ranked candidate invited in this round was 734 points.
That CRS threshold is 37 points higher than the 697 recorded on August 31, which was the lowest PNP cutoff of 2026.
The 576 invitations represent a slight increase from the 562 sent in the previous PNP round two weeks earlier.
Candidates who received an invitation now have exactly 60 calendar days to submit a complete permanent residence application through their Express Entry account.
Table of Contents
Full Express Entry Draw Details For September 14
IRCC held this draw at 10:26:01 UTC on September 14, 2026, selecting candidates who held valid provincial nominations in their Express Entry profiles.
The table below contains every official detail published by IRCC for this round.
Draw Detail Value Draw Category Provincial Nominee Program Date and Time (UTC) September 14, 2026, at 10:26:01 Number of Invitations Issued 576 CRS Score of Lowest-Ranked Candidate 734 Rank Needed 576 or above Tie-Breaking Rule August 29, 2026, at 21:39:50 UTC When multiple candidates share the cutoff CRS score of 734, IRCC uses profile submission timestamps to determine who receives an invitation.
For this draw, candidates with exactly 734 points only received invitations if they submitted their Express Entry profiles before August 29, 2026, at 21:39:50 UTC.
Any eligible PNP candidate with a CRS score above 734 received an invitation regardless of when their profile was created.
How The Tie-Breaking Rule Worked In This Draw
IRCC applies the tie-breaking rule when more than one candidate shares the minimum CRS score at the cutoff.
For the September 14 draw, the tie-breaking timestamp was set at August 29, 2026 at 21:39:50 UTC.
This means candidates with exactly 734 points were invited only if they created their Express Entry profiles before that date and time.
A tie-breaking date of August 29 is approximately 16 days before the draw, which is relatively recent compared to the August 31 PNP round that used a tie-breaking date of April 12, over four months before that draw.
The difference in tie-breaking timestamps may reflect a smaller number of candidates sharing the exact cutoff score in this round, though IRCC does not publish the data needed to confirm this directly.
Latest CRS Score Distribution In The Express Entry Pool
The Express Entry pool contained 226,793 candidates as of September 13, 2026, one day before this draw was conducted.
That total reflects a slight decline from the pool size recorded in early September and continues the gradual contraction that has been underway since the pool peaked above 233,000 candidates in April.
Sub-rows provide a detailed breakdown of the bold total immediately above them in each score band.
CRS Score Range Number of Candidates 601–1200 574 501–600 20,784 451–500 72,107 491–500 12,590 481–490 12,426 471–480 16,105 461–470 16,163 451–460 14,823 401–450 61,560 441–450 13,657 431–440 13,300 421–430 12,064 411–420 11,506 401–410 11,033 351–400 46,782 301–350 17,240 0–300 7,746 Total 226,793 The 601–1200 range contained just 574 candidates on September 13, which is where all provincial nominees sit because of their 600-point bonus.
IRCC issued 576 invitations against a pool that showed 574 candidates in that range the day prior, which means at least two more eligible high-ranking profiles were present in the pool by the time the draw was conducted.
The 501–600 band holds 20,784 candidates and remains the primary zone from which Canadian Experience Class draws pull invitations.
Candidates scoring in the 451–500 range account for 72,107 profiles, the single largest concentration in the pool, and most need either a significant CRS improvement or a provincial nomination to receive an invitation through current draw patterns.
All The PNP Express Entry Draws In 2026
The September 14 draw is the 18th PNP round that IRCC has conducted in 2026, with CRS cutoffs ranging from 697 to 805 and invitation volumes fluctuating between 264 and 955.
The table below tracks every PNP Express Entry draw this year to illustrate how both the CRS floor and invitation counts have shifted over time.
Draw Date Invitations Issued CRS Cutoff January 5, 2026 574 711 January 20, 2026 681 746 February 3, 2026 423 749 February 16, 2026 279 789 March 2, 2026 264 710 March 16, 2026 362 742 March 30, 2026 356 802 April 13, 2026 324 786 April 27, 2026 473 795 May 11, 2026 380 798 May 25, 2026 334 805 June 22, 2026 955 730 July 6, 2026 534 708 July 20, 2026 511 744 August 4, 2026 507 768 August 17, 2026 442 760 August 31, 2026 562 697 September 14, 2026 576 734 The lowest PNP cutoff of the year remains the 697 recorded on August 31, while the highest was 805 on May 25.
September 14 sits roughly in the middle of that range, suggesting the pool of provincial nominees is stabilizing after months of fluctuation.
Where This Draw Fits In The September Cluster
IRCC has grouped its Express Entry draws into concentrated clusters since March, following a pattern where a PNP round opens the window, followed by CEC and category-based draws within a few days.
The September 1 CEC draw issued 2,000 invitations at CRS 521, arriving the day after the August 31 PNP round that started the previous cluster.
A physicians draw on September 3 and a healthcare category draw on September 4 completed that cluster, with the healthcare round sending 3,500 invitations at CRS 475.
The September 14 PNP draw now opens a new cluster, and based on recent sequencing, a CEC draw may be the most likely next round, potentially followed by a French-language proficiency or other category-based draw within the next few days.
This biweekly cluster pattern has been one of the most consistent features of the 2026 Express Entry calendar, though IRCC does not publish a fixed schedule.
Steps For Candidates Who Received An Invitation
Candidates who received an invitation to apply in this draw have 60 calendar days from the date of invitation to submit a complete electronic application for permanent residence.
The application requires:
- police certificates from every country where the applicant and any family members aged 18 or older have stayed for six consecutive months or longer during the last 10 years,
- medical examination results from an IRCC-designated panel physician,
- proof of language test results,
- an educational credential assessment to claim education points for foreign credentials,
- reference letters for work experience claims, and
- proof of funds where required by the applicant’s underlying Express Entry program.
Proof-of-funds requirements depend on which federal program the candidate qualifies under, not on whether they hold a provincial nomination.
Canadian Experience Class applicants are not required to show proof of funds, while Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades applicants may also be exempt if they are currently authorized to work in Canada and hold a valid job offer.
Missing the 60-day deadline has serious consequences.
If the invitation expires without a complete application being submitted, IRCC removes the candidate’s profile from the Express Entry pool entirely, and the candidate must submit a new profile to re-enter the system.
A candidate who chooses to decline the invitation while still eligible may have their profile returned to the pool, but an expired invitation does not produce the same result.
Current IRCC processing times show permanent residence applications submitted through the Canadian Experience Class and PNP streams are taking approximately six to seven months.
Improving Your CRS Score For Future Draws
Candidates who did not receive an invitation in this round should focus on the strategies that produce the largest CRS gains in the shortest time.
Language test improvements remain the single most effective lever for most candidates, as even a one-band increase in a single IELTS or CELPIP skill area can add 15 to 30 CRS points depending on the overall profile composition.
Retaking a language test with a targeted study plan is faster than accumulating additional work experience or completing a new credential.
Candidates who are over 30 and losing age-related CRS points can partially offset those deductions through additional Canadian education or accumulated post-graduation work experience.
Securing a provincial nomination remains the most powerful CRS boost available, adding 600 points that significantly improve a candidate’s ranking in the pool.
IRCC states that a provincial nomination helps a candidate get invited to apply, though the candidate still needs a base CRS score high enough to clear the cutoff after the 600-point boost is applied.
Candidates should verify that the occupation listed on their Express Entry profile accurately matches their duties under the current NOC 2021 classification, which IRCC continues to use for Express Entry eligibility.
Candidates who qualify for French-language proficiency draws should consider that pathway as well, given that French rounds have offered some of the lowest CRS cutoffs among Express Entry draw categories in 2026, with only the physicians-with-Canadian-work-experience category producing lower thresholds.
What Express Entry Draws To Expect Next
Based on the draw cluster pattern that IRCC has maintained throughout 2026, a CEC draw targeting candidates with Canadian work experience may be the most likely next round.
That CEC draw would typically arrive within 1 to 2 business days of today’s PNP round, though IRCC does not publish a fixed schedule.
A French-language proficiency draw or another category-based draw targeting in-demand occupations could close the cluster later this week.
Candidates should check their IRCC online account regularly, as invitation notifications appear directly in the Express Entry profile and the 60-day deadline begins immediately upon issuance.
Several immigration changes are also taking effect this month, including updated study permit financial requirements and new IRB rules on the use of artificial intelligence in refugee proceedings that became effective September 7.
The September 14 PNP draw confirms that the Provincial Nominee Program remains one of the most active permanent residence pathways under Express Entry in 2026.
With a CRS cutoff of 734, a base score of approximately 134 was all that was needed once the 600-point nomination bonus was applied.
Candidates who hold a valid provincial nomination are well-positioned for future PNP rounds this year, while candidates without a nomination should explore options through Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba before the remaining 2026 allocations are exhausted.
Follow Immigration News Canada for verified Express Entry draw results, Canadian immigration news, and IRCC draw updates as each round is published.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How many more PNP Express Entry draws are expected before the end of 2026?
IRCC has conducted 18 PNP Express Entry draws between January and mid-September 2026, running on a roughly biweekly cycle. If that pace holds through December, candidates can expect approximately six to seven additional PNP draws before the year closes. The exact number depends on how quickly provinces release remaining nominations into the Express Entry pool and whether IRCC adjusts its cluster frequency during the final quarter.
Can a candidate receive a provincial nomination after already being in the Express Entry pool?
Yes, candidates can apply for a provincial nomination while their Express Entry profile is active and then add the nomination to their existing profile once it is received. Adding the nomination triggers an automatic 600-point CRS boost that recalculates the candidate’s ranking in the pool immediately. The candidate does not need to create a new profile, but the nomination must be linked to the Express Entry profile before the next PNP draw occurs in order to be considered for that round.
Why did the CRS cutoff rise from 697 on August 31 to 734 on September 14?
PNP cutoffs are driven primarily by how many provincial nominees with active profiles are present in the Express Entry pool at the time of each draw. The August 31 cutoff of 697 was the lowest PNP threshold of 2026, coinciding with a period of elevated nomination activity across several provinces during the summer. As nominees were drawn out in the August 31 round and the flow of new nominations slowed in the two weeks that followed, the available nominee pool shrank and the CRS floor rose to 734 on September 14.
Does a PNP nomination guarantee an invitation to apply for permanent residence?
Not automatically. A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points, which significantly improves a candidate’s ranking and makes an invitation highly likely based on 2026 PNP cutoffs that have ranged from 697 to 805. However, IRCC states that a nomination helps a candidate get invited rather than guaranteeing it. The candidate must still have an active Express Entry profile, meet the eligibility requirements of at least one of the three federal programs managed through Express Entry, and be in the pool at the time IRCC conducts a PNP round. A cutoff of 734, for example, means the nominee still needed a base CRS of 134 before the 600-point boost.
What happens if a candidate misses the 60-day deadline to submit their permanent residence application?
If the 60-day window passes without a complete application being submitted, the invitation to apply expires permanently and cannot be extended or reinstated. IRCC removes the candidate’s profile from the Express Entry pool entirely, meaning the candidate must create and submit a new profile to re-enter the system. This is different from declining an invitation, which may allow the profile to remain in the pool if the candidate is still eligible. Candidates who anticipate difficulty gathering documents within 60 days should begin collecting police certificates and organizing reference letters before they receive an invitation, and should schedule their medical examination promptly after receiving the ITA, as IRCC requires the upfront medical exam to be completed after the invitation is issued.
Fact-Checked: All draw figures, CRS cutoffs, invitation counts, tie-breaking timestamps, and pool distribution data cited in this article are sourced directly from the official Express Entry rounds of invitations page published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on September 14, 2026, and cross-referenced with pool snapshot data released on September 13, 2026. Application fees reflect the IRCC fee increase effective April 30, 2026. Provincial nomination allocations for Alberta and British Columbia reflect supplementary allocations issued in August 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, immigration advice, or a substitute for consultation with a licensed immigration professional. Immigration rules, draw patterns, and processing times can change without notice. Readers should verify all deadlines and requirements directly with IRCC before acting.
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- Canada’s New Citizenship Law Is Creating An Unexpected Problem
When Ottawa rewrote one of the most consequential sections of Canada’s Citizenship Act in late 2025, federal officials told Parliament the change would generate manageable demand.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) told a Senate committee on November 17, 2025, that it expected the number of people affected to land in the tens of thousands over time, not hundreds of thousands.
The department pointed to past amendments that corrected the status of earlier groups of Lost Canadians and noted that none of those changes had produced an application surge.
IRCC added that it believed its existing dedicated citizenship team had the capacity to handle the incoming proof of citizenship files.
The law took effect on December 15, 2025.
Less than nine months later, approximately 136,000 people are sitting in the proof of citizenship queue, according to data IRCC published on September 3, 2026.
A new applicant is now told to expect a wait of roughly 33 months before receiving a decision.
That is nearly three years to obtain a document confirming a citizenship status that, for most of these applicants, already exists by operation of law.
The gap between what the government anticipated and what has actually unfolded is now too large to attribute to normal forecasting error.
Table of Contents
What Unexpected Problem Has Canada’s New Citizenship Law Created?
The problem is not a legal one. The Act to Amend the Citizenship Act, commonly known during its passage as Bill C-3, accomplished exactly what Parliament intended.
It removed an unconstitutional restriction that had prevented Canadian citizenship from passing beyond the first generation born or adopted outside Canada.
The problem is administrative. IRCC’s proof of citizenship inventory stood at roughly 40,400 people around December 2025, when the law came into force.
By September 2026, that inventory had climbed to approximately 136,000.
The estimated processing time for a new citizenship certificate application has followed the inventory upward: from roughly 9 months in December 2025 to approximately 12 months in May 2026, approximately 19 months in July 2026, approximately 25 months in August 2026, and approximately 33 months in September 2026.
The eight-month jump between August and September is the steepest single-month increase in this category since the law took effect.
Not every person in the 136,000-strong queue is necessarily there because of the amended citizenship-by-descent rules.
IRCC’s proof of citizenship stream also includes other applicants, such as naturalized citizens who need replacement certificates.
But the queue stood at about 40,400 shortly before the law changed and has since more than tripled to approximately 136,000.
While IRCC has not published a breakdown showing how many pending files are directly tied to the amended citizenship-by-descent provisions, the timing and subsequent surge in ancestry-based applications indicate that the new rules are a major driver of the growth.
Proof Of Citizenship Processing Time And Queue Growth In 2026
Month Processing Time People In Queue December 2025 ~9 months ~40,400 January 2026 ~10 months ~42,400 May 2026 ~12 months ~70,400 June 2026 ~15 months ~82,000 July 2026 ~19 months ~99,500 August 2026 ~25 months ~121,800 September 2026 ~33 months ~136,000 Source: IRCC processing times tool, monthly updates. Queue figures are approximate and reflect the reporting date in each cycle. What Did Ottawa Expect Before The Law Took Effect?
The federal government’s own projections stand in stark contrast to the numbers above.
In an opening statement to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs on November 17, 2025, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said the government expected applications in the tens of thousands over time, not hundreds of thousands.
She cited the experience with previous amendments in 2009 and 2015, noting that roughly 20,000 people applied for proof of citizenship after those changes and that no surge materialized in either case.
IRCC’s briefing materials for the same committee appearance reinforced that position.
The department disclosed that between January 2024 and July 2025, it had received just over 4,200 applications from individuals affected by the first-generation limit under an interim measure.
IRCC explicitly stated that it did not use the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s December 2024 estimate of approximately 115,000 affected individuals to set its own volume projections, citing uncertainty in that report, yet by January 2026 the queue had already climbed to roughly 42,400.
In a separate October 2, 2025, briefing for the House of Commons committee, IRCC repeated the same language: tens of thousands, no surge, and sufficient existing capacity.
As recently as late May 2026, when IRCC’s own data showed the processing time had already climbed to approximately 12 months, a department spokesperson told CBC News that IRCC had not seen a significant increase in the volume of proof of citizenship applications since the law changed and had not assigned additional staff to process them.
At that time, the queue had already climbed from about 40,400 to roughly 70,400, and within weeks it would surge past 82,000 in June.
By September 2026, the queue reached approximately 136,000, with a processing time approaching three years.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer had estimated that roughly 115,000 people could be affected by the legislative amendments, although IRCC declined to use that estimate because of uncertainty around the underlying population.
That figure is not directly comparable with today’s 136,000-file proof of citizenship inventory, which includes applicants unrelated to the new law.
Who Became Canadian Under The Amended Citizenship Act?
The amended Citizenship Act draws a clear line at its coming-into-force date of December 15, 2025.
For people born outside Canada before that date, the amended law removed the first-generation limit retroactively in affected cases.
People who would have been Canadian citizens if not for that limit or certain outdated provisions generally became citizens automatically by operation of law.
These individuals do not apply to become citizens. They already are citizens.
What they apply for is proof of citizenship in the form of a citizenship certificate, which is the official document confirming their status.
People adopted abroad are treated differently.
Eligible people adopted outside Canada before December 15, 2025, by Canadian parents affected by the former first-generation limit can apply for a direct grant of citizenship for an adopted person rather than becoming citizens automatically solely because of the amendment.
For people born outside Canada on or after December 15, 2025, the rules work differently.
Citizenship beyond the first generation abroad can still pass down if the Canadian parent who was also born abroad accumulated at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada before the child’s birth.
A similar substantial connection requirement applies to the direct citizenship grant for qualifying foreign adoptions.
The distinction matters because people born before December 15, 2025, face no physical presence requirement at all.
The law simply recognizes what their status should have been all along.
Can Someone With A Canadian Grandparent Or Great-Grandparent Be Canadian?
Potentially, but not automatically in every case. Having distant Canadian ancestry alone does not make someone eligible, as IRCC has stated publicly.
What matters is whether a complete, unbroken chain of citizenship can be traced from the applicant back through each generation to a person who was Canadian under the applicable law at the relevant time.
Consider someone born in the United States in 2011 whose mother was also born in the United States to a Canadian-born parent.
Under the rules then in effect, the child was in the second generation born abroad and was generally prevented from acquiring citizenship because of the first-generation limit.
Under the amended Citizenship Act, that person may now be recognized as a Canadian citizen retroactive to birth, provided the citizenship and parent-child chain are established.
But eligibility depends on the details: whether the Canadian-born ancestor was actually a citizen under the citizenship rules in force at the time, whether citizenship was retained or lost through prior legislative changes, and whether every link in the generational chain holds up.
The chain can extend beyond grandparents to great-grandparents or further, but only if each link meets the legal requirements applicable to that generation.
Applicants whose ancestors left Canada before 1947, when Canadian citizenship did not exist as a separate legal status, face an additional layer of complexity.
Those ancestors were British subjects, and their transition to Canadian citizenship on January 1, 1947, depended on criteria such as domicile and ordinary residence in Canada.
IRCC now requires that each generation be supported by authentic records from the relevant original authority, such as a provincial vital statistics office, not genealogy website printouts alone.
Why Are So Many Americans Applying For Canadian Citizenship?
The United States has a large population of people with Canadian ancestry, reflecting generations of cross-border migration.
Waves of Canadian emigration to the United States throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly from Quebec and the Maritime provinces, produced millions of descendants who are now spread across New England, the Great Lakes states, and beyond.
CBC News reported in late May 2026 that of the 4,075 citizenship certificates IRCC had issued under the amended citizenship-by-descent provisions between December 15, 2025, and March 31, 2026, approximately half went to people born in the United States.
People born in 44 countries received certificates under the new provisions during that period, and people born in 118 countries received them under the pre-existing criteria.
CBC also reported on September 10, 2026, that Canadian archives have been deluged with requests for the vital records needed to prove lineage, with applicants sometimes tracing their ancestry back seven or eight generations.
Quebec’s Directeur de l’état civil reported receiving 3,800 requests from people outside Canada since January 2026 for ancestry documents.
Immigration lawyers have said current U.S. political uncertainty and strained Canada-U.S. relations are among the factors driving American interest, although eligibility itself comes from Canadian citizenship law.
Immigration lawyers in multiple Canadian cities have reported a sharp increase in inquiries and filings from American clients tracing Canadian lineage.
Do These New Citizens Count Toward Canada’s Immigration Targets?
No, Canada’s annual immigration levels plan governs the admission of new permanent residents. People recognized as citizens by descent are not immigrants.
They are Canadian citizens who happen to live abroad.
Their recognition under the amended Citizenship Act does not count toward the annual permanent resident admissions targets that IRCC sets through its levels plan.
This is one of the key reasons the growth in this queue does not appear in the immigration statistics that are most frequently reported.
It sits entirely within the citizenship program, not the immigration program, even though its implications overlap.
Could These New Citizens Move To Canada?
Yes, in principle. Canadian citizens have the constitutional right under Section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to enter, remain in, and leave Canada.
Once a person holds a valid citizenship certificate, they can apply for a Canadian passport and relocate to Canada at any time.
In practice, the 33-month processing time can still become a significant practical barrier.
A citizenship certificate is generally needed to obtain a Canadian passport for someone born abroad and may also be required to prove citizenship when applying for a Social Insurance Number, certain jobs, pensions or other services.
Whether large numbers of newly recognized citizens will actually move to Canada is unknown.
The IRCC Senate briefing acknowledged that many people may apply simply to secure their status without any intention of relocating.
Others may seek a Canadian passport as a travel document or as a form of security.
It would be inaccurate to assume that all or most of the 136,000 people in the queue plan to move to Canada.
But it would also be inaccurate to assume that none of them will.
The honest answer is that Canada does not know, and until the applications are processed and the new citizens make their individual decisions, the scale of any eventual relocation remains speculative.
Can These Citizens Immediately Claim Canadian Benefits?
Citizenship alone does not automatically entitle a person to Canadian public benefits.
Most federal and provincial benefit programs have their own eligibility criteria, and residency in Canada is almost always one of them.
A person living in the United States who obtains a Canadian citizenship certificate does not, by that act alone, become eligible for Canadian public health insurance, the Canada Child Benefit, Old Age Security, or provincial social assistance.
Provincial and territorial health plans generally require a person to establish residence and satisfy the applicable province’s eligibility rules; waiting-period rules vary by jurisdiction.
Federal programs also have their own requirements.
The Canada Child Benefit generally requires Canadian residency for tax purposes along with other eligibility conditions, while Old Age Security has separate age, legal-status, and Canadian-residence-history requirements.
Citizens abroad also remain subject to the tax laws of the country where they actually live.
Canada, unlike the United States, generally does not tax its citizens on worldwide income unless those citizens are tax residents of Canada.
A person who obtains a Canadian citizenship certificate but continues to live in another country will not face Canadian tax obligations solely because of the citizenship recognition.
Why Is It Taking Nearly Three Years To Get Proof Of Citizenship?
The processing time reflects a collision between surging demand and a system that was never built for this volume.
IRCC’s proof of citizenship function was historically a low-volume administrative stream, processing a few tens of thousands of applications at any given time.
The department sized its dedicated citizenship team accordingly.
When the amended law took effect on December 15, 2025, application volumes began climbing almost immediately, as early 2026 processing data already showed.
In June 2026, IRCC also paused finalization of affected citizenship-by-descent files while it conducted a broader review of roughly 6,500 applications.
Separately, about 100 citizenship certificates that had already been issued were flagged over potentially insufficient supporting documentation.
IRCC completed the broader 6,500-file review on June 30 and resumed finalizations, as the July 2026 processing update later reflected, although some individual certificate reviews continued afterward.
Meanwhile, the document requirements for citizenship-by-descent applications are inherently more complex than standard proof of citizenship filings.
Each application may require evidence tracing the generational chain to a qualifying Canadian ancestor using authentic, reliable and verifiable records issued by the authorities that created or maintain those records.
Third-party genealogy records alone are not sufficient.
For families whose ancestors left Canada generations ago, assembling that evidence trail can involve multiple provincial vital statistics offices, church records, and archival searches, often spanning different eras of record-keeping.
IRCC’s September 2026 processing estimate is forward-looking and factors in the current inventory and the number of applications the department expects to process each month.
Because the estimate is forward-looking, changes in expected intake, processing capacity and case complexity can cause the published figure to move sharply from one monthly update to the next.
For comparison, the citizenship grant queue for permanent residents becoming citizens through naturalization stands at roughly 327,100 people but carries a processing time of approximately 12 months.
The comparison shows that inventory size alone does not determine processing time; staffing, workflow, case complexity and service standards also matter.
Is There A Language Test, Citizenship Test, Or Security Check For Citizens By Descent?
No language test and no citizenship knowledge test apply to people who are already citizens by operation of law and are simply applying for proof of that status.
The citizenship test and language requirements apply to the naturalization process, which is the path permanent residents follow to become Canadian citizens for the first time.
Citizenship by descent is a fundamentally different legal concept.
The person is already a citizen; IRCC’s role is to verify the claim and issue the confirming document.
Citizenship by descent also does not involve the security or criminality screening required in some immigration and naturalization processes.
There is no oath of citizenship, no in-person ceremony, and no Canadian residence requirement for a proof of citizenship application.
IRCC does, however, verify supporting documents and can request additional evidence when more information is needed to establish the citizenship claim.
Incomplete paper applications are returned with instructions to resubmit the missing information, while online applicants are notified through their IRCC account if their application is incomplete
Is Urgent Processing Available For Citizenship Certificates?
IRCC does offer an urgent processing pathway for proof of citizenship applications, but it is limited to a narrow set of circumstances.
Qualifying situations include applicants who need the certificate to facilitate studies in Canada, employment situations, or certain family emergencies.
Applicants must submit a formal urgent processing request with supporting documentation demonstrating the time-sensitive need.
Qualifying for urgent processing does not guarantee that the underlying citizenship claim will be approved, only that the file will be reviewed faster.
There is no general paid expedite option for routine proof of citizenship applications.
IRCC spokesperson Briannah Dale told media on September 10, 2026, that the department is continuing to monitor application trends and is implementing operational measures to respond to increased demand.
Those measures include triaging applications, enhancing intake processes, training and onboarding additional staff, and refining workload management practices.
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said the government needs to ensure IRCC has the resources to address what she called a growing crisis, noting the department’s planned workforce reductions.
IRCC’s own 2024-25 departmental results report says its workforce adjustment is expected to reduce approximately 3,300 positions between 2025-26 and 2027-28.
Immigration lawyers, as reported by CBC News, warned that the growing backlog could eventually end up before the Federal Court and that applicants stuck in the queue could seek writs of mandamus to force the department to make decisions within a reasonable time.
The legal theory behind such challenges would rest on the argument that a citizen has a right to proof of their status and that an indefinite wait for a confirmation document effectively denies them the practical exercise of that right.
The broader question has also shifted.
When Parliament debated the law in 2025, the central concern was whether expanded citizenship by descent would create a surge in applications.
IRCC said it would not. The September 2026 processing data strongly suggests it did.
The question now is not whether the surge happened, but whether IRCC has the operational capacity and political mandate to clear a rapidly growing proof of citizenship inventory that already stands at approximately 136,000 applications and shows no sign of levelling off.
If the current trajectory continues, Canada will face a mounting contradiction: a law designed to restore citizenship rights to people who were unconstitutionally excluded, paired with an administrative system that cannot confirm those rights within any reasonable timeframe.
How Ottawa resolves that contradiction in the coming months will determine whether the amended Citizenship Act delivers on its promise or becomes a case study in legislative ambition outpacing institutional readiness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does it take to get a Canadian citizenship certificate in September 2026?
IRCC’s published processing time for a proof of Canadian citizenship certificate rose to approximately 33 months as of its September 3, 2026, update, up from approximately 25 months in August.
This is a forward-looking estimate, not a guaranteed timeline, and individual processing times can vary based on the complexity of the application and the completeness of the supporting documents.
Applicants living outside Canada and the United States may need to add an additional 3 to 4 months to account for mailing time through a Canadian embassy, high commission, or consulate.Is a Canadian citizenship certificate the same as a grant of citizenship?
No, and the distinction carries significant practical consequences.
A citizenship certificate, formally called proof of citizenship, is a document confirming that a person is already a Canadian citizen.
It is used by citizens by descent and other people whose citizenship exists by operation of law.
A grant of citizenship is the naturalization process through which a permanent resident becomes a Canadian citizen for the first time, which involves meeting residency, language, and knowledge test requirements.
The two applications sit in separate processing queues at IRCC.
Citizenship grants are currently processing at approximately 12 months, with roughly 327,100 people waiting, while proof of citizenship is at approximately 33 months, with roughly 136,000 waiting.Do newly recognized Canadian citizens living abroad have to pay Canadian taxes?
Not solely because of the citizenship recognition. Canada generally taxes individuals based on residency, not citizenship.
A person living in the United States or another country who obtains a Canadian citizenship certificate but does not establish tax residency in Canada will not owe Canadian income tax on that basis alone.
This differs from the U.S. approach, where American citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless of where they live.
Citizens who relocate to Canada would become Canadian tax residents and would be subject to Canadian tax rules from that point forward.Can someone whose Canadian ancestor left Canada before 1947 still qualify?
Potentially, but the evidentiary path is more complex. Canadian citizenship as a distinct legal status only came into existence on January 1, 1947, when the first Canadian Citizenship Act took effect.
Before that date, Canadians were British subjects. Whether a pre-1947 ancestor became a Canadian citizen on that date depends on factors such as domicile and ordinary residence in Canada at the time.
Proving those facts may require census records, land deeds, church records, or other archival material beyond a standard birth certificate.
Applicants tracing lineage through pre-1947 ancestors should anticipate additional documentary requirements and consider seeking professional guidance.What can applicants do if the processing delay prevents them from working, studying, or travelling?
IRCC offers an urgent processing pathway for applicants who can demonstrate a documented, time-sensitive need.
Qualifying circumstances include upcoming study enrollment in Canada, employment situations, and certain family emergencies. There is no general paid expedite option.
Applicants facing exceptionally prolonged delays may seek a writ of mandamus asking the Federal Court to compel IRCC to process their application. Whether mandamus is granted depends on the circumstances of the case, including whether IRCC has a legal duty to act and whether the delay has become unreasonable.
That legal route involves its own costs and timelines, and applicants considering it should consult an immigration lawyer.Fact-Checked By: Immigration News Canada editorial team. All processing times, queue figures, legal provisions, and government statements cited in this article have been verified against IRCC’s official processing times tool (September 3, 2026 update), parliamentary committee briefing materials published on canada.ca, the Citizenship Act as amended by Bill C-3, and reporting from CBC News (September 10, 2026; May 30, 2026; March 9, 2026).
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Citizenship eligibility depends on individual circumstances, applicable historical legislation, and documentary evidence. Readers considering an application for proof of Canadian citizenship should consult a qualified immigration professional.
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- New Canada Immigration Processing Times As Of September 2026
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published its September 2026 weekly processing time data on September 9, 2026, and the headline is staggering.
Month-on-month Citizenship certificate processing times have now hit 33 months, leaping by eight months in a single reporting cycle, while the queue swelled by 14,200 applicants to approximately 136,000 people.
That figure stood at 10 months in March 2026, meaning this single category has added 23 months of processing time in roughly six months.
On the permanent residency side, the Federal Skilled Worker Program reversed its August improvement, climbing back to seven months after briefly reaching six months for the first time in 2026.
Spousal sponsorship for applicants inside Canada outside Quebec improved to 26 months, down one month, while parents and grandparents sponsorship outside Quebec continued its downward trend to 28 months, marking five consecutive months of decline.
IRCC now uses both forward-looking and historical processing times. Monthly estimates generally project how long a new application could take based on inventory and expected processing capacity, while weekly historical timelines reflect how long IRCC took to finalize most recently processed applications.
Monthly categories like citizenship, permanent residency, and family sponsorship were refreshed on September 3.
Weekly categories like visitor visas, study permits, work permits, and PR cards were last updated on September 9.
The September data lands alongside a busy period for Canadian immigration, including the first Express Entry draw of September that issued 2,000 CEC invitations on September 1 and new immigration and refugee rules taking effect on September 7.
This roundup also includes caregiver processing times for the first time, with the consolidated figure sitting at 76 months and approximately 36,900 applicants waiting for a decision.
Incomplete applications may be delayed or returned, making thorough preparation especially important during lengthy processing periods. Review the common refusal reasons before submitting any application.
Below is a full breakdown of every processing time in the September 2026 release.
Table of Contents
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
Application Type People Waiting (Change) Processing Time (Sept 3, 2026) Change Since Last Month Citizenship grant ~327,100 (-1,100) 12 months No change Citizenship certificate* ~136,000 (+14,200) 33 months +8 months Resumption of citizenship Not available Not enough data No change Renunciation of citizenship Not available 4 months No change Search of citizenship records Not available 18 months +1 month * Applicants residing outside Canada or the United States may face longer processing windows. The citizenship certificate surge is the defining story of the September release, adding eight months of processing time in a single cycle while the queue grew by 14,200 people.
This category has now risen from 10 months in March to 33 months in September, an increase of 23 months in half a year.
Meanwhile, the citizenship grant queue contracted by 1,100 applicants, the first meaningful decline since April 2026.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times (Updated Weekly)
Application Type Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 21 New PR card 37 days -3 days -25 days PR card renewal 38 days -1 day +9 days Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
Category People Waiting (Change) Processing Time (Sept 3, 2026) Change Since Last Month Spouse/common-law inside Canada (non-Quebec) ~54,700 (-2,100) 26 months -1 month Spouse/common-law inside Canada (Quebec) ~14,200 (+200) 32 months No change Spouse/common-law outside Canada (non-Quebec) ~62,600 (+4,600) 18 months +1 month Spouse/common-law outside Canada (Quebec) ~19,200 (+200) 33 months No change Parents/grandparents (non-Quebec) ~37,500 (-1,500) 28 months -1 month Parents/grandparents (Quebec) ~10,300 (-100) 63 months -1 month The spousal sponsorship for applicants outside Canada, outside Quebec, rose by one month to 18 months, while the queue added 4,600 applicants, the largest single-month jump in any family sponsorship stream this cycle.
Humanitarian and Compassionate And Protected Persons (Updated Monthly)
Category People Waiting (Change) Processing Time (Sept 3, 2026) Change Since Last Month H&C outside Quebec ~57,900 (+2,100) More than 10 years No change H&C in Quebec ~20,400 (+300) More than 10 years No change Protected persons inside Canada (outside Quebec) ~86,100 (-6,100) About 13 months No change Protected persons inside Canada (in Quebec) ~42,100 (+200) More than 10 years No change Dependants of protected persons (outside Quebec) ~60,900 (+200) About 41 months +1 month Dependants of protected persons (in Quebec) ~22,600 (+200) More than 10 years No change The protected persons queue outside Quebec shrank by 6,100 applicants for the second consecutive month, matching the August reduction and suggesting IRCC has dedicated sustained processing capacity to this stream.
Permanent Residency Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
Category People Waiting (Change) Processing Time (Sept 3, 2026) Change Since Last Month Canadian Experience Class (CEC) ~58,900 (-800) 6 months No change Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) ~53,800 (+1,400) 7 months +1 month Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) Not available Not enough data No change PNP (Express Entry) ~12,800 (+1,000) 7 months No change Non-Express Entry PNP ~101,500 (-900) 13 months No change Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) ~20,400 (-800) 11 months No change Quebec Business Class ~3,700 (No change) 75 months No change Federal Self-Employed** ~8,000 (No change) More than 10 years No change Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) ~11,800 (-300) 26 months No change Start-Up Visa** ~47,500 (-100) More than 10 years No change ** These programs are paused. Applicants already in the queue continue to be processed. The FSWP reversal to seven months, adding one month after reaching six months for the first time in 2026 in August, is a setback for applicants who saw the improvement as a sign of sustained momentum.
The queue also grew by 1,400 applicants to approximately 53,800.
Caregiver Processing Times (Updated Monthly)
IRCC publishes a single consolidated processing time for all caregiver permanent residence programs.
This covers the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots, the Home Child Care Provider Pilot, the Home Support Worker Pilot, the Interim Pathway for Caregivers, the Caring for Children Pilot, and the Live-in Caregiver Program. This is the first time our monthly processing times roundup includes this category.
Category People Waiting Processing Time (Sept 3, 2026) Notes Caregivers: All programs ~36,900 76 months First time in our roundup The 76-month timeline and a queue of approximately 36,900 applicants underscore the depth of the backlog in caregiver permanent residence programs.
Temporary Visa Processing Times (Updated Weekly)
IRCC updates temporary residence processing times on a weekly basis, and the figures below reflect data as of September 9, 2026.
We will update this section as soon as IRCC publishes new weekly data, so check back regularly for the latest numbers.
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
Country Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 28, 2026 India 31 days No change -51 days United States 18 days -2 days -7 days Nigeria 84 days +4 days +44 days Pakistan 73 days -5 days +17 days Philippines 19 days +1 day +3 days Visitor Visa and Extensions From Inside Canada
Category Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 28, 2026 Visitor visa (from inside Canada) 11 days No change -10 days Visitor record extension 403 days -7 days +242 days Visitor record extensions eased to 403 days from 410 last week, but the figure remains 242 days above the January 28 level and nearly double the reading recorded on July 22, highlighting how sharply this category deteriorated over the summer months.
Super Visa Processing Times
Country Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 28, 2026 India 69 days +3 days -181 days United States 66 days -50 days -121 days Nigeria 44 days -8 days +6 days Pakistan 132 days -7 days -6 days Philippines 64 days -29 days -52 days The United States super visa plunged by 50 days in a single week, from 116 to 66 days, the largest one-week improvement recorded in any temporary category across the weekly September release.
Study Permit Processing Times From Outside Canada
Country Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 28, 2026 India 5 weeks No change No change United States 6 weeks +1 week +1 week Nigeria 9 weeks No change +4 weeks Pakistan 7 weeks No change +3 weeks Philippines 5 weeks +1 week No change Study Permit From Inside Canada and Extensions
Category Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 28, 2026 Study permit (from inside Canada) 7 weeks -1 week No change Study permit extension 64 days No change -40 days The inland study permit decreased by one week to 7 weeks.
New study permit proof of funds requirements took effect on September 1, which may affect upcoming application volumes.
Work Permit Processing Times From Outside Canada
Country Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 28, 2026 India 10 weeks No change +1 week United States 2 weeks No change -1 week Nigeria 10 weeks +1 week +3 weeks Pakistan 8 weeks +1 week -12 weeks Philippines 7 weeks No change +1 week India work permit processing stays at 10 weeks, the highest level for Indian applicants in this category since the March 2026 data.
Work Permit From Inside Canada and Other Categories
Category Processing Time (Sept 9, 2026) Change Since Last Week Change Since January 28, 2026 Work permit from inside Canada (initial and extension) 110 days -3 days -131 days Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) 102 days +1 day +95 days International Experience Canada (IEC) 6 weeks No change -2 weeks Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) 5 minutes No change No change Inland work permits continued their sustained decline at 110 days, now 131 days below the January 28, 2026 level and two days lower than the August 26 update.
The sustained improvement in this category remains one of the most significant positive trends across the entire 2026 processing dataset.
Most eTA applications show a processing time of about 5 minutes. Some applications require additional processing, in which case IRCC says applicants will receive an email within 72 hours with next steps.
The September 2026 IRCC processing times reveal a system delivering targeted improvements in some categories while the citizenship certificate crisis accelerates beyond any prior benchmark.
Inland work permits at 110 days, CEC holding steady at six months, parents and grandparents sponsorship declining for the fifth consecutive month, and the super visa processing improvement are all positive indicators that IRCC is clearing backlogs in targeted streams.
However, the 33-month citizenship certificate timeline, the FSWP reversal to seven months, the 403-day visitor record extension, and spousal sponsorship outside Canada adding 4,600 applicants to its queue suggest that capacity constraints are deepening in several high-volume categories, a pattern that has intensified across every monthly release since May.
Applicants should file early, submit complete documentation, and check their IRCC portals regularly to stay ahead of any requests that could extend their wait.
For the latest developments on Canadian immigration news, evolving policy landscapes, and IRCC processing times, save this page and return regularly as new weekly and monthly data drops throughout 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why has citizenship certificate processing surged to 33 months when it was 10 months in March 2026?
Citizenship certificate processing climbed by eight months in a single reporting cycle to reach 33 months, up from 25 months in August and 10 months in March 2026. Over the same six-month period, the queue grew by approximately 85,100 applicants, from about 50,900 in March to 136,000 in September. The sustained acceleration is largely tied to the volume of applications under the Bill C-3 citizenship-by-descent provisions, which removed the first-generation limit in December 2025 and triggered an unprecedented surge in certificate applications from abroad.
Why did the Federal Skilled Worker Program go back up to 7 months after improving to 6 months in August?
The FSWP processing time returned to seven months in September after briefly dropping to six months in August for the first time in 2026. The queue also grew by 1,400 applicants to approximately 53,800, reversing the August decline of 3,400. This suggests the one-month improvement in August may have reflected a temporary clearing burst rather than a sustained capacity shift, and applicants should expect seven months as the more stable baseline for this stream heading into fall 2026.
What is the caregiver processing time and why is it included in this roundup for the first time?
IRCC publishes a single consolidated processing time for all caregiver permanent residence programs, covering the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots, the Home Child Care Provider Pilot, the Home Support Worker Pilot, the Interim Pathway for Caregivers, the Caring for Children Pilot, and the Live-in Caregiver Program. The combined estimate is 76 months with approximately 36,900 applicants in the queue. This is the first time our monthly processing times roundup includes this category, which is why no month-over-month comparison appears in the table above.
Are visitor record extensions actually starting to come down?
Visitor record extensions dropped to 403 days in the September 9 update, 7 days lower than the September 2 reading of 410 days. While the weekly decline is the largest in recent updates, the figure remains 242 days above the January 28, 2026, level and nearly double the reading from July 22. The modest decline suggests IRCC is beginning to chip away at the extension backlog, but a sustained return below 300 days would require multiple consecutive weeks of similar reductions, which has not yet materialized in the 2026 data.
How often does IRCC update processing times and when will the next refresh happen?
IRCC updates temporary residence processing times on a weekly basis, typically releasing new data on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. The figures in this article reflect the September 2 weekly data and the September 3 monthly data. Weekly updates cover visitor visas, study permits, work permits, super visas, electronic travel authorizations, PR cards, and all related subcategories like inland applications and extensions. Monthly categories like citizenship, family sponsorship, humanitarian and compassionate claims, and permanent residency through economic programs are updated once per month and will next be refreshed in October 2026. Save this page and check back regularly to see the latest weekly numbers as they become available.
Fact-checked: All processing times, queue figures, and comparison data in this article are sourced directly from the official IRCC processing time tool updated on September 3, 2026 (monthly categories) and September 9, 2026 (weekly categories).
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Consult a regulated immigration professional for guidance on your specific case.
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