Last Updated On 11 August 2026, 9:32 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its latest processing time data on August 10, 2026, and the headline number is impossible to ignore.
Citizenship certificate processing has now reached 25 months, climbing by another six months in a single reporting cycle, while the queue added 22,300 applicants to reach approximately 121,800 people.
That figure stood at just three months in March 2026, meaning this category has added roughly 22 months of processing time in barely five months.
On the other side of the ledger, the Federal Skilled Worker Program improved to six months for the first time this year, and the CEC queue shrank by 1,800 applicants even as the processing time held steady at six months.
The most alarming reversal in the weekly data is visitor record extensions, which spiked to 316 days, a jump of 112 days from the July 23 update and 165 days above January 28.
IRCC calculates these timelines using actual applicant outcomes, reporting the window within which 80% of applicants received a decision.
Monthly categories like citizenship, permanent residency, and family sponsorship were refreshed on August 10.
Weekly categories like visitor visas, study permits, work permits, and PR cards were last updated on August 5 and the next update is expected around August 12.
The August data arrives amid a busy month for Canadian immigration, including the opening of the Ontario Workforce Priority stream on August 4 and a new Express Entry draw cluster that began the same week.
Applicants who submit incomplete documentation remain one of the leading refusal reasons across all the immigration categories, making thorough preparation essential during these processing windows.
Below is a full breakdown of every processing time in the August 2026 release.
Table of Contents
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
| Application Type | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | ~328,200 (+2,000) | 12 months | No change |
| Citizenship certificate* | ~121,800 (+22,300) | 25 months | +6 months |
| Resumption of citizenship | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| Renunciation of citizenship | Not available | 4 months | -3 months |
| Search of citizenship records | Not available | 17 months | No change |
IRCC is currently sending acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) notices for citizenship applications that were submitted on or around March 19, 2026.
* Applicants residing outside Canada or the United States may face longer processing windows.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times (Updated weekly)
| Application Type | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New PR card | 41 days | No change | -21 days |
| PR card renewal | 42 days | +2 days | +11 days |
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~58,000 (+3,900) | 17 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (Quebec) | ~19,000 (+400) | 33 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~56,800 (-100) | 27 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (Quebec) | ~14,000 (+300) | 32 months | No change |
| Parents/grandparents (non-Quebec) | ~39,000 (-1,400) | 29 months | -1 month |
| Parents/grandparents (Quebec) | ~10,400 (-100) | 64 months | -1 month |
Humanitarian and Compassionate And Protected Persons (Updated monthly)
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&C outside Quebec | ~55,800 (+1,300) | More than 10 years | No change |
| H&C in Quebec | ~20,100 (+400) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Protected persons inside Canada (outside Quebec) | ~92,200 (-6,100) | About 13 months | -1 month |
| Protected persons inside Canada (in Quebec) | ~41,900 (+1,000) | More than 120 months | No change |
| Dependents of protected persons (outside Quebec) | ~60,700 (-100) | About 40 months | +2 months |
| Dependents of protected persons (in Quebec) | ~22,400 (+300) | More than 10 years | No change |
Canadian Passport Processing Times
| Application Type | Current Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|
| New passport (in person, Canada) | 10 business days | No change |
| New passport (mail, Canada) | 20 business days | No change |
| Urgent pickup | Next business day | No change |
| Express pickup | 2–9 business days | No change |
| Passport mailed from outside Canada | 20 business days | No change |
Permanent Residency Processing Times (Updated monthly)
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (August 10, 2026) | Change Since Last Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | ~59,700 (-1,800) | 6 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | ~52,400 (-3,400) | 6 months | -1 month |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| PNP (Express Entry) | ~11,800 (-300) | 7 months | No change |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | ~102,400 (-1,400) | 13 months | +1 month |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | ~21,200 (-1,000) | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~3,700 (No change) | 75 months | No change |
| Federal Self-Employed | ~8,000 (-100) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | ~12,100 (-200) | 26 months | No change |
| Start Up Visa | ~47,600 (+100) | More than 10 years | No change |
Temporary Visa Processing Times (Updated weekly)
IRCC updates temporary residence processing times on a weekly basis, and the figures below reflect data as of August 5, 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 (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 27 days | +6 days | -55 days |
| United States | 21 days | -6 days | -4 days |
| Nigeria | 68 days | +5 days | +28 days |
| Pakistan | 48 days | +8 days | -8 days |
| Philippines | 16 days | No change | No change |
Visitor Visa From Inside Canada
Visitor visa applications filed from inside Canada now take 21 days, 8 days lower compared to the July 23 update.
Visitor Record Extension
Visitor record extensions continue to remain high at 316 days, 112 days higher compared to the July 23 update and 165 days higher than January 28, 2026.
This dramatic spike reverses months of gradual decline in this category and signals renewed processing pressure for visitors who have applied to extend their stay in Canada.
Super Visa Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 56 days | +7 days | -194 days |
| United States | 126 days | +2 days | -61 days |
| Nigeria | 43 days | +4 days | +5 days |
| Pakistan | 185 days | -9 days | +61 days |
| Philippines | 100 days | +32 days | -9 days |
The super visa timeline for India remains 194 days below its January 2026 level, continuing the strongest sustained improvement in any temporary category this year.
Philippines is the notable mover this week, spiking by 32 days to 100 days, while Pakistan edged down by 9 days to 185 days after its sharp increase in the prior update.
Study Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 5 weeks | No change | No change |
| United States | 5 weeks | No change | No change |
| Nigeria | 7 weeks | +2 weeks | +2 weeks |
| Pakistan | 7 weeks | +1 week | +3 weeks |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | +1 week | No change |
Study Permit From Inside Canada: Inland study permit applications take 7 weeks, no change since the July 23 update, but 1 week higher than the June 24 update.
Study Permit Extension: Study permit extensions now take 70 days, 2 days lower when compared to the July 23 update and 34 days less than January 28, 2026.
Work Permit Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (August 5, 2026) | Change Since July 23, 2026 | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 9 weeks | No change | No change |
| United States | 3 weeks | No change | No change |
| Nigeria | 7 weeks | +1 week | No change |
| Pakistan | 25 weeks | +15 weeks | +5 weeks |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | -1 week | No change |
Work Permit From Inside Canada (Initial and Extension): Inland work permits, including extensions, have dropped to 119 days, 3 days lower than the July 23 update, 87 days fewer than the May 20 update, 133 days below March 31, and 117 days below January 28, 2026.
The sustained decline in this category continues to be one of the most significant positive trends in the 2026 processing data.
Other Work Permit Categories
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program is now at 71 days, 24 days higher than the July 23 update and 60 days higher than the May 20 update.
International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits sit at 7 weeks, 1 week higher than the July 23 update and 4 weeks above March 31.
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) approvals continue to arrive within roughly five minutes for most travellers, with up to 72 hours required for applicants flagged for additional screening.
The August 2026 IRCC processing times paint a system making steady gains in economic immigration while citizenship certificate processing spirals further out of control.
Inland work permits at 119 days, FSWP improving to six months, CEC queues shrinking, and parents and grandparents sponsorship declining for the fourth straight month are all encouraging signs that IRCC is clearing backlogs in targeted categories.
However, the 316-day visitor record extension spike, the 25-week Pakistan work permit surge, and the citizenship certificate queue approaching 122,000 applicants suggest that capacity constraints are deepening in several high-volume streams, a pattern that first emerged in the May data and has accelerated since.
August also brings a new CRA benefit payment cycle and the launch of Ontario’s redesigned immigration pathway, adding both financial and policy dimensions to the landscape for newcomers and permanent residents.
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 reached 25 months when it was only 3 months in March 2026?
The explosive growth in this category is driven by the Bill C-3 citizenship by descent provisions that came into effect in December 2025. Tens of thousands of Americans and other foreign nationals with Canadian ancestry have filed applications under the expanded eligibility rules, overwhelming a processing stream that was not staffed for this volume. The queue has grown from approximately 50,900 in March to 121,800 in August, adding more than 70,000 applicants in just five months. IRCC processes these applications in the order they are received, and the current staffing allocation has not kept pace with the sustained intake surge.
What is happening with visitor record extensions, and why did they spike to 316 days?
Visitor record extensions jumped by 112 days in a single reporting cycle, reversing months of gradual decline in this category. This spike is likely tied to a seasonal surge in applications from visitors who arrived during the spring and summer travel season and are now seeking to extend their stays. IRCC processes visitor record extensions alongside other temporary residence applications, and competing priorities like study permit season and work permit renewals can divert processing resources away from this category. Visitors waiting for a decision on their extension maintain legal status under implied status rules as long as they applied before their current authorization expired.
Why did Pakistan work permit processing jump from 10 weeks to 25 weeks in a single update?
Single country processing time spikes of this magnitude typically reflect one or more of several factors, including an increased volume of applications requiring additional security screening, a batch of complex cases that required extended review, or a reallocation of processing resources between visa offices. IRCC processes work permit applications through specific visa offices, and processing capacity at the office handling Pakistan applications can fluctuate based on staffing levels and competing application volumes. It is also possible that a temporary processing pause or quality review at the responsible office contributed to the backlog.
How does the FSWP improvement to six months affect Express Entry candidates currently in the pool?
The Federal Skilled Worker Program processing time improvement from seven months to six months signals that IRCC is clearing its FSWP pipeline more efficiently, which is encouraging for candidates who have already received an invitation to apply. The FSWP queue also shrank by 3,400 applicants to approximately 52,400, indicating that IRCC is finalizing more applications than it is receiving in this category. For candidates still in the Express Entry pool waiting for an invitation, the processing time improvement does not directly affect their CRS score or draw eligibility. However, the faster processing pace means that once you receive an invitation and submit your permanent residence application, you can expect a decision in approximately 6 months rather than the 7-month timeline that was in place since April.
Will IRCC update temporary visa processing times again this week?
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 August 5 data release, and we will update the temporary visa sections as soon as IRCC publishes the next weekly refresh. Weekly updates cover visitor visas, study permits, work permits, super visas, electronic travel authorizations, PR cards, and all related sub categories 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 September 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 August 10, 2026 (monthly categories) and August 5, 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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