Last Updated On 11 March 2026, 10:14 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
On March 9, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released fresh processing time data that brings both relief and concern for applicants across the board.
The latest IRCC processing times update covers every major stream, from citizenship grants and work permits to family sponsorship, economic immigration, and temporary visas.
This March 2026 IRCC processing times report offers a clear snapshot of where wait times are shrinking, where they are climbing, and where they remain stuck in limbo.
IRCC calculates these timelines using actual applicant outcomes rather than aspirational targets.
Specifically, the department reports the window within which 80% of applicants received a decision.
Most permanent residency and citizenship categories see monthly updates, whereas temporary resident streams (visitor visas, work permits, study permits, and PR cards) are refreshed on a weekly basis.
Individual outcomes can deviate significantly from these published averages.
Variables such as security screening depth, the applicant’s country of origin, whether the file is complete upon submission, background verification timelines, and IRCC’s internal staffing capacity all influence how quickly or slowly any single application moves.
Below is a thorough, category-by-category review of every processing time covered in the March 2026 release, designed to help applicants set accurate expectations.
Table of Contents
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
After months of creeping upward, the March 2026 citizenship data delivers a dose of good news.
| Application Type | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (March 9, 2026) | Change Since February 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | ~320,300 (+7,300) | 13 months | -1 month |
| Citizenship certificate* | ~50,900 (+3,000) | 10 months | -1 month |
| Resumption of citizenship | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| Renunciation of citizenship | Not available | 10 months | -8 months |
| Search of citizenship records | Not available | 17 months | +1 month |
Citizenship grant processing has shortened to approximately 13 months, a one-month reduction compared to the 14-month estimate reported in February.
That said, demand continues to outpace completions. The queue now holds roughly 320,300 applicants, a net increase of about 7,300 people over the prior month.
Citizenship certificate timelines followed a similar positive trajectory. The current wait sits at 10 months, down from 11 months last month.
Approximately 50,900 applicants are in the pipeline, representing an addition of 3,000 since February.
Meanwhile, the resumption of citizenship category still offers no data at all, leaving those applicants without any timeline to work with.
Working against the positive tide, the search of citizenship records grew by one more month to reach 17 months. This category has been on a slow but steady incline throughout 2026.
At the time of publishing, IRCC is sending acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) notices for citizenship applications that were filed on or around October 15, 2025.
Applicants residing outside Canada or the United States may face longer processing windows.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times (Updated weekly)
| Application Type | Processing Time (March 3, 2026) | Change Since Last Week | Change Since January 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New PR card | 61 days | No change | -1 day |
| PR card renewal | 28 days | -1 day | -3 days |
PR card turnaround continues to be a bright spot in the broader IRCC ecosystem.
As of March 3, 2026, new PR cards are being issued within approximately 61 days, flat compared to the prior week but one day quicker than the January 21 benchmark.
Renewal applications are moving even faster at 28 days, trimming one day off the previous week’s figure and sitting three days below the January 21 level.
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
March 2026 delivers a split verdict for family class applicants.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (March 9, 2026) | Change Since February 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~48,200 (+900) | 15 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (Quebec) | ~18,900 (-200) | 35 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~52,400 (-200) | 21 months | No change |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (Quebec) | ~12,300 (+200) | 36 months | +1 month |
| Parents/grandparents (non-Quebec) | ~46,600 (-1,700) | 34 months | -1 month |
| Parents/grandparents (Quebec) | ~11,700 (-300) | 46 months | -1 month |
Outland spousal or common-law sponsorship for non-Quebec destinations is holding firm at 15 months, identical to February. The line has grown by 900 to roughly 48,200 people.
The Quebec stream is also flat at 35 months, but its queue contracted modestly by 200, settling at about 18,900 applicants.
Inland spousal sponsorship outside Quebec is unchanged at 21 months, and the queue actually dipped by 200 to approximately 52,400 people, a small but positive signal.
Inside Quebec, however, processing ticked up by one month to 36 months. Roughly 12,300 applicants now occupy that queue, 200 more than last month.
Parents and grandparents sponsorship delivers the most uplifting news in the family class for the second month running.
The non-Quebec stream fell by one month to 34 months, while the queue shrank by about 1,700 to approximately 46,600 people.
Quebec parent and grandparent sponsorship also improved by one month, landing at 46 months, with the queue declining by 300 to roughly 11,700.
Two consecutive months of declining processing times in this category suggest IRCC has made clearing this backlog a sustained operational priority.
Humanitarian and Compassionate And Protected Persons (Updated monthly)
This group of categories continues to represent the most severe bottleneck in the Canadian immigration pipeline.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (March 9, 2026) | Change Since February 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&C outside Quebec | ~50,500 (+700) | More than 10 years | No change |
| H&C in Quebec | ~18,500 (+400) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Protected persons inside Canada (outside Quebec) | ~100,800 (+1,300) | About 16 months | -1 month |
| Protected persons inside Canada (in Quebec) | ~37,100 (+100) | About 112 months | No change |
| Dependents of protected persons (outside Quebec) | ~57,000 (+1,600) | About 39 months | +2 months |
| Dependents of protected persons (in Quebec) | ~21,100 (+300) | More than 10 years | No change |
H&C applications, both inside and outside Quebec, remain frozen at processing estimates exceeding 10 years, with no movement whatsoever since February.
The non-Quebec H&C queue grew by 700 to approximately 50,500 people. The Quebec H&C queue added 400 applicants, reaching about 18,500.
On a comparatively brighter note, protected persons residing in Canada outside Quebec saw their timeline improve by one month, settling at roughly 16 months.
The queue expanded by 1,300 to about 100,800 people. The Quebec equivalent remains locked at approximately 112 months with zero change; roughly 37,100 applicants are waiting there, just 100 more than last month.
Dependents of protected persons outside Quebec moved in the wrong direction, adding two months to reach about 39 months. Their queue grew by 1,600 to approximately 57,000.
Inside Quebec, dependents are facing a processing estimate of more than 10 years with no shift from the prior period. About 21,100 people are waiting in that line, up by 300.
Canadian Passport Processing Times
| Application Type | Current Processing Time | Change Since February 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| New passport (in-person, Canada) | 10 business days | No change |
| New passport (mail, Canada) | 20 business days | No change |
| Urgent pick-up | Next business day | No change |
| Express pick-up | 2–9 business days | No change |
| Passport mailed from outside Canada | 20 business days | No change |
Passport services continue their streak of reliability. Every timeline in this category is identical to what IRCC has been reporting over the last few months.
Applying in person at a domestic Service Canada office still takes 10 business days. Mail-in submissions from within Canada require 20 business days.
Urgent pick-up remains available by the next business day, while express pick-up ranges from two to nine business days.
Applications sent by mail from outside the country also take 20 business days.
Key takeaway: Passport services remain rock-solid and are easily the most dependable segment of IRCC’s operation.
Permanent Residency Processing Times (Updated monthly)
Canada’s economic immigration pathways, the routes most skilled workers, business owners, and provincial nominees rely on, show a largely frozen picture in March 2026.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (March 9, 2026) | Change Since January 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | ~44,300 (+10,100) | 7 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | ~45,300 (+2,300) | 7 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| PNP (Express Entry) | ~13,000 (+600) | 7 months | No change |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | ~108,000 (-300) | 13 months | No change |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | ~26,900 (+500) | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~3,900 (No change) | 80 months | No change |
| Federal Self-Employed | ~8,100 (No change) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | ~13,500 (-200) | 33 months | No change |
| Start-Up Visa | ~45,900 (+300) | More than 10 years | No change |
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) timeline holds at seven months, unchanged from February.
But the queue has exploded by roughly 10,100 people to approximately 44,300, the largest single-month jump in any economic category this year.
When the line grows this quickly without a matching increase in processing speed, it signals that new applications are piling up faster than IRCC can clear existing ones.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) mirrors the CEC at seven months of processing with no movement. Its queue expanded by 2,300 to about 45,300 applicants.
Express Entry PNP applications are also at seven months, with the queue inching up by 600 to roughly 13,000.
The non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is stable at 13 months, preserving the dramatic three-month reduction it achieved last month.
Temporary Visa Processing Times (Updated weekly)
The temporary visa landscape for March 2026 spans visitor visas, super visas, study permits, and work permits across the five most commonly tracked countries of origin.
Because these figures refresh weekly rather than monthly, they offer a more granular look at how quickly conditions are shifting on the ground.
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
| Country | Processing Time (March 3, 2026) | Change Since Last Week | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 66 days | -5 days | -17 days |
| United States | 19 days | -4 days | -6 days |
| Nigeria | 55 days | -1 day | +15 days |
| Pakistan | 51 days | -2 days | -5 days |
| Philippines | 16 days | -2 days | No change |
- Visitor visa inside Canada: 18 days (-1 day since last week, but +4 days since Dec 31, 2025)
- Visitor record extension: 226 days (+8 days since last week and +65 days Since January 28, 2026)
Key concern: Visitor record extensions are accelerating at an alarming rate. The current estimate sits at 226 days, eight days above last week and a staggering 65 days longer than the January 28 figure.
Anyone planning to extend their visitor status should file well in advance to preserve implied status while IRCC adjudicates the request.
Super Visa Processing Times
| Country | Processing Time (March 3, 2026) | Change Since Last Week | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 210 days | No change | -4 days |
| United States | 207 days | +2 days | +20 days |
| Nigeria | 44 days | -3 days | +6 days |
| Pakistan | 138 days | +2 days | +14 days |
| Philippines | 90 days | -10 days | -19 days |
Study Permit Processing Times
Most countries held steady on study permit timelines this week, but one glaring exception dominates this category.
| Country | Processing Time (March 3, 2026) | Change Since Last Week | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 4 weeks | No change | No change |
| United States | 6 weeks | No change | -1 week |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks | No change | +1 week |
| Pakistan | 15 weeks | No change | +10 weeks |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | No change | No change |
- Study permit inside Canada: 9 weeks (No change since last week and +2 weeks Since January 28, 2026)
- Study permit extension: 90 days (+1 day since last week, but -14 days Since January 28, 2026)
Work Permit Processing Times
The work permit picture is largely calm, though a pair of sharp outliers demand attention.
| Country | Processing Time (March 3, 2026) | Change Since Last Week | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 8 weeks | No change | No change |
| United States | 9 weeks | -1 week | -1 week |
| Nigeria | 13 weeks | +2 weeks | +4 weeks |
| Pakistan | 30 weeks | No change | +10 weeks |
| Philippines | 7 weeks | No change | +1 week |
- Work permits inside Canada including extensions: 258 days (+2 days since last week, +17 days Since January 28, 2026, and +48 days since Dec 31, 2025)
- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program: 7 days (-1 day since last week and -3 days since Dec 31)
- International Experience Canada (IEC): 2 weeks (-6 weeks Since January 28, 2026, and -4 weeks since Dec 31, 2025)
- Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): 5 minutes for most applicants; up to 72 hours for additional screening
Looking at the full picture, the March 2026 IRCC processing times capture a system navigating competing pressures.
Citizenship and certificate processing got faster, renunciation underwent a dramatic correction, and parents and grandparents sponsorship is trending in the right direction for the second straight month.
At the same time, CEC queues are ballooning, Pakistan-origin applicants are enduring steep processing climbs across multiple streams, and visitor record extensions are spiralling into deeply problematic territory.
The February 2026 IRCC processing times already flagged many of these tensions, and the March data confirms they are deepening rather than resolving.
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)
What is the difference between a super visa and a regular visitor visa for Canada?
A standard visitor visa grants entry for up to six months at a time, whereas a super visa is tailored exclusively for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, allowing them to remain in the country for up to five years per visit. Super visa applicants must provide evidence of private health insurance coverage, demonstrate that their sponsor meets a minimum income requirement, and undergo a medical examination. Because of these added requirements, super visa applications typically take considerably longer to process than ordinary visitor visas.
Does IRCC process applications on a first-come, first-served basis?
Not entirely; IRCC generally reviews applications in the sequence they arrive, but individual cases can move faster or slower depending on their complexity. Applications requiring enhanced security checks, additional documentation, or further review may be placed on hold while more straightforward files advance through the system. As a result, two people who applied on the exact same date may receive decisions weeks or even months apart.
Can I travel outside Canada while my permanent residency application is being processed?
That depends on which stream you applied under. Inland applicants holding a valid work or study permit are technically free to travel, but doing so carries risk, if IRCC issues a document request or schedules an interview while you are abroad, your response time may be compromised. Outland applicants generally face no processing impact from travel. Regardless of category, applicants should confirm they can be reached at all times and should never leave Canada without maintaining valid immigration status or holding an approved travel document.
What happens if my medical exam or police certificate expires while IRCC is processing my application?
Immigration medical examinations carry a 12-month validity window from the date they are completed. Police clearance certificates have varying expiry periods depending on the country that issued them. Should either document lapse during the adjudication process, IRCC may pause your file and request fresh versions before making a final decision. This pause alone can add weeks or months to an already lengthy timeline, so applicants in slow-moving categories should track expiry dates carefully and speak with their immigration advisor about obtaining renewals ahead of time.
How can I check the real-time status of my specific IRCC application?
You can monitor your application by signing into your personal IRCC account. The dashboard displays your file’s current stage, flags any documents IRCC still needs from you, and stores all official correspondence. If you submitted a paper-based application, you can request a status update through the IRCC web form. Keep in mind that the portal does not always update instantly — there can be a lag of several days or even weeks between actual processing activity and what appears on your screen.
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