Last Updated On 14 May 2026, 11:13 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published its latest processing time data as of May 12, 2026, and the numbers contain some of the most dramatic swings of the entire year so far.
Inland work permit processing has plunged by 41 days since late March, with the figure now sitting 29 days below the January 28 baseline.
Super visa timelines have collapsed across the board, with the United States dropping 84 days since January alone.
But citizenship certificate queues have exploded by over 14,000 applicants in a single month, visitor record extensions continue their march toward the one-year mark, and the FSWP queue is swelling at an alarming pace.
This May 2026 IRCC processing times update covers every major stream from citizenship and permanent residency to family sponsorship, humanitarian categories, and temporary visas.
IRCC bases these estimates on actual applicant outcomes, reporting the window within which 80% of applicants received a decision.
Monthly categories like citizenship and permanent residency were refreshed on May 12, while weekly categories like visitor visas, study permits, work permits, and PR cards were last updated on May 6 and will be refreshed again on May 13 or 14.
Individual outcomes can still vary based on security screening depth, country of origin, document completeness, and IRCC’s internal capacity.
Below is a full, category by category breakdown of every processing time in the May 2026 release.
Table of Contents
Citizenship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
The citizenship category shows a mixed picture in the May 2026 update.
Citizenship grant processing rose to 13 months, one month longer than the 12 month estimate reported in April. The queue climbed by 7,900 to approximately 321,100 people.
| Application Type | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | ~321,100 (+7,900) | 13 months | +1 month |
| Citizenship certificate* | ~70,400 (+14,100) | 12 months | +2 months |
| Resumption of citizenship | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| Renunciation of citizenship | Not available | 7 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 December 19, 2025, at the time of publication.
Citizenship certificate processing saw the sharpest deterioration in the entire monthly dataset.
The estimate jumped by two months to 12 months, and the queue ballooned by 14,100 to approximately 70,400 people.
That queue growth is extraordinary for a single reporting period and suggests a major intake surge that IRCC has not yet been able to absorb.
Search of citizenship records remains unchanged at 17 months. Resumption of citizenship still lacks sufficient data for a published estimate.
* Applicants residing outside Canada or the United States may face longer processing windows.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times (Updated weekly)
PR card processing continues to be one of the strongest performers in the IRCC system and has accelerated further in the May update.
New PR cards are now being issued within approximately 42 days, two days quicker than the previous week, nine days faster than March 31, and a full 20 days below the January 21 baseline.
| Application Type | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated on May 13 or 14 | Change Since Last Week | Change Since March 31 | Change Since January 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New PR card | 42 days | -2 days | -9 days | -20 days |
| PR card renewal | 28 days | No change | +1 day | -3 days |
PR card renewals sit at 28 days with no weekly change, one day above March 31 but still three days below the January 21 figure.
Family Sponsorship Processing Times (Updated monthly)
The family class in May 2026 shows gentle upward pressure on spousal streams and continued improvement for parents and grandparents.
Outland spousal sponsorship for non-Quebec destinations rose by one month to 16 months. The queue grew by 2,100 to roughly 51,300 people.
The Quebec outland stream holds at 32 months with no change from April, though this figure is three months lower than where it stood in March. The queue edged down by 100 to approximately 18,600.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~51,300 (+2,100) | 16 months | +1 month |
| Spouse/common-law outside Canada (Quebec) | ~18,600 (-100) | 32 months | No change, but -3 months since March 2026 |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (non-Quebec) | ~55,200 (+1,300) | 25 months | +1 month |
| Spouse/common-law inside Canada (Quebec) | ~13,100 (+400) | 31 months | No change |
| Parents/grandparents (non-Quebec) | ~43,500 (-1,400) | 33 months | -1 month |
| Parents/grandparents (Quebec) | ~11,000 (-200) | 66 months | -1 month |
Inside Canada, non-Quebec spousal sponsorship added one month to reach 25 months. The queue expanded by 1,300 to about 55,200 people.
Inside Canada, Quebec sponsorship is stable at 31 months with no change, and the queue grew by 400 to roughly 13,100.
Parents’ and grandparents’ sponsorship outside Quebec improved by one month to 33 months, with the queue declining by 1,400 to approximately 43,500.
The shrinking queue and declining processing time both point to IRCC making progress in this stream.
Quebec parents’ and grandparents’ sponsorship edged down by one month to 66 months. The queue shrank by 200 to about 11,000 people.
While the one-month decline is positive, a 66 month processing estimate remains exceptionally long for any sponsorship category.
Humanitarian and Compassionate And Protected Persons (Updated monthly)
This group continues to represent the deepest bottleneck in the Canadian immigration system.
H&C applications both inside and outside Quebec remain frozen beyond 10 years with no movement.
The non-Quebec H&C queue grew by 1,200 to approximately 53,000 people. The Quebec H&C queue added 400, reaching about 19,100.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| H&C outside Quebec | ~53,000 (+1,200) | More than 10 years | No change |
| H&C in Quebec | ~19,100 (+400) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Protected persons inside Canada (outside Quebec) | ~104,300 (+600) | About 15 months | -1 month |
| Protected persons inside Canada (in Quebec) | ~39,100 (+1,100) | About 117 months | +3 months |
| Dependents of protected persons (outside Quebec) | ~59,200 (+1,100) | About 32 months | No change |
| Dependents of protected persons (in Quebec) | ~21,400 (+200) | More than 10 years | No change |
Protected persons outside Quebec saw a one-month improvement to about 15 months. The queue grew by 600 to approximately 104,300.
In Quebec, protected persons processing climbed by three months to about 117 months, with the queue rising by 1,100 to approximately 39,100.
Dependents of protected persons outside Quebec hold at about 32 months with no change. The queue grew by 1,100 to roughly 59,200.
Quebec dependents of protected persons remain above 10 years, with about 21,400 people waiting.
Canadian Passport Processing Times
Passport services continue their streak of absolute reliability. Every timeline in this category is identical to what IRCC has been reporting for months.
In-person applications at a Service Canada office take 10 business days. Mail in submissions from within Canada require 20 business days.
| 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 |
Urgent pickup remains available by the next business day. Express pickup 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 show growing queue pressure across multiple streams in May 2026, even as most processing timelines hold steady.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) holds at seven months with no change. But the CEC queue grew by another 6,300 applicants to approximately 60,900 people.
A monthly increase of 6,300 applicants is significant and points to sustained pressure on this stream that could eventually push timelines higher if intake continues to outpace processing.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) moved in the wrong direction, adding one month to reach seven months.
| Category | People Waiting (Change) | Processing Time (May 12, 2026) | Change Since April 7, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | ~60,900 (+6,300) | 7 months | No change |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | ~52,000 (+7,900) | 7 months | +1 month |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not available | Not enough data | No change |
| PNP (Express Entry) | ~14,000 (+300) | 7 months | No change |
| Non-Express Entry PNP | ~110,200 (+2,100) | 14 months | +1 month |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW) | ~24,800 (-900) | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~3,700 (-100) | 78 months | No change |
| Federal Self-Employed | ~8,100 (No change) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | ~12,900 (-300) | 38 months | +7 months |
| Startup Up Visa | ~46,600 (+400) | More than 10 years | No change |
Its queue surged by 7,900 to approximately 52,000 people, the single largest monthly queue increase in the economic class this cycle.
Express Entry PNP applications remain at seven months, with about 14,000 waiting, up 300.
Non-Express Entry PNP rose by one month to 14 months, with the queue growing by 2,100 to about 110,200.
Quebec Skilled Worker processing is unchanged at 11 months, and the queue contracted by 900 to roughly 24,800. Quebec Business Class holds at 78 months with no change.
The Atlantic Immigration Program sits at 38 months with a change of +7 months since April. The queue decreased by 300 to about 12,900.
The Federal Self-Employed and Start-Up visas both remain beyond 10 years with no movement.
Temporary Visa Processing Times (Updated weekly)
The temporary visa landscape for May 2026 contains some of the most significant weekly movements of the entire year.
Because these figures refresh weekly rather than monthly, they capture rapid shifts in real time. The figures below were last updated on May 6, 2026.
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
Visitor visa timelines are broadly stable this week with minor fluctuations across most countries.
Indian applicants are holding at 27 days with no weekly change, 55 days below the January 28 baseline.
A 55 day reduction since late January is the largest sustained improvement in any visitor visa stream this year.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 | Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 27 days | No change | -55 days |
| United States | 22 days | No change | -3 days |
| Nigeria | 47 days | +2 days | +7 days |
| Pakistan | 50 days | +2 days | -6 days |
| Philippines | 18 days | +1 day | +2 days |
American applicants face 22 days with no change, 3 days below late January. Nigerian processing rose by two days to 47 days, still seven days above the January figure.
Pakistan added two days to reach 50 days, though this remains 6 days below January 28. Philippine applicants ticked up by one day to 18 days, 2 days above the January baseline.
Inland visitor visa applications require 11 days, unchanged from the prior week and 3 days below December 31, 2025.
Critical alert: Visitor record extensions have reached 308 days, 2 days above the previous weekly update and a staggering 147 days higher than January 28, 2026.
This category has now crossed the 10 month mark and continues climbing with no sign of slowing.
Anyone seeking to extend their visitor status should file as early as possible to preserve implied status while the IRCC adjudicates the request.
Super Visa Processing Times
Super visa processing is the standout success story of the May 2026 temporary visa update.
Every tracked country except Pakistan saw week-over-week improvement, and the longer-term trends are even more impressive.
Indian applicants face 160 days, down 8 days from the prior week and 54 days below the January 28 baseline.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 | Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 160 days | -8 days | -54 days |
| United States | 103 days | -12 days | -84 days |
| Nigeria | 35 days | -2 days | -3 days |
| Pakistan | 107 days | +5 days | -17 days |
| Philippines | 32 days | -2 days | -77 days |
United States super visa processing collapsed by 12 days to just 103 days, a remarkable 84 days below the January figure.
Nigerian applicants hold the fastest super visa processing at 35 days, down 2 days from last week and 3 days below late January.
Pakistan rose by 5 days to 107 days, though it remains 17 days below the January baseline.
Philippine applicants now face just 32 days, down 2 days from the prior week and a staggering 77 days below where the category started the year.
Study Permit Processing Times
Study permit timelines are mixed this week, with a few countries ticking upward while others remain stable.
Indian applicants saw a 1-week increase to 4 weeks, though this is unchanged from the January baseline.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 | Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 4 weeks | +1 week | No change |
| United States | 5 weeks | -1 week | -3 weeks |
| Nigeria | 5 weeks | No change | No change |
| Pakistan | 11 weeks | +2 weeks | +7 weeks |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | +1 week | No change |
American applicants improved by 1 week to 5 weeks, 3 weeks below late January. Nigerian study permits are stable at 5 weeks with no change across any time frame.
Pakistan added two weeks, reaching 11 weeks, 7 weeks above the January baseline.
Philippine applicants rose by 1 week to 5 weeks, unchanged from January.
Inland study permit applications now take 6 weeks, 2 weeks fewer than the prior period.
Study permit extensions sit at 83 days, 3 days below last week and 21 days below January 28, 2026.
Work Permit Processing Times
The work permit category contains some of the most encouraging data in the entire May update.
Indian applicants hold at 9 weeks with no weekly change, 1 week above the January baseline.
American processing dropped by 1 week to 5 weeks, sitting 5 weeks below late January.
| Country | Processing Time (May 6, 2026) Will be updated again on May 13 or 14 | Changes Since Previous Weekly update | Change Since January 28, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 9 weeks | No change | +1 week |
| United States | 5 weeks | -1 week | -5 weeks |
| Nigeria | 6 weeks | -1 week | -3 weeks |
| Pakistan | 8 weeks | No change | -12 weeks |
| Philippines | 8 weeks | +1 week | +2 weeks |
Nigerian work permits fell by 1 week to 6 weeks, 3 weeks below the January figure.
Pakistan remained at 8 weeks with no change, 12 weeks below the January baseline.
A 12 week drop below the January baseline is the largest improvement of any country in the work permit category.
Philippine applicants added 1 week to reach 8 weeks, 2 weeks above January.
Major development: Inland work permits, including extensions, have dropped to 212 days, 5 days fewer than the prior week, 41 days below March 31, and 29 days below January 28, 2026.
The figure still remains 2 days above December 31, 2025, but the sustained decline since late March represents the most significant reversal of the year.
The sustained decline since late March represents a significant shift in trajectory for this category.
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program remains efficient at 7 days with no weekly change but is 3 days faster than December 31st.
International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits sit at 5 weeks, unchanged from the prior weekly update but 2 weeks above March 31 and 1 week below December 31, 2025.
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 May 2026 IRCC processing times capture a system delivering meaningful improvement in several key areas.
Inland work permit processing is falling steadily, super visas are improving across the board, Pakistan work permits now sit 12 weeks below their January level, and PR cards keep getting faster.
But the picture is far from uniformly positive. Citizenship certificate queues surged by over 14,000 in a single month; visitor record extensions are now past 300 days; the FSWP and CEC queues are swelling rapidly; and spousal sponsorship outside and inside Canada for non-Quebec applicants continues to creep upward.
Applicants should file early, submit complete documentation, and check their IRCC portals regularly to stay ahead of any requests that could extend their individual wait times.
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)
How long does it take to get Canadian citizenship in 2026?
As of May 2026, IRCC is processing citizenship grant applications in approximately 13 months. This figure represents the timeframe within which 80 percent of applicants received a decision. Individual timelines can vary depending on the completeness of the application, background check requirements, and whether the applicant resides inside or outside Canada. Citizenship certificate applications are taking approximately 12 months as of the same reporting period.
Why do IRCC processing times differ between Quebec and the rest of Canada?
Quebec operates a separate immigration selection system under the Canada Quebec Accord, which gives the province authority over its own economic and family immigration streams. Applications destined for Quebec go through a dual review process involving both the provincial government and IRCC at the federal level. This additional layer of assessment adds time to the overall processing window, which is why Quebec streams often show significantly longer estimates than their non-Quebec counterparts across categories like spousal sponsorship and parents and grandparents sponsorship.
Can I work in Canada while waiting for my work permit extension decision?
Yes, provided you submitted your extension application before your current work permit expired. Under the concept of implied status in Canadian immigration law, you are legally authorized to continue working under the same conditions as your previous permit while IRCC processes your renewal. Implied status does not produce a new physical document, so you should keep copies of your expired permit, your application confirmation, and your payment receipt as proof. If your original application was not submitted before your permit expired, you do not have implied status and must stop working until new authorization is granted.
What is the fastest immigration category to process in Canada right now?
As of May 2026, PR card renewals are the quickest at 28 days, followed by new PR cards at 42 days. For temporary visas, the Electronic Travel Authorization process takes about five minutes for most applicants. Among country-specific streams, visitor visas from the Philippines and the United States are processing in under three weeks.
How often should I check my IRCC application status online?
It is advisable to log into your IRCC online account at least once every one to two weeks. IRCC sends document requests, procedural fairness letters, and decision notifications through the portal, and these communications often carry response deadlines of 30 days or less. Missing a request because you were not checking your account regularly can result in delays or even refusal of your application. Setting a recurring calendar reminder to check your portal is a simple step that can prevent costly oversights during what may be a months-long processing period.
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