Updated on December 11, 2025, 9:03 AM EST (Toronto Time)
December 2025 IRCC Processing Times: Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released the most recent update on processing times as of December 10, 2025.
These processing times from IRCC offer applicants insights into the expected durations for visa, permit, permanent residency, or citizenship decisions in the upcoming months.
Understanding these timelines is crucial for families, workers, students, and permanent residency seekers as they plan their future steps.
Monitoring these processing times is essential as they impact when newcomers can reunite with family, start working or studying, and obtain necessary immigration documentation.
Over the past five years, we have followed IRCC’s updates closely, observing how processing volumes and operational demands continue to influence immigration outcomes in 2025.
IRCC revamped its processing time tool in recent years to provide estimates based on the actual timelines experienced by 80% of applicants, replacing the previous target-based system.
Monthly updates are now available for permanent residency and citizenship categories, while temporary resident visas, work permits, study permits, and PR cards receive weekly updates.
While IRCC’s estimates serve as a valuable reference for applicants, actual wait times can vary due to factors like security checks, application location, document completeness, background screening, and IRCC’s internal capacity.
This updated guide summarizes the latest processing times for major application categories and emphasizes the importance of monitoring these changes closely.
Citizenship Processing Times
- Updated Monthly
Application Type: Number of People Waiting For Decision & Comparison With Last Update
- Citizenship Grant: ~297,000 (+6,300), Processing Time: 13 months (No change)
- Citizenship Certificate*: ~40,400 (+1,400), Processing Time: 9 months (No change)
- Resumption of Citizenship: Not available
- Renunciation of Citizenship: Not available, Processing Time: 11 months (-11 months)
- Search of Citizenship Records: Not available, Processing Time: 13 months (No change)
*Processing may take longer for applicants outside Canada or the United States.
IRCC is currently sending acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) for applications submitted around September 15, 2025.
Permanent Resident Card Processing Times
- Updated Weekly
Application Type: Processing Time
- New PR Card: 58 days (-1 day)
- PR Card Renewal: 35 days (+3 days)
Renewal applications show slight improvements, while new PR cards have slightly longer waiting periods.
- Updated Monthly
Category: Number Waiting & Change
- Spouse/Common-Law (Outside Canada, non-Quebec): ~45,700 (+500), Processing Time: 14 months (No change)
- Spouse/Common-Law (Outside Canada, Quebec): ~19,400 (-700), Processing Time: 36 months (-1 month)
- Spouse/Common-Law (Inside Canada, non-Quebec): ~50,600 (+700), Processing Time: 20 months (No change)
- Spouse/Common-Law (Inside Canada, Quebec): ~12,000 (-200), Processing Time: 36 months (-1 month)
- Parents/Grandparents (non-Quebec): ~51,600 (+4,500), Processing Time: 40 months (-2 months)
- Parents/Grandparents (Quebec): ~12,600 (-300), Processing Time: 49 months (-1 month)
Family sponsorship remains one of the most delayed categories, particularly in Quebec due to additional provincial approval requirements.
Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) and Protected Persons
- Updated Monthly
Category: Number Waiting & Change
- H&C Outside Quebec: ~48,900 (-400), Processing Time: More than 10 years (No change)
- H&C In Quebec: ~17,600 (+600), Processing Time: More than 10 years (No change)
- Protected Persons (Outside Quebec): ~145,600 (+4,300), Processing Time: About 103 months (+3 months)
- Protected Persons (In Quebec): ~55,900 (+1,000), Processing Time: About 108 months (+2 months)
- Dependents of Protected Persons: Not available, Processing Time: 51 months (+1 month)
These categories continue to have some of the longest wait times in Canadian immigration.
Canadian Passport Processing Times
Application Type: Current Processing Time
- 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 are among the most consistent and predictable, with the majority processed within two to three weeks.
Permanent Residency – Economic Class
- Updated Monthly
Category: Number Waiting & Change
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): ~21,700 (+1,900), Processing Time: 7 months (No change)
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): ~27,600 (+3,100), Processing Time: 6 months (No change)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): Not available
- PNP (Express Entry): ~10,200 (-500), Processing Time: 6 months (No change)
- Non-Express Entry PNP: ~98,500 (+2,500), Processing Time: 16 months (No change)
- Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW): ~27,200 (+800), Processing Time: 11 months (No change)
- Quebec Business Class: ~4,100, Processing Time: 84 months (No change)
- Federal Self-Employed: ~8,200 (-300), Processing Time: More than 10 years (No change)
- Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP): ~13,400 (+100), Processing Time: 37 months (No change)
- Start-Up Visa: ~44,400 (+600), Processing Time: More than 10 years (No change)
Express Entry streams show consistent processing times, while business and Atlantic programs continue to face significant delays.
Temporary Visa Processing Times
- Updated Weekly
Visitor Visas From Outside Canada
- India: 117 days (+8 days)
- United States: 31 days (-1 day)
- Nigeria: 27 days (+2 days)
- Pakistan: 86 days (-2 days)
- Philippines: 20 days (-1 day)
Super Visa Processing Times
- India: 182 days (+9 days)
- United States: 42 days (-16 days)
- Nigeria: 46 days (-2 days)
- Pakistan: 198 days (No change)
- Philippines: 124 days (+2 days)
study permit Processing Times
- India: 4 weeks (No change)
- United States: 5 weeks (-1 week)
- Nigeria: 5 weeks (-1 week)
- Pakistan: 5 weeks (-2 weeks)
- Philippines: 4 weeks (No change)
Work Permit Processing Times
- India: 10 weeks (No change)
- United States: 7 weeks (+3 weeks)
- Nigeria: 8 weeks (-1 week)
- Pakistan: 5 weeks (-3 weeks)
- Philippines: 6 weeks (No change)
Work permits inside Canada: 218 days (+11 days since November)
Seasonal agricultural worker program: 11 days (-1 day since November)
International Experience Canada (IEC): 5 weeks (No change since November)
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): 5 minutes for most applicants; up to 72 hours for additional screening.
The December 2025 update reveals notable variations across programs. While some Express Entry streams maintain consistent timelines, categories such as citizenship, humanitarian pathways, Super Visas, and certain in-Canada extensions continue to experience extended processing durations. Quebec applications remain slower due to the dual provincial-federal review process. With Canada’s high immigration levels and ongoing IRCC system modernization, applicants should anticipate fluctuations and plan well ahead of deadlines.
