New Canada Visa Processing Times Released for January 2026

By Joseph Parker [Published 23 Jan, 2026 | 07:37 AM] 110

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released the latest processing times on January 21, 2026, across the major categories. The updated processing time will provide applicants with an exact estimate of how long it will take to process their Canadian visa and immigration applications.

Instead of relying on fixed targets, these estimates are now calculated using real data from 80% of applicants, giving a more accurate picture of actual wait times. However, the processing times for permanent residence and citizenship categories are updated monthly, while those for temporary resident applications and PR cards are updated weekly.

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Moreover, the processing time can still vary due to screening, application complexity, document completeness, background checks, and IRCC capacity.

Canada PR processing times vary for everyone. The type of application, where it is submitted from, current application volumes, and complete documentation all play a key role in how long processing takes.

Canada Citizenship Processing Times: January 2026

Application Type	Processing Time
Citizenship Grant	About 13 months
Citizenship Certificate (Proof of Citizenship)	About 10 months
Resumption of Citizenship	Not enough data
Renunciation of Citizenship	11 months
Search of Citizenship Records	13 months
Adoption	Part 1: 5 months Part 2: Varies by complexity

PR Card Processing Times: January 2026

Application Type	Processing Time
New Permanent Resident (PR) Card	61 days
Renewing or Replacing a Permanent Resident Card	35 days

Family Sponsorship Processing Times: January 2026

Family sponsorship remains one of the longest wait categories.

Application Type	Processing Time
Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner Inside Canada (In Quebec)	36 Month
Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner Inside Canada (Outside Quebec)	21 month
Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner outside Canada (In Quebec)	35 month
Spouse, common-law or conjugal partner outside Canada (Outside Quebec)	14 month
Dependent Child - India	16 month
Parents & Grandparents (Non-Quebec)	37 month
Parents & Grandparents (Quebec)	48 month
Adopted Child or other relative - India	21 month

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Economic Immigration: January 2026

Express Entry streams remain stable, while business and humanitarian streams continue to face long wait times.

Application Type	Processing Time
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)	33 months
Canadian Experience Class	6 months
Provincial Nominees Program	13 months
Start-up Visa	More than 10 years
Quebec Business Class	About 79 months
Skilled Trades (Federal)	About 7 months
Skilled Worker (Quebec)	11 months

Temporary Residence (Visiting, Studying, Working & Other): January 2026

Country	Visitor Visa	Work Permit	Study Permit	Super Visa
India	88 days	8 weeks	4 weeks	212 days
UAE	56 days	39 weeks	4 weeks	243 days
Nigeria	38 days	9 weeks	7 weeks	38 days
Pakistan	55 days	16 weeks	5 weeks	112 days
Philippines	16 days	6 weeks	4 weeks	113 days

Why Canada Processing Times Can Change Quickly In 2026?

Processing times for Canadian immigration applications can change quickly in 2026 due to several shifting factors that directly affect IRCC’s workload and priorities. These timelines are not fixed and are updated regularly based on real-time data.

Key reasons include:

Fluctuating application volumes, especially after policy updates or new immigration draws
Seasonal spikes in PR, study, and work permit submissions
Resource and staffing adjustments within IRCC to meet priority programs
Policy changes, such as category-based Express Entry draws or revised PNP targets
Security, medical, and background checks, which can vary by applicant
Global events or system backlogs that impact processing capacity

Since IRCC bases its estimates on recent applicant data, even small operational or policy shifts can quickly change posted processing times. As a result, applicants may see timelines move faster or slower throughout 2026 depending on these evolving factors.

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Source: canada.ca

Tags: Canada Visa Processing Times Canada Processing Times Express Entry processing times Study Permit processing times Work Permit processing times Visitor Visa processing times Temporary Residence processing times Permanent Residence application times Canada immigration news