As of September 2026, most Canadian permanent residence and citizenship processing times are getting longer rather than shorter. Security screening backlogs at CSIS now average an estimated 64.8 months for permanent residence files, the Federal Skilled Worker Program has climbed to seven months under Express Entry, and several family sponsorship and citizenship categories slowed by an extra month over the past update.
Why Are Canada’s Immigration Processing Times Increasing in 2026?
Two separate forces are pushing wait times up this year. The first is a genuine surge in security screening demand. According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, screening requests rose from 356,200 in 2019 to a peak of 538,100 in 2024, before easing to 438,600 after the federal government reduced overall intake targets. The Canada Border Services Agency is still managing tens of thousands of active files at any given time, and Canada’s immigration department now projects average completion timelines of roughly 64.8 months for permanent residence screenings and 30.3 months for temporary residence cases.
The second force is the routine, month-to-month shifting of processing estimates that IRCC publishes for permanent residence and citizenship categories. These figures moved again in the department’s September 3 update, with three categories rising by a full month, the largest single jump recorded in that update.
How Long Does Express Entry Take Right Now?
Express Entry inventories shifted in opposite directions this update. The Federal Skilled Worker Program’s processing time rose to seven months as its inventory grew by 1,400 applications, while the Canadian Experience Class held steady at six months even after 800 applications were processed. IRCC still does not publish a processing time for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, citing insufficient data.
| Express Entry Program | Current Processing Time | Applications in Inventory |
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 6 months | 58,900 (down 800) |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | 7 months | 53,800 (up 1,400) |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Not published | Not published |
It is worth remembering that Express Entry’s official six month service standard has not been revised since 2019. It represents a target, not a guarantee, and actual processing time for a given category can run well past it depending on inventory pressure.
Are Family Sponsorship and Citizenship Applications Also Slower?
Spousal sponsorship applications filed from outside Canada, outside Quebec, moved one month slower in the same update, as did citizenship record searches. That said, not every category is trending in the same direction. Processing times actually shortened by one month for the Parents and Grandparents Program and for inland spousal sponsorship outside Quebec, a reminder that these figures shift category by category rather than moving uniformly across the whole system.
Many applicants already living in Canada while their permanent residence application is pending can apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit, which allows them to keep working legally as long as they apply before their current work permit expires. Spouses or common law partners of those applicants may also qualify for their own open work permit while the file is in process.
What Can Applicants Do While They Wait?
There is no way to force IRCC or CSIS to move faster on an individual file, but there is a lot applicants can control. Submitting a complete application the first time, responding promptly and thoroughly to any request for additional documents, and keeping a valid status in Canada through tools like the Bridging Open Work Permit all reduce the risk of extra delay on top of what is already a slow system. Working with a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant to review a file before submission, or to respond correctly to a procedural fairness letter, is often the difference between a routine wait and a much longer one caused by an avoidable error.
Frequently Asked Questions
As of the September 2026 update, the Canadian Experience Class sits at six months and the Federal Skilled Worker Program at seven months, though individual cases can run longer depending on complexity.
Security screening request volumes surged well past historical norms between 2019 and 2024, and even after intake reductions eased the backlog somewhat, the department now projects average completion times of close to 65 months for affected permanent residence files.
Many applicants already in Canada qualify for a Bridging Open Work Permit, provided they apply before their existing work permit expires. Spouses or partners may also be eligible for their own open work permit.
No. In the same update where several categories rose by a month, both the Parents and Grandparents Program and inland spousal sponsorship actually improved by a month, so trends vary by category.
A processing time is an estimate based on current inventory and capacity, updated regularly. A service standard is a longer term target IRCC sets for itself, and for programs like Express Entry it has not changed since 2019.
Permanent residence and citizenship processing times are generally revised monthly, while temporary residence timelines are updated weekly.
A licensed immigration consultant can review your file for errors, help you respond properly to any IRCC request, and reduce the chance of additional delay caused by an incomplete or incorrect submission.
Wondering where your own file stands, or how to avoid unnecessary delay before you apply? Book an Express Entry and PR processing consultation with ImmigCanada and get a clear read on your timeline.
Disclaimer: This Blog is for informational purposes only. ImmigCanada immigration consulting services provides updates based on publicly available information. This content does not constitute any legal advice. For detailed interpretation of any legal violations under Canada’s immigration regulations, readers should refer to official Government of Canada sources or seek qualified legal counsel.