Introduction to Canadian Immigration
Each year, Canada, a prime destination for immigrants, invites millions of newcomers from all around the world. However, the question on the minds of many is, “How long will it take?” The processing times for Canadian visas, essentially the duration Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) takes to process your application from the day they receive it, can be influenced by several factors.
Importance of Processing Time in Immigration
Understanding processing times is vital for managing expectations and planning for future life changes. In the beginning of 2022, new initiatives were unveiled with the intention to shorten these timelines, and this strategy continues into 2023.
Factors affecting Processing Time
Processing time can be affected by the type of visa application, the country of the applicant’s residency, the completeness and correctness of the application, the ease of confirming the applicant’s information, how quickly the IRCC can process applications already in the system, and how promptly an applicant responds to additional requests or concerns.
Detailed Processing Times in 2023
Express Entry Processing Time
The Express Entry program typically has the fastest processing times, with most applications processed within six months from the date it is received. This includes Federal Skilled Workers (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades (FST), Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and some Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP).
Provincial Nominee Program Processing Time
The processing times for the Provincial Nominee Program can vary greatly, usually ranging between six to eight months.
Family Sponsorship Processing Time
The processing time for Family Sponsorship applications is approximately 13 to 17 months, depending on specific circumstances.
Business Immigration Processing Time
For business immigration, the processing times are estimated to be between 12 to 16 months.
PR Card Processing Time
Obtaining a new PR card typically takes around 45 days, while renewing a PR card can take around 77 days.
Work Permit Processing Time
The processing time for a Canadian Work Permit depends on the completion of your application and the office you applied at, and it can range between 5-36 weeks.
LMIA Processing Time
Canada is experiencing a large volume of LMIA applications in 2023, which can result in longer processing times and possible delays. Depending on which LMIA you apply for, it can take anywhere from 10-36 business days to process your application.
Study Permit Processing Time
A Canadian study permit typically takes between 4 weeks and 5 months to process, depending on the applicant’s country of residence.
Canadian Citizenship Processing Time
A typical Canadian Citizenship grant processing time is 24 months, meaning from the day you submit your completed application it should take about 2 years until it is fully processed.
Canadian Visitor Visa Processing Time
Similar to work visas and study permits, a visitor visa processing time can depend on which country the applicant is applying from, typically ranging from 23 days to 8 months.
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Time
The average processing time of a spousal sponsorship is approximately 13 months when your spouse id living inside Canada. However, depending on specific circumstances, it may take longer.
Super Visa Processing Time
Most applications for a super visa are processed within 4 to 6 months, with the processing times varying depending on the visa office and the country you are applying from.
Post-Graduate Work Permit Processing Time
When applying for a Canadian post-graduate work permit after your studies, you can expect to wait 2 to 6 months.
Conclusion
Understanding processing times is an essential aspect of immigration planning. The Canadian immigration process is complex, but with a good understanding of how the system works, you can better prepare for your journey. Keep in mind that all times are averages and may change depending on various circumstances.
FAQs
- How often are processing times updated? Most processing times show how long it took to process applications in the past and are updated weekly.
- When was the last time IRCC changed processing time estimations? Due to COVID-19, there have been multiple changes to certain visa processing times throughout 2020-2022.
- What is the processing time for a Canadian passport? The processing time for a passport application is determined by where and how the application is submitted, as well as the urgency of the request.
- How Long it Take to get Visa After Biometric Canada? After you have submitted your biometrics to the IRCC with your visa application it should take around 8 weeks to receive your valid visa.
- Do all Family Sponsorship applications have the same processing times? No, the processing time for Family Sponsorship applications is determined by the family member being sponsored and his or her country of residency.