IRCC has released updated processing times for November 2024, covering citizenship, PR cards, family sponsorship, and economic immigration applications. Image: The Canadian Press
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently updated its processing times for November 2024, providing crucial information for those navigating the immigration system. The latest processing times were released on November 5, offering insight into how long applicants can expect to wait for various immigration and citizenship services.
Keeping track of these updates is essential for applicants as Canada continues to face growing immigration backlogs. By regularly updating its processing times, IRCC aims to provide more transparency and clarity for applicants, helping them plan their immigration journey more effectively. These updates cover a wide range of services, from citizenship applications and permanent resident (PR) cards to family sponsorship and economic immigration programs. Temporary residency, PR cards, and business immigration updates are provided weekly, while citizenship, family sponsorship, and economic immigration processing times are refreshed monthly.
As of the latest update, processing times for citizenship grants have increased by a month, bringing the total to 7 months. For citizenship certificates, the processing time remains steady at 4 months. The renunciation of citizenship continues to take 16 months, and searches of citizenship records are slightly faster, with the processing time now reduced to 11 months.
Those waiting for a new PR card can expect the processing time to remain at 25 days, while PR card renewals have become slightly quicker, now taking 57 days, a reduction of two days compared to the last update.
For applicants sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner outside of Quebec, the processing time remains unchanged at 10 months. However, for those in Quebec, the timeline has increased by a month to 36 months. For sponsorship applications within Canada (excluding Quebec), the processing time has been reduced by a month to 12 months, while for Quebec residents, the timeline remains at 27 months. Parents and grandparents outside Quebec will still have to wait 24 months, with no changes from the last update, while those in Quebec face a much longer 48-month processing time.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), and Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry) all continue to have a processing time of 5-6 months, with no changes from the previous update. However, the Provincial Nominee Program (without Express Entry) saw a slight increase in processing time, now taking 13 months. Quebec Skilled Workers face an extended wait, with processing times jumping by 2 months to 11 months. Other notable programs include the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), which now takes 8 months, and the Quebec Business Class, which saw a significant increase in processing time to 58 months. Meanwhile, applicants for the Start-up Visa will continue to wait 40 months, unchanged from the last update.
The processing times for temporary residency visas vary widely depending on the applicant's country of origin. For instance, applicants from India can expect a visitor visa to take around 113 days, while for those from the United States, the wait remains shorter at just 26 days. In Nigeria, the processing time holds steady at 175 days, while in Pakistan, it has slightly increased to 29 days. Meanwhile, applicants from the Philippines have a relatively shorter wait at 18 days.
For those applying for a visitor visa within Canada, the timeline has improved, with processing times now down to 21 days. Super Visa processing times vary by country, with reductions noted for India (117 days) and the United States (121 days), while applicants from Pakistan and the Philippines face slightly longer waits compared to the previous update.
Study permit processing times also vary by country. For instance, applicants from India are waiting an average of 8 weeks, while those in the United States now face a longer 15-week wait. In Nigeria, the processing time remains at 10 weeks, and in the Philippines, it stays at 6 weeks. Applicants applying from within Canada will have to wait 16 weeks, while study permit extensions now take around 146 days.
Processing times for applicants outside Canada vary for work permits. Indian applicants currently face a wait of 28 weeks, while those in the United States are seeing a slight increase to 11 weeks. Applicants from the Philippines are benefiting from faster processing, now down to 7 weeks.
Keeping up with these processing times is critical for anyone navigating Canada's immigration system. The times vary greatly depending on the type of application and the applicant’s country of origin. Therefore, it’s important to check the updates to stay informed regularly.
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