Canada Releases Updated IRCC Processing Times for November 2025: What Applicants Need to Know Now
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has published its newest processing time update for November 2025, offering a detailed look at how long applicants can expect to wait for citizenship, permanent residency, visas, permits and more. These timelines—released on November 19, 2025—reflect how long it has taken IRCC to finalize 80 percent of applications, giving a more realistic picture of current wait times.
As immigration demand continues to grow, these updated figures provide critical insight for individuals planning their next steps in Canada. IRCC now updates permanent residency and citizenship timelines monthly, while temporary visas, permits, and PR cards follow a weekly update cycle.
It is important to note that these are estimates, not guarantees. Processing can vary significantly due to applicant location, background verification, document completeness, and IRCC’s operational capacity.
Citizenship Processing Times Show Moderate Changes
IRCC reports that nearly 290,700 applicants are currently waiting for citizenship grants—an increase of 7,000 from last month. Processing for these applications remains steady at 13 months.
Citizenship certificates now require 9 months, marking a one-month increase. However, resumption and renunciation timelines remain unpredictable, with renunciation rising dramatically to 22 months.
IRCC is now issuing acknowledgment letters for applications submitted near July 28, 2025, indicating continued delays in intake processing.
PR Card Processing: Slight Improvements for Renewals
New permanent resident cards currently take 58 days, a five-day improvement compared to late October.
Renewals remain stable at 30 days, offering some relief to applicants planning travel or employment transitions.
Family Sponsorship: Improving in Some Areas, Declining in Others
Family sponsorship continues to be among the slowest immigration categories. While some groups have seen modest improvements, others have experienced major increases.
Key highlights:
- Spousal sponsorship outside Canada (non-Quebec) improved to 14 months, dropping by one month.
- Inside Canada sponsorships also saw slight improvements, down by two months.
- Quebec spousal sponsorship remains significantly longer at 37 months, despite slight declines.
- Parents and grandparents face the longest delays, rising sharply to 42–50 months depending on the province.
The increase in parental sponsorship wait times—some rising by 16 months since the previous update—reflects ongoing pressure on IRCC’s family reunification processing capacity.
Humanitarian and Protected Persons: Severe Delays Continue
Humanitarian and Compassionate applications remain among the slowest at over 10 years of processing time.
Protected persons’ applications remain extremely delayed as well, ranging from 100 to 106 months depending on whether the applicant is inside or outside Quebec.
These long delays highlight the immense backlog IRCC faces in high-volume humanitarian categories.
Passport Processing Remains Stable and Predictable
Good news for travelers: Canadian passport processing remains consistent and efficient.
- In-person applications: 10 business days
- Mailed applications: 20 business days
- Urgent requests: Next business day
- Express service: 2–9 business days
This continues to be one of the most stable processing areas within IRCC operations.
Economic Class Immigration: Mixed Results Across Programs
This month’s update reveals a mixed pattern in economic immigration:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Increased to 7 months, up by one month.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): Steady at 6 months.
- Express Entry PNP: Improved to 6 months, dropping by one month.
- Non-Express Entry PNP: Remains slow at 16 months.
- Quebec Skilled Worker Program: Holding at 11 months.
- Business programs such as Quebec Business Class, Start-Up Visa, and Federal Self-Employed remain extremely lengthy, with some requiring 7–10 years.
While Express Entry pathways remain relatively predictable, business immigration continues to face the longest and most uncertain timelines.
Visitor Visa Processing: Rising Delays for Several Countries
Visitor visa timelines show a wide variation depending on country of application:
- India: Now 106 days, up by 20 days.
- Pakistan: Increased significantly to 85 days.
- Philippines, Nigeria, USA: Improved slightly.
- Inside Canada applications: Now 18 days, a small improvement.
Super visas also display large differences across countries, with Pakistan and India facing some of the longest wait times.
Study Permit Processing: Significant Improvements Across Multiple Countries
Most major study permit source countries experienced improvement:
- India, USA, Philippines: Now 4 weeks.
- Nigeria, Pakistan: Reduced to 7 weeks, with Pakistan showing a 3-week improvement.
Inside-Canada study permit applications, however, increased to 12 weeks, while extensions now take 157 days.
Work Permit Processing: Mixed Movements Across Markets
- India: 10 weeks (no change).
- USA and Pakistan: Increased wait times.
- Nigeria: Notable improvement to 8 weeks.
- Inside Canada applications: Around 229 days, still very high.
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program processing improved dramatically, falling to 10 days.
Overall Outlook for November 2025
IRCC’s latest update paints a varied picture. Some programs—particularly Express Entry and certain study permit routes—are stabilizing or improving. Others, including spousal sponsorships, humanitarian categories, and work permit extensions inside Canada, continue to face substantial pressure and delays.
As demand for Canadian immigration remains high, applicants are encouraged to monitor timelines frequently, ensure complete documentation, and prepare for possible fluctuations.
Staying informed remains essential for effective planning in Canada’s evolving immigration landscape.
For a consultation about Immigration options, reach out to the CAD IMMIGRATION today!
