Personalized processing times for some immigration applications

by Michael Scott

Canadian permanent residence and citizenship applicants can now expect to receive more specific timelines for their application submissions. IRCC has updated its online application processing to enable applicants to look up the actual timelines. Based on the changes, applicants will be able to find out when their submissions are to be processed, adjusted by the date of submissions and their place in the waiting list or queue.

Prior to the change, applicants could only receive information on an average of processing times depending on the application type and program. The former time did not factor in the date of submission on which they submitted the completed application. The changeover affects permanent residence applications only and temporary residence applications remain unchanged.

The IRCC processing tool has been updated to include two questions under certain applications that allow users to gain further insight into where their submission stands within the existing inventory. The changes include the question “Have you already applied?” Here you can select “Yes” or “No” and then input the date and year. If you answer the two questions, the web page will show you the estimated time remaining until a decision is made on your application. It will advise how many applications are ahead in the processing queue for selected applications and the total number of people who are currently waiting on a decision. The refined processing tool will also provide, for comparison purposes, the processing time expected for those “applying now.”

If we use August 2025, for example, as the date of a Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) submission, it is now October 27, 2025, and the applicant wants to know how much longer she must wait for a decision to be made on her submission. She will have to submit the following required information for application type.

Select an application type.
Answer: “economic immigration.”

Which economic class application?
Answer: “Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.”

Have you already applied?
Answer: “Yes.”

When did you apply?
Answer: “August 15, 2025.”

At this point the user can select “get application processing time.”

After that the applicant would receive the following times for the example provided. Estimated time left: 26 months. People ahead of her: About 9,500. Total number of people waiting for a decision: About 13,100. Processing time for people applying now: About 37 months for Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. The response would include a warning that the estimated time is updated monthly, and the current response time of 37 months is based on the date of the inquiry. If more people apply, then the increase in the existing inventory will be factored into the expected processing times.

If the initial question about whether an application was submitted was answered “No,” then the following scenario would occur. You will be shown the processing time based on the submission date or 37 months based on the information provided in the example above.

Application Types covered by the change

At the current time, users can see processing estimates and information about the number of people who are in the queue ahead of them or those waiting for decisions on the following application types. The economic stream applications include: the Express Entry including the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program; the Provincial Nominee Program; the Self-Employed Persons Program; the Quebec Business Class; and the Start-up Visa.

The new processing system is also to be used in Family Stream immigration such as sponsorship of a spouse or common-law partner inside Canada, or sponsorship of spouse or common-law partner outside Canada, and the Parent and Grandparents Program. The system has not yet been expanded to include the sponsorship of dependent children or the sponsorship of adopted children or other relatives. Citizenship grants and citizenship certificates are being worked on as well as humanitarian and compassionate applications, as well as refugees and protected persons.

Michael Scott is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC, R525678) who has 30 years of experience with Immigration Canada and the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program. He currently works as a licensed consultant with Immigration Connexion International Ltd. Contact him at 204-691-1166 or 204-227-0292. E-mail: mscott.ici@gmail.com.