Canada’s Immigration Services Announces Key Updates To Visa  Processing Times For February 2025

• Canada’s Immigration Services has announced updated processing timelines for February 2025, beginning on February 5th.
• These revisions are critical for anyone applying to relocate to Canada.
• According to Immigration News Canada (INC), these updates provide an overview of current processing timelines.

Canada’s Immigration Services has announced updated processing timelines for February 2025, beginning on February 5th.

These revisions are critical for anyone applying to relocate to Canada.

According to Immigration News Canada (INC), these updates provide an overview of current processing timelines, emphasizing the significance of planning ahead for immigration applications.

Understanding these timelines enables applicants to manage expectations, prepare documentation, and minimize delays.

How does IRCC calculate processing times?

According to reports, IRCC sets processing times based on 80% application completion rate. Several factors can influence these durations, including the application’s completeness, case complexity, application volume, and program-specific needs.

Incomplete applications or missing documentation frequently cause delays, and situations involving legal or security issues may take longer to process.

Other factors, such as the quantity of applications submitted in a certain period, influence processing timelines. Each immigration program has its own processing requirements, which might further affect delays.

Updates on citizenship and permanent residency card processing

As of February 2025.

• The processing period for a citizenship grant is now 8 months, indicating a one-month increase since the previous update.
• The process time obtaining a citizenship certificate stays at three months.
• While renunciation of citizenship has decreased by four months, it now takes twelve months.
• The search for citizenship data has been extended by 9 months to 16 months.
• The processing period for new Permanent Resident (PR) cards has been reduced by two days from the previous update to 24 days.

Renewals of PR cards will now take 17 days, a one-day reduction

Family sponsorship and economic immigration processing timeframes

Processing times for family sponsorship have remained generally consistent across most categories.

• Spousal or common-law partner sponsorships outside of Canada take approximately 10 months, whereas Quebec takes 36 months.
• Inside Canada, the processing time for spouses or common-law partners, excluding Quebec, has climbed to 28 months, up four months since January.

In terms of economic immigration, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program remains one of the quickest, with a processing period of 5 months.

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) applications should expect a 6-month delay, while Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applicants will have to wait 6 months for Express Entry and 21 months for non-Express Entry.
• Quebec Skilled Workers should expect a 9-month processing time, whereas Quebec Business Class applicants may have to wait up to 71 months. Other programs, such as the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), remain constant at nine months.

Updates on temporary residency and other immigration programs

The processing period for temporary residency applications, such as visitor visas, varies by country.

1. Visitor Visas (Outside Canada):

• India: 106 days (increased by two days).
• United States: 28 days (increased by four days).
• Nigeria: 153 days (down one day).
• Pakistan: 17 days (down one day).
• Philippines: 18 days (down four days)

2. Visitor visa (within Canada): 40 days (reduced by 9 days).

3. Visitor visa extension (visitor record): 125 days (reduced by 6 days)

4. Super Visa

• India: 128 days (increased by three days).
• United States: 225 days (down 24 days)
• Nigeria: 44 days (down four days)
• Pakistan: 68 days (down 7 days)
• Philippines: 136 days (increased by three days).

5. Study Permit (Outside Canada)

• India: 15 weeks (no changes).
• United States: 10 weeks (down one week)
• Nigeria: eight weeks (no change)
• Pakistan: eight weeks (no change)
• Philippines: 5 weeks (down one week)

6. Study permit (within Canada): 5 weeks (unchanged)

7. Study permit extension: 112 days (down 4 days).

8. Work Permit (Outside Canada)

• India: 20 weeks (no changes).
• United States: 15 weeks (down one week)
• Nigeria: 15 weeks (down one week)
• Pakistan: 10 weeks (no changes).
• Philippines: five weeks (no change)

9. Work permit (inside Canada): 120 days (reduced by 5 days)

Other temporary residency programs, such as the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), continue to have an immediate processing period of 5 minutes.

• Seasonal Agricultural Worker Programme (SAWP): 8 days
• International Experience Canada (IEC): 5 weeks (shortened by 3 weeks).

Understanding these processing periods is critical when planning your transfer to Canada, managing expectations, and preparing papers.

Check the official IRCC website for the most up-to-date and accurate information.