Canada
Canada visa processing times
How long does each Canada visa take? Below are the typical decision windows for all 8 routes we track, each sourced directly from IRCC. Click any route to see the full breakdown, including what drives the timeline and whether a priority service is available.
Quick facts: The fastest route is the Express Entry — Canadian Experience Class (CEC) at 7 months. The slowest is the Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) at 7 months.
| Route | Published timing | Reality check | Sponsor needed? | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express Entry — Canadian Experience Class (CEC)# Federal permanent-residence stream for applicants with qualifying Canadian work experience. | 7 months | Official window only Delay trigger: After 7 months | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)# Federal points-based permanent residence for skilled workers without prior Canadian experience. | 7 months | Published percentile available Delay trigger: After 6 months (published percentile) | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Express Entry — Federal Skilled Trades (FST)# Permanent residence for qualified tradespeople with a Canadian job offer or provincial certification. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)# Province-led permanent residence streams giving a 600 CRS boost when aligned with Express Entry. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)# Open work permit for graduates of eligible Canadian Designated Learning Institutions. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Start-Up Visa (Canada)# Permanent residence for entrepreneurs with endorsement from a designated Canadian venture capital fund, angel investor group, or business incubator. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
| Canadian Study Permit# Study permit for international students at Designated Learning Institutions, governed by provincial study attestation caps. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | Yes | 2026-09-10 |
| Spousal / common-law sponsorship (Canada)# Permanent residence sponsorship of spouses, common-law partners, or conjugal partners by Canadian citizens or permanent residents. | Not published | No central processing clock Delay trigger: No fixed delay point - use route guidance | No | 2026-09-10 |
Source authority: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Processing times are indicative and change without notice — always confirm before applying.
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Canada processing times dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/canada. Latest source check 10 September 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest Canada visa to get?+
Among the 8 routes we track, the Express Entry — Canadian Experience Class (CEC) has the shortest published decision window at 7 months. Processing times are indicative and depend on case complexity, so always confirm the current figure on IRCC.
Which Canada visa takes the longest to process?+
Of the routes we track, the Express Entry — Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) carries the longest published window at 7 months. Permanent-residence and family routes typically sit at the slower end, while short-term and points-tested routes tend to be quicker.
Are these Canada processing times official?+
Yes. Every window on this page is the figure published by IRCC, shown with the date it was last checked. The figures are indicative rather than guarantees, and the linked source is authoritative on the day you apply.