One of the most common questions immigration applicants ask is, “how long will it take?” The IRCC and Service Canada websites can give you a rough estimate. But we’ve got the inside scoop and actual timelines based on applications we have processed for our clients. Remember that each case is unique. Circumstances about your case, geographic location of the application processing centre, and the category you apply under are all factors which affect the processing time. But hearing about the actual experience of other applicants will give you a clearer picture of the timeline ahead of you. The days referenced here are calendar days, not business days.
Depending on where you’re traveling from, you may need a visa to visit Canada. We’ve seen a Visitor Visa processed in 4 days for a Colombian applicant who already had a study permit and in an extreme case – a visa that took 170 to be issued. On average though, most of the regions are being issued visas between 35 to 44 days.
If you need to extend your visa with a Visitor Record, this usually takes between 23 – 26 days from inside of Canada.
If you’re an eligible parent or grandparent who wants to visit family in Canada, you can apply for a Super Visa. This allows you to visit for five years at a time, rather than the visitor visa which only allows for six months at a time. The processing time for this is around 86 days.
Canada’s excellent educational system is a draw for many foreign students. Six of Canada’s universities consistently rank in the top 150 universities in the world. A Study Permit allows foreign nationals to study at DLI’s: designated learning institutions. There are some things you can do to increase your chances of getting approved for this permit.
You should plan on anywhere from 12 to 102 days in the regular application stream. Depending on where you live, you may be eligible to apply through the Student Direct Stream. Here you can expect processing times between 29 – 71 days.
If you need to extend your study permit, it will take anywhere from 45 – 121 inside of Canada.
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Express Entry is a program for eligible skilled workers seeking PR in Canada. These applications can take anywhere from 76 to 122 to process currently.
Canada’s Startup Visa Program is for entrepreneurs and skilled applicants who will create jobs and compete on a global scale. If you think this might be the best pathway for you, we have some insider information on how to put your best foot forward. The processing of final decisions here for recent applicants has been between 629 to 800 days. Although it seems comparatively lengthy, the benefits may outweigh the extended timeline if you qualify.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) are for workers who want to become permanent residents and have the education, work experience and skills to contribute to the overall economy.
Provincial Nomination Certificates can take anywhere from 111 to 163 days depending on the specific province. Provincial Nomination PR processing times on average have taken 330 to 362 days
The Outland Family Sponsorship Program allows foreign nationals to be sponsored by their Canadian spouse or partner. The processing time for this type of PR application is usually between 241 - 420 days
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A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document that an employer can apply for, showing the need for a foreign worker to fill an open position. Once an employer has this, the worker can apply for a work permit. LMIA based work permits from outside Canada usually take around 75 days. Depending on the occupation and specific LMIA stream, this can be extended closer to 180 days to process. For applicants applying for a C10/C11 LMIA exempt work permit processing times: 58 to 120 days average depending on where you have applied.
Depending on the nature of the job, you may be eligible to apply for an LMIA-exempt work permit to work in a specific position for a specific employer. If this is the route you’re taking, you can expect processing times between 60 and 120 days. The Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa allows the company and employee to avoid applying for LMIA. The processing time here is usually between 65 to 133 days.
Applying for a work permit under the Startup Visa program on average takes about 3 – 3.5 months. Our shortest processing time seen to date is 10 days, but that’s not the norm.
For those seeking Spousal Work Permits, the process time is between 72 – 136 days from outside of Canada and around 142 inside of Canada.
The Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) allows students who have graduated from eligible DLIs to apply for an open work permit. This process takes about 32 to 54 days. For applicants in this stream also applying for Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP), the process takes closer to 100 days.
Do you want to become a PR in Canada? At INGWE we could support you! Get a FREE email assessment with one of our licensed immigration consultants. We speak over +8 languages and we have helped applicants from +49 countries in their immigration path to Canada. Fill out our form, click here.
This list of immigration pathways isn’t exhaustive and as we’ve mentioned, each case is unique. Some applicants may experience processing times faster or slower than the average. However, knowing the current realistic timelines can help you better prepare and plan for your application and journey to Canada.
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If you’re ready to apply and would like a 1-on-1 session with one of our immigration team members at INGWE, you can also book a session directly using this consultation link.