Canada Revises Visa Processing Times: Quicker PR Card Approvals, Delays in Citizenship Applications

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently updated its processing times for March 2025. These changes impact visa, permanent residency, and citizenship applications. Understanding these updates is essential for anyone planning to move to Canada.

Key Changes in Processing Times

Citizenship Applications: Increased Wait Times

If you are applying for Canadian citizenship, you will need to be patient. Processing times have increased slightly:

• Citizenship Grant: Expect around 9 months, which is a month longer than before. This suggests a backlog in applications.
• Citizenship Certificate: The wait is now about 4 months, also reflecting a one-month increase.
• Renunciation of Citizenship: On a positive note, this process has decreased to 10 months, down by two months.
• Search of Citizenship Records: This remains steady at 16 months.
• Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR): Applicants who submitted their applications around February 24, 2025, are now receiving their AOR letters. This marks the start of their application journey.

Permanent Residency (PR) Cards: Faster Processing

Good news awaits those waiting for their Permanent Residency cards. Processing times have significantly decreased:

• New PR Card: Now processed in just 16 days, down from 24 days.
• PR Card Renewal: Renewals are also faster, taking about 14 days, a slight improvement.

These changes reflect IRCC’s commitment to streamlining PR card processing.

Visitor Visas: Fluctuating Wait Times

Processing times for visitor visas vary based on the applicant’s country of residence:

• India: 83 days, down by 13 days.
• United States: 20 days, unchanged.
• Nigeria: 132 days, down by 9 days.
• Philippines: 14 days, unchanged.
• Visitor Visa Extension: 119 days, up by 3 days.

Super Visa Processing: Mixed Results

The Super Visa, designed for parents and grandparents of Canadian residents, has seen varied changes:

• India: 133 days, up by 6 days.
• United States: 241 days, down by 21 days.
• Nigeria: 40 days, up by 4 days.
• Philippines: 119 days, down by 1 day.

Study and Work Permits: Stability with Minor Changes

For study permits, wait times remain stable across the board:

Study Permit Processing:

• India: 15 weeks, unchanged.
• United States: 5 weeks, unchanged.
• Nigeria: 7 weeks, unchanged.
• Philippines: 5 weeks, unchanged.

Study Permit Extension

• Study Permit Extension: 114 days, up by 2 days.
• Work permits show minor improvements for Nigeria:

Work Permit Processing:

• India: 20 weeks, unchanged.
• United States: 81 weeks, unchanged.
• Nigeria: 15 weeks, down by 1 week.
• Philippines: 5 weeks, unchanged.

Canada’s Slowing Immigration Growth

Despite ongoing efforts, Canada’s population growth slowed to 1.8% in 2024, the lowest rate in three years. This slowdown brings the total population to 41.5 million. Policy adjustments have led to fewer new and temporary residents, cooling the post-pandemic immigration surge.

Implications for Applicants

Increased wait times for citizenship applications mean prospective Canadians should plan accordingly. Faster PR card processing benefits those seeking timely renewals. Visitor visa applicants should check their specific timelines to avoid delays. Work and study permit applicants need to stay aware of stable or fluctuating wait times.

Final Thoughts

The latest IRCC updates reveal both improvements and delays based on visa type and applicant location. Those planning to move to or visit Canada should remain informed about changing processing times. Regularly checking IRCC’s official website will help applicants stay updated on the latest immigration trends and policies.