IRCC processing times: how to read them and what to do while you wait

Immigration

“How long will it take?” is the question we are asked most often, and the one surrounded by the most bad information. Here is how to read the official processing times, what they actually mean, and — more importantly — what happens while you wait.

Where to find the real number, today

IRCC publishes a processing times tool that is updated weekly. It is the only reliable source. Be wary of numbers shared in WhatsApp or Facebook groups: they are usually months out of date, and these times move a lot.

We deliberately publish no numbers on this page. A processing time written into an article is wrong within weeks. Use the official tool — the link is at the bottom.

How these times are actually calculated

This is the part almost nobody understands. The number shown is neither a maximum nor a promise. It is how long it took to process 80% of applications already completed in that category.

In other words: one application in five takes longer than the figure displayed. If you pass the posted time, nothing has gone wrong — you are simply in that fifth.

When to apply for an extension

The rule: at least 30 days before your current permit expires. In practice, apply earlier. Two to three months ahead is far more comfortable, especially if you need an employment letter, proof of enrolment, or documents from abroad.

Applying before expiry is not an administrative detail. It is what triggers maintained status.

Maintained status: what really matters while you wait

If you apply to extend before your permit expires, you keep your status and your conditions while the application is processed. You can keep studying or working under the same conditions, even if the permit itself expires in the meantime.

Three limits worth knowing, and they catch a lot of people out:

• Maintained status exists only inside Canada. If you leave the country it stops applying. You could re-enter as a visitor, with no right to work, until a decision is made.
• It only applies if you applied on time. If you applied after expiry, you are not on maintained status: you must apply to restore your status within 90 days, and you cannot work or study in the meantime.
• It ends the moment a decision is made. If the application is refused, the right to work or study stops immediately.

If the wait goes past the posted time

First, check that the time really has passed for your category, as of today. Then there are a few routes:

• check your application status in your online account;
• use the IRCC web form to request an update, once the official time has passed;
• request your GCMS notes to see where the file actually sits;
• if travel is urgent and your application is pending, request urgent processing — you will need serious grounds and evidence.

Chasing every two weeks does not speed anything up and does not improve your place in the queue.

Frequently asked

Can I work while it is being processed?

Yes, if you applied before expiry and you stay in Canada. Your current conditions continue to apply until a decision is made.

My permit has already expired. Is it over?

Not necessarily. You have 90 days to apply to restore your status. During that time you cannot work or study, and you pay a restoration fee on top. After 90 days, that door closes.

Does hiring a lawyer speed up processing?

No — and be wary of anyone who promises it. Nobody can move a file ahead of others. What professional help changes is the quality of what you file: a complete application first time avoids requests for additional documents, and those add months.

What about CAQ and Quebec files?

Quebec processes its own applications (CAQ, CSQ) on its own timelines, published by the MIFI. A Quebec file therefore sits in two queues, one after the other: Quebec first, then IRCC. That is the main reason Quebec files feel slower.