Canada visa time: 18 days for Indian tourists, 8 weeks for students

Canada permanent residency applications for Indians, like the Experience Class and Skilled Worker Programme, are now processed in 5-6 months

Are you are planning to visit Canada or are waiting for an immigration decision? The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released the latest processing times, updated on April 30, 2025.

 

Indian tourists can expect a Canada visitor visa in about 18 days, while Indian students applying for a study permit from outside Canada are currently seeing processing times of 8 weeks. Permanent residency applications under the economic class for Indians, such as the Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker Programme, are mostly being processed within 5 to 6 months.

 

Since 2022, IRCC has shifted to real-time data for a more accurate estimate of application processing, scrapping the old service standards. Updates for citizenship, permanent residence, and family sponsorships now come monthly, while PR cards and temporary visas are refreshed weekly.

 

 

According to IRCC, the timelines reflect 80 per cent of cases and are adjusted based on application volumes and available resources.

 

Take a look at the current figures compared to last month.

 

Canada citizenship processing times

 

Citizenship grant: 8 months (reduced by 1 month)

Citizenship certificate (for proof): 3 months (reduced by 1 month)

Resumption of citizenship: not enough data

Renunciation of citizenship: 8 months (reduced by 2 months)

Search of citizenship records: 15 months (reduced by 1 month)

 

Do note that delays may occur for citizenship certificates requested from outside Canada or the United States, according to IRCC.

 

IRCC also said that Acknowledgment of Receipt (AOR) notices are now being sent for applications filed around March 24, 2025.

 

Canada: Permanent resident cards

 

New PR card: 19 days (up by 1 day)

PR card renewal: 10 days (up by 1 day)

 

Family sponsorship processing times

 

Spouse/common-law partner (outside Canada, non-Quebec): 11 months (no change)

Spouse/common-law partner (outside Canada, Quebec): 35 months (no change)

Spouse/common-law partner (inside Canada, non-Quebec): 24 months (no change)

Spouse/common-law partner (inside Canada, Quebec): 36 months (increased by 1 month)

Parents and grandparents (non-Quebec): 36 months (increased by 3 months)

Parents and grandparents (Quebec): 48 months (no change)

 

Canadian passport processing times

 

In-person application (within Canada): 10 business days (no change)

Mail-in application (within Canada): 20 business days (no change)

Urgent pick-up: By end of next business day (no change)

Express pick-up: 2 to 9 business days (no change)

Application from outside Canada: 20 business days (no change)

 

Permanent residency – economic classes

 

Canadian experience class (CEC): 5 months (no change)

Federal skilled worker programme (FSWP): 6 months (increased by 1 month)

Federal skilled trades programme (FSTP): Not enough data

Provincial nominee programme (PNP) via Express Entry: 6 months (reduced by 1 month)

Non-Express Entry PNP: 21 months (no change)

Quebec skilled workers (QSW): 9 months (no change)

Quebec business class: 72 months (increased by 1 month)

Federal self-employed persons: 50 months (increased by 1 month)

Atlantic immigration programme (AIP): 11 months (increased by 1 month)

Start-up visa: 40 months (no change)

 

Temporary resident visa processing times

 

Visitor visa applications outside Canada

 

India: 18 days (no change)

United States: 17 days (no change)

Nigeria: 93 days (reduced by 10 days)

Pakistan: 23 days (increased by 1 day)

Philippines: 25 days (increased by 3 days)

 

Other temporary categories

 

Visitor visa from inside Canada: 17 days (increased by 1 day)

Visitor visa extension: 140 days (increased by 10 days)

 

Super visa for parents and grandparents

 

India: 127 days (reduced by 2 days)

United States: 94 days (increased by 4 days)

Nigeria: 61 days (increased by 7 days)

Pakistan: 138 days (increased by 5 days)

Philippines: 119 days (increased by 5 days)

 

Study permit applications

 

From India: 8 weeks (reduced by 1 week)

From United States: 4 weeks (reduced by 1 week)

From Nigeria: 6 weeks (no change)

From Pakistan: 8 weeks (no change)

From Philippines: 10 weeks (increased by 3 weeks)

 

Other timelines:

 

Study permit from inside Canada: 4 weeks (no change)

Study permit extension: 220 days (increased by 13 days)

 

Work permits

 

From India: 18 weeks (no change)

From United States: 17 weeks (reduced by 64 weeks)

From Nigeria: 9 weeks (no change)

From Pakistan: 8 weeks (no change)

From Philippines: 7 weeks (increased by 1 week)

 

Other categories:

 

Work permit from inside Canada: 227 days (increased by 9 days)

Seasonal agricultural worker programme (SAWP): 11 days (no change)

International Experience Canada (IEC): 4 weeks (no change)

Electronic travel authorisation (eTA): Processed within 5 minutes in most cases, although some may take up to 72 hours