Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) launched up to date processing instances for financial immigration and citizenship functions on April 7, 2026.
The Federal Expert Employee Program (FSWP) dropped to 6 months from seven — its first enchancment since early 2025. Citizenship grants additionally fell by one month to 12 months, with the queue shrinking for the primary time this 12 months.
Nonetheless, the Canadian Expertise Class (CEC) queue grew by over 10,000 in a single month, and the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) jumped up by seven months to 40 — the most important single enhance in any financial class this replace.
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This text covers the newest processing instances for:
Processing instances for financial immigration are in contrast towards the March 9 replace, with present instances as of April 7, 2026.
Financial immigration
Specific Entry
The FSWP noticed its first processing time enchancment in months, dropping to 6 months. CEC and Federal Expert Trades Program (FSTP) processing instances stay unchanged.
| Software sort | Earlier (Mar. 9) | Present (Apr. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Expertise Class (CEC) | 7 months | 7 months |
| Federal Expert Employee Program (FSWP) | 7 months | 6 months |
| Federal Expert Trades Program (FSTP)* | N/A | N/A |
*IRCC doesn’t launch processing time estimates for the FSTP on account of inadequate knowledge.
- CEC functions at the moment ready for a call: 54,600.
- FSWP functions at the moment ready for a call: 44,100.
All Specific Entry applications have a service normal of six months.
Whereas the FSWP enchancment is welcome, the CEC queue tells a unique story. It grew by roughly 10,300 since March and has added over 20,000 candidates since February — an indication that new functions are arriving quicker than IRCC can clear them. If this tempo continues, longer CEC wait instances might observe.
The FSWP queue, in contrast, shrank by about 1,200 to 44,100. Mixed with the one-month processing drop, this means IRCC has been prioritizing this stream.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
No modifications in processing instances have been recorded for enhanced or base PNP functions.
| Software sort | Earlier (Mar. 9) | Present (Apr. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Via Specific Entry (enhanced) | 7 months | 7 months |
| Non-Specific Entry (base) | 13 months | 13 months |
- Enhanced PNP functions at the moment ready for a call: 13,700.
- Base PNP functions at the moment ready for a call: 108,100.
The service normal for enhanced PNP functions is six months, whereas base functions have a normal of 11 months.
The improved PNP queue grew barely by 700, whereas the bottom PNP queue barely moved (+100). Base PNP functions proceed to take a seat nicely above the 11-month service normal at 13 months.
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Quebec immigration
Processing instances for Quebec’s Expert Employee Choice Program (PSTQ) stay unchanged.
| Software sort | Earlier (Mar. 9) | Present (Apr. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Expert Employee Choice Program (PSTQ) | 11 months | 11 months |
| Quebec Enterprise Class | 80 months | 78 months |
- PSTQ functions at the moment ready for a call: 25,700.
- Quebec Enterprise Class functions at the moment ready for a call: 3,800.
PSTQ functions have a service normal of six months.
The PSTQ queue shrank by 1,200 to 25,700, whilst processing instances held regular. The Quebec Enterprise Class noticed a two-month enchancment to 78 months, although this stream stays one of many longest waits within the financial immigration system.
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Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
The AIP noticed a pointy enhance in processing instances, leaping seven months in a single replace.
| Software sort | Earlier (Mar. 9) | Present (Apr. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 33 months | 40 months |
- AIP functions at the moment ready for a call: 13,200.
- The AIP has a service normal of 11 months.
The AIP had held regular at 33 months since a minimum of February, making this seven-month leap essentially the most vital destructive shift in any financial stream this month. At 40 months, the AIP now sits nicely over thrice its service normal. The queue itself truly shrank barely (by 300), which suggests the rise could replicate IRCC working by way of older, extra complicated instances somewhat than a surge in new functions.
Different financial applications
| Software sort | Earlier (Mar. 9) | Present (Apr. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Begin-Up Visa | Greater than 10 years | Greater than 10 years |
| Federal Self-Employed | Greater than 10 years | Greater than 10 years |
Neither program has a printed service normal. Each stay successfully frozen with processing instances exceeding 10 years.
Citizenship
Citizenship grants continued their downward pattern, with processing instances dropping one month for the second consecutive replace. The queue additionally shrank for the primary time in 2026.
| Software sort | Earlier (Mar. 9) | Present (Apr. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | 13 months | 12 months |
| Citizenship certificates (proof of citizenship) | 10 months | 10 months |
| Renunciation of citizenship | 10 months | 10 months |
| Search of citizenship data | 17 months | 17 months |
- Functions for a citizenship grant at the moment ready for a call: 313,200.
- Functions for a citizenship certificates at the moment ready for a call: 56,300.
IRCC solely publishes service requirements for citizenship grant functions, which sit at 12 months.
On the time of publishing, IRCC is sending acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) notices for citizenship functions filed on or round October 22, 2025.
The citizenship grant queue dropped by about 6,800 since March — a significant contraction after months of progress. Processing is now at 12 months, matching the service normal for the primary time in latest reminiscence. Since February, when grants sat at 14 months, IRCC has reduce two full months from the estimate.
The citizenship certificates queue, then again, grew by 5,400 to 56,300 regardless of unchanged processing instances. This stream might face longer waits if the pattern continues.
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The distinction between processing instances and repair requirements
Processing instances and repair requirements are sometimes confused, however they imply various things.
IRCC’s processing instances replicate how lengthy you may count on to attend for a call, assuming you submitted your utility on that given day. For on-line functions, the clock begins at submission. For paper functions, it begins when the appliance reaches the mailroom.
Processing instances fall into two classes. Historic processing instances are primarily based on how lengthy it took to course of 80% of functions of a selected sort previously. Ahead-looking processing instances are projections primarily based on IRCC’s present stock and anticipated charge of choices.
Service requirements, in contrast, are inner benchmarks set by IRCC for a way lengthy it ought to take to course of a given utility sort. These replicate the goal for 80% of functions, with the remaining 20% accounting for extra complicated instances.
