Ottawa, February 19, 2026, The latest update from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada brings significant changes to processing times across citizenship, permanent residence, family sponsorship, and temporary visas.
As of February 17, 2026, the new IRCC processing times reveal longer waits in several major immigration streams, modest improvements in others, and continued pressure in humanitarian categories. These figures are now based on the actual timelines experienced by 80 percent of applicants, replacing older service standards that often failed to reflect real waiting periods.
In this comprehensive guide, we break down the February 2026 IRCC processing times by category, highlight key trends, and explain what applicants should expect in the coming months.
February typically brings a surge of new applications following the holiday slowdown in December and early January. This seasonal increase appears to be contributing to growing queues in citizenship and economic immigration streams.
Key trends include:
Below is a full category by category breakdown.
Citizenship applications continue to see longer waiting periods.
IRCC is currently issuing acknowledgments of receipt for applications submitted around October 8, 2025.
| Application Type | People Waiting | Processing Time (Feb 12, 2026) | Change Since January |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship grant | ~313,000 (+7,600) | 14 months | +1 month |
| Citizenship certificate | ~47,900 (+5,500) | 11 months | +1 month |
| Resumption of citizenship | Not available | Not available | No change |
| Renunciation of citizenship | Not available | 18 months | +7 months |
| Search of citizenship records | Not available | 16 months | +3 months |
The citizenship backlog has grown significantly, with more than 313,000 people waiting for grant decisions. Applicants should prepare for extended timelines and ensure that physical presence and tax filing requirements are properly documented.
Permanent resident card services remain among the most efficient areas within IRCC operations.
| Application Type | Processing Time (Feb 17, 2026) | Change Since Last Week |
|---|---|---|
| New PR card | 62 days | +1 day |
| PR card renewal | 30 days | No change |
PR card renewals are currently processed in approximately one month, making this one of the more predictable services.
Family sponsorship shows a mixed trend, with improvements in parent sponsorship but longer waits for some spousal streams.
| Category | People Waiting | Processing Time | Change Since January |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse outside Canada non Quebec | ~47,300 (+1,600) | 15 months | +1 month |
| Spouse outside Canada Quebec | ~19,100 (-200) | 35 months | No change |
| Spouse inside Canada non Quebec | ~52,600 (+500) | 21 months | No change |
| Spouse inside Canada Quebec | ~12,100 (+100) | 35 months | -1 month |
| Category | People Waiting | Processing Time | Change Since January |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parents non Quebec | ~48,300 (-2,000) | 35 months | -2 months |
| Parents Quebec | ~12,000 (-400) | 47 months | -1 month |
Under the Canada Quebec Accord, Quebec manages its own immigration selection process. Applications require provincial approval before federal processing, which adds an additional review layer and lengthens timelines.
Humanitarian and compassionate applications remain severely backlogged.
| Category | People Waiting | Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| H and C outside Quebec | ~49,800 (+900) | More than 10 years | No change |
| H and C in Quebec | ~18,100 (+300) | More than 10 years | No change |
| Category | People Waiting | Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected persons outside Quebec | ~99,500 (+3,600) | 17 months | No change |
| Protected persons in Quebec | ~37,000 (+700) | 112 months | +2 months |
| Dependents outside Quebec | ~55,400 (+1,300) | 37 months | No change |
| Dependents in Quebec | ~20,800 (+400) | 119 months | +1 month |
Applicants in these streams face some of the longest waiting periods in Canada’s immigration system.
Passport services remain stable and predictable.
| Application Type | Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|
| New passport in person | 10 business days | No change |
| New passport by mail | 20 business days | No change |
| Urgent pick up | Next business day | No change |
| Express pick up | 2 to 9 business days | No change |
| Mailed from outside Canada | 20 business days | No change |
Passport services continue to be one of the most efficient federal services.
The economic class includes Express Entry and provincial nominee streams.
| Category | People Waiting | Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class | ~34,200 | 7 months | +1 month |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program | ~43,000 | 7 months | No change |
| PNP Express Entry | ~12,400 | 7 months | No change |
The Canadian Experience Class saw a notable increase in applicants, growing by approximately 8,800 people.
| Category | People Waiting | Processing Time | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non Express Entry PNP | ~108,300 | 13 months | -3 months |
| Quebec Skilled Worker | ~26,400 | 11 months | No change |
| Quebec Business Class | ~3,900 | 80 months | +1 month |
| Federal Self Employed | ~8,100 | More than 10 years | No change |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | ~13,700 | 33 months | No change |
| Start Up Visa | ~45,600 | More than 10 years | No change |
The three month reduction in Non Express Entry PNP is one of the few positive developments this month.
Temporary resident processing times are updated weekly.
| Country | Processing Time | Change Since Last Week |
|---|---|---|
| India | 74 days | -4 days |
| United States | 24 days | -1 day |
| Nigeria | 57 days | +6 days |
| Pakistan | 56 days | -2 days |
| Philippines | 19 days | +1 day |
Visitor visa inside Canada: 20 days
Visitor record extension: 213 days
| Country | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| India | 211 days |
| United States | 205 days |
| Nigeria | 47 days |
| Pakistan | 134 days |
| Philippines | 112 days |
Indian applicants continue to face the longest super visa processing times.
| Country | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| India | 4 weeks |
| United States | 6 weeks |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks |
| Pakistan | 11 weeks |
| Philippines | 5 weeks |
Study permit inside Canada: 8 weeks
Study permit extension: 88 days
| Country | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| India | 8 weeks |
| United States | 10 weeks |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks |
| Pakistan | 29 weeks |
| Philippines | 7 weeks |
Work permits inside Canada: 252 days
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program: 8 days
International Experience Canada: 2 weeks
Electronic Travel Authorization: 5 minutes for most applicants
No. IRCC processing times are estimates. They reflect how long 80 percent of applications took to process historically. Approximately 20 percent of cases may take longer.
Factors that affect timelines include:
Several factors are contributing to longer waits:
While some streams show improvement, overall inventory remains high.
Permanent residents must be physically present in Canada for 1,095 days within five years before applying.
Expedited processing is limited and usually requires urgent humanitarian grounds.
It indicates severe backlog with no clear completion timeline.
Yes, provided you demonstrate sufficient financial capacity.
The February 2026 IRCC update reflects a system under pressure but still functioning within structured timelines for most categories.
Citizenship and economic streams are experiencing noticeable growth in queues. Parent sponsorship and Non Express Entry PNP show modest improvements. Humanitarian categories remain heavily backlogged.
Applicants should monitor weekly and monthly updates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, submit complete applications, and respond quickly to document requests.
As 2026 progresses, processing trends may shift depending on draw volumes, policy changes, and application intake levels.
