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PR & Citizenship

PR & Citizenship Update — August 13, 2026

Thursday, August 13, 2026

As of August 10, 2026, IRCC updated processing times: Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) wait times dropped from 7 to 6 months, while base Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) wait times increased despite a reduction of 1,400 applications in the queue.

Canadian Experience Class (CEC) processing time held steady at 6 months, with inventory down by 1,800 applications; FSWP inventory also fell by 3,400 applications.

From January to March 2026, IRCC issued 112,600 permanent residence decisions, with 83,000 new permanent residents admitted between April 2025 and March 2026.

What You Should Do

  • Check the latest IRCC processing time estimates at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html — updated August 10, 2026 — to see current wait times for your specific PR or citizenship program before submitting or following up on an application.
  • If you are a base PNP applicant (non-Express Entry stream), be aware that processing times have increased. Contact your provincial nominee program office to confirm your nomination status is up to date, as federal processing delays may compound provincial timelines.
  • If you have received a citizenship ceremony invitation, review the IRCC guidance at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/citizenship-ceremony.html to confirm whether your ceremony is virtual or in-person, and prepare your Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship (OAC) form and oath text in advance.

Sources

  1. Canada updates wait times for permanent residence and citizenship applicants
  2. Canada Immigration Processing Data 2026: IRCC Reaches Strong Milestones and Highlights Global Mobility Trends
  3. Your Canadian citizenship ceremony: what to expect and how to prepare
  4. Inside IRCC's application processing system - Canada.caOfficial

Topics Covered

PR Card Processing EfficiencyCitizenship Processing Improvements

PR Card Processing Efficiency: IRCC's August 10, 2026 update shows FSWP processing times dropped to 6 months (from 7), while base PNP times increased. CEC remained stable at 6 months with inventory declining.

Citizenship Processing Improvements: IRCC issued 112,600 permanent residence decisions in Q1 2026 and admitted 83,000 new permanent residents between April 2025 and March 2026, reflecting sustained processing output.

More PR & Citizenship Updates

PR & Citizenship Update — August 10, 2026

Aug 10, 2026

PR & Citizenship Update — August 3, 2026

Aug 3, 2026

PR & Citizenship Update — July 30, 2026

Jul 30, 2026

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