IRCC Sets 30-Day Processing for Permanent Resident Cards

As of October 21, 2026, Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced a processing time of 30 days for first-time applicants seeking a permanent resident card. This information is available on the official IRCC processing times page under the "Permanent resident cards" category.

The timeline reflects the average duration taken to process most complete applications recently and is updated weekly. The processing clock begins when a complete application is received and concludes when a decision is made.

Incomplete applications may face delays or be returned, potentially extending the wait time beyond the stated 30 days. The IRCC advises applicants not to submit new applications if they are already in the queue.

Additionally, there are special measures in place for nationals whose last country of residence was the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda, as their applications are not being finalized at this time, which may further extend their processing times.