Family Sponsorship Update — October 5, 2026
Monday, October 5, 2026
IRCC updated processing times as of October 4, 2025: spousal sponsorship for those living in Canada and settling in Quebec saw significant shifts, as did in-Canada dependent child sponsorship applications.
Enhanced PNP (Express Entry-linked) processing times improved slightly to 7 months (down from 8 months), while Canadian Experience Class slowed to 6 months (up from 5 months) and Federal Skilled Worker improved to 5 months (down from 6 months).
The Parents and Grandparents Program remains paused on the Canada.ca family sponsorship page; Quebec residents with PR applications in progress but unable to submit a MIFI undertaking are advised to monitor their email and portal regularly.
What You Should Do
- Check current spousal sponsorship processing times at canada.ca/content/canadasite/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html to see if your application is within the expected window, especially if you are settling in Quebec.
- If you are a Quebec resident with a Parents and Grandparents PR application in progress but cannot yet submit an undertaking to MIFI, do not mail changes to IRCC — use the IRCC web form instead and monitor your email/portal regularly to avoid missing requests.
- If you are sponsoring a spouse or partner and your sponsored person receives a biometrics letter from IRCC, ensure they attend a biometric collection site within 30 days of the letter date and bring both the letter and their passport.
- If you have a pending spousal or dependent child sponsorship application, update any changes to contact information (email, phone, address) or application details (marriage, divorce, birth of child) using the IRCC web form at canada.ca — do not mail updates, as mailed changes will not be acknowledged and may delay processing.
Sources
Topics Covered
Parents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities: The Parents and Grandparents Program remains paused on Canada.ca as of the latest update; Quebec residents with in-progress PR applications who cannot yet file a MIFI undertaking are told their applications will remain in inventory but cannot be approved without the undertaking.
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: As of October 4, 2025, IRCC updated processing times showing significant shifts for spousal sponsorship applicants living in Canada who plan to settle in Quebec, and for in-Canada dependent child sponsorship applications.
PNP Express Entry Draw Trends: Enhanced PNP (Express Entry-linked) processing times improved to 7 months as of October 4, 2025, down from 8 months in September, while base PNP processing remains at 19 months — well above the 11-month service standard.
How these topics connect
- RelatedParents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities→Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements
Applicants sponsoring family members destined for Quebec face compounding disadvantages across both spousal and parent/grandparent categories, suggesting the Canada-Quebec Accord's dual-assessment structure is the common structural bottleneck — regardless of the family class category being sponsored.
More Family Sponsorship Updates
Family Sponsorship Update — September 17, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — September 7, 2026
Sep 7, 2026
Family Sponsorship Update — September 3, 2026
Sep 3, 2026
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