PR & Citizenship Update — September 10, 2026
Thursday, September 10, 2026
As of September 3, 2026, IRCC updated processing times showing Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry) rose by 1 month to 7 months, and spousal sponsorship outside Canada (outside Quebec) also rose by 1 month.
Processing times improved by 1 month for the Parents and Grandparents Program and for spousal sponsorship within Canada (outside Quebec).
Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 380,000 new permanent residents annually, with economic immigration accounting for approximately 244,700 spots per year.
What You Should Do
- If you have a Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry) application in progress, account for the updated 7-month processing estimate (up from 6 months as of September 3, 2026) when planning travel, employment start dates, or permit renewals.
- If you are in Canada awaiting a PR decision and your work permit is expiring, check eligibility for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/extend/bridging-open-work-permit.html before your current permit expires.
- If you are applying for spousal sponsorship outside Canada (outside Quebec), update your timeline planning to reflect the new 1-month increase in processing time as of September 3, 2026, and monitor updated estimates weekly at ircc.canada.ca/english/information/times/index.asp.
- If you are in the Parents and Grandparents Program queue, note that processing times shortened by 1 month as of September 3, 2026 — verify your current application status via your IRCC account at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account.html.
Sources
Topics Covered
Parents and Grandparents Program Regional Disparities: The Parents and Grandparents Program saw a 1-month reduction in processing times as of the September 3, 2026 IRCC update, moving in a positive direction compared to other family sponsorship streams.
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: Spousal sponsorship outside Canada (outside Quebec) increased by 1 month in processing time, while spousal sponsorship within Canada (outside Quebec) decreased by 1 month as of September 3, 2026.
CRS Cutoff Trends: Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry) processing times rose by 1 month to 7 months as of September 3, 2026, driven by an inventory increase of 1,400 applications. Canadian Experience Class remained stable at 6 months.
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan maintains a target of 380,000 new permanent residents annually, with economic immigration comprising approximately 244,700 spots and family reunification at 81,000 per year.
How these topics connect
The wide spread between PNP cutoffs (710-805) and French-language cutoffs (393-446) reflects deliberate policy design from the Levels Plan — candidates without a provincial nomination face a fundamentally different competitive pool than those in category-based draws.
- 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.
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