PR & Citizenship Update — September 14, 2026
Monday, September 14, 2026
As of September 3, 2026, Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry) processing times increased by one month to 7 months, while the inventory grew by 1,400 applications since August 10.
Spousal sponsorship outside Canada (outside Quebec) and search of citizenship records also rose by one month, while spousal sponsorship within Canada and the Parents and Grandparents Program each shortened by one month.
Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets 380,000 new permanent residents annually, with economic immigrants making up the largest share at approximately 244,700 per year.
What You Should Do
- If you have a Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry) application in progress, update your expected timeline to 7 months and check your current application status at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-status.html.
- If you are a PR applicant living in Canada whose work permit is expiring, check eligibility for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) before your current permit expires — apply through your IRCC secure account at canada.ca/ircc-account. Your spouse may also qualify for an open work permit.
- If you are applying for spousal sponsorship from outside Canada (outside Quebec), update your expected processing timeline to reflect the new 1-month increase and monitor IRCC's processing time page at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html for the next update.
- If you have received a citizenship ceremony invitation, confirm whether your ceremony is virtual or in-person, practice the Oath of Citizenship in English or French, and prepare to sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship (OAC) form on the day. Details are at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-citizenship/become-canadian-citizen/citizenship-ceremony.html.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: Canada's 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan targets a steady 380,000 new permanent residents per year, with economic immigrants accounting for roughly 244,700 annually and family class at 81,000.
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: Spousal sponsorship processing times moved in opposite directions: outside Canada (outside Quebec) rose by one month, while within Canada (outside Quebec) shortened by one month as of September 3, 2026.
Citizenship Processing Improvements: Citizenship-related processing times showed mixed movement in the September 3 update: search of citizenship records rose by one month, while overall citizenship ceremony activity continues with large in-person events such as 465 new citizens sworn in at the CNE in August 2026.
CRS Cutoff Trends: The Federal Skilled Worker Program inventory grew by 1,400 applications between August 10 and September 3, 2026, pushing processing times to 7 months — suggesting increasing competition among Express Entry candidates.
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.
More PR & Citizenship Updates
PR & Citizenship Update — October 1, 2026
Oct 1, 2026
PR & Citizenship Update — September 24, 2026
Sep 24, 2026
PR & Citizenship Update — September 17, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
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