PR & Citizenship Update — September 24, 2026
Thursday, September 24, 2026
As of September 3, 2026, Federal Skilled Worker Program (Express Entry) processing times increased by one month to 7 months, up from 6 months, as the inventory grew by 1,400 applications.
Spousal sponsorship outside Canada (outside Quebec) and search of citizenship records also rose by one month — the largest single increases recorded in this update.
Processing times improved slightly for the Parents and Grandparents Program and spousal sponsorship within Canada (outside Quebec), each dropping by one month.
What You Should Do
- If you have an active FSWP (Express Entry) application, update your timeline expectations 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 residing in Canada with an expiring work permit, check eligibility for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) before your current permit expires — apply through your IRCC online account at canada.ca.
- If you are waiting on spousal sponsorship outside Canada (outside Quebec), adjust your expected processing window upward by one month based on the September 3 update, and monitor future IRCC processing time updates at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html.
- If you have received a citizenship ceremony invitation, review the format (virtual or in-person), practice the Oath of Citizenship in your preferred language (English or French), and confirm you have your Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship (OAC) form ready to sign at the ceremony.
Sources
Topics Covered
Spousal Sponsorship Processing Improvements: Spousal sponsorship outside Canada (outside Quebec) increased by one month, while sponsorship within Canada (outside Quebec) improved by one month as of September 3, 2026.
Citizenship Processing Improvements: Search of citizenship records processing times rose by one month in the September 3 update, signaling increased pressure in the citizenship processing pipeline.
CRS Cutoff Trends: FSWP processing times rose to 7 months as of September 3, 2026, driven by an inventory increase of 1,400 applications, while CEC times held steady at 6 months.
More PR & Citizenship Updates
PR & Citizenship Update — October 1, 2026
Oct 1, 2026
PR & Citizenship Update — September 17, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
PR & Citizenship Update — September 14, 2026
Sep 14, 2026
Get immigration updates in your inbox
Weekly analysis. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.