Travel and work programs
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) processing time
An eTA is the online authorization that visa-exempt travellers need to fly to Canada.
Current processing time
5 minutes
IRCC figure, update of October 21, 2026. Check IRCC's tool
Is it getting faster or slower?
Each point is an IRCC update. Lower means a shorter wait.
What does this number mean?
It looks back, not forward
IRCC's figure is how long it took to decide 8 in 10 of the applications of this kind that it finished recently. The other 2 in 10 took longer.
The clock starts with a complete application
It counts from the day IRCC had a complete application to the day it made a decision.
It changes often
IRCC revises the figure regularly, usually every week. A single application can be faster or slower.
Common questions
How long does an eTA take?
IRCC's latest figure, from October 21, 2026, is 5 minutes. That means 8 in 10 recent applications were decided within that time.
Is this an official government website?
No. Canada Visa Wait is an independent site and is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. The figures are IRCC's own. Before you rely on a date, check IRCC's official processing-times tool.
All published figures
Every published figure: eTA
| IRCC update | Figure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| September 4, 2018 | 5 minutes | first figure |