Canada Visa Wait

Permanent residence · Express Entry

Federal Skilled Worker processing time

For skilled workers with work experience outside Canada, applying through Express Entry.

Estimated wait for a new application

about7 months

● About the same as in July

IRCC estimate, update of October 9, 2026. Check IRCC's tool

Already waiting

about 58,300 people

▲ 2,500 more waiting than in July

If you apply today

A new application sent today would be decided around May 2027, if IRCC's estimate holds.

Already applied?

Choose the month you applied. IRCC estimates how many people are ahead of you and how much time is left.

People ahead of you–
Time left–
See every month in a table
Applied inPeople ahead of youTime left
September 2026about 58,3007 months left
August 2026about 46,2006 months left
July 2026about 38,9005 months left
June 2026about 35,5004 months left
May 2026about 28,3003 months left
April 2026about 21,9003 months left
March 2026about 14,0002 months left
February 2026about 11,3002 months left
January 2026about 8,5001 month left
December 2025about 6,1001 month left
November 2025about 4,4001 month left
October 2025about 3,800IRCC says it needs more time
September 2025about 3,300IRCC says it needs more time
August 2025about 3,100IRCC says it needs more time
July 2025about 3,000IRCC says it needs more time
June 2025about 3,000IRCC says it needs more time
May 2025about 3,000IRCC says it needs more time
April 2025about 2,400IRCC says it needs more time
March 2025about 1,900IRCC says it needs more time
February 2025about 1,700IRCC says it needs more time
January 2025about 1,700IRCC says it needs more time
December 2024about 1,600IRCC says it needs more time
November 2024about 1,500IRCC says it needs more time
October 2024about 1,500IRCC says it needs more time
September 2024about 1,500IRCC says it needs more time
August 2024about 1,400IRCC says it needs more time
July 2024about 1,300IRCC says it needs more time
June 2024about 1,200IRCC says it needs more time
May 2024about 1,200IRCC says it needs more time
April 2024about 1,200IRCC says it needs more time
March 2024about 1,000IRCC says it needs more time
February 2024about 900IRCC says it needs more time
January 2024about 800IRCC says it needs more time
December 2023about 800IRCC says it needs more time
November 2023about 700IRCC says it needs more time
October 2023about 700IRCC says it needs more time
September 2023about 700IRCC says it needs more time
August 2023about 600IRCC says it needs more time
July 2023about 500IRCC says it needs more time
June 2023about 500IRCC says it needs more time
May 2023about 500IRCC says it needs more time
April 2023about 400IRCC says it needs more time
March 2023about 400IRCC says it needs more time
February 2023about 400IRCC says it needs more time
January 2023about 400IRCC says it needs more time
December 2022about 400IRCC says it needs more time
November 2022about 400IRCC says it needs more time
October 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
September 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
August 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
July 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
June 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
May 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
April 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
March 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
February 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
January 2022about 300IRCC says it needs more time
December 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
November 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
October 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
September 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
August 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
July 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
June 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
May 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
April 2021about 3001 month left
March 2021about 3001 month left
February 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
January 2021about 300IRCC says it needs more time
December 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
November 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
October 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
September 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
August 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
July 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
June 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
May 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
April 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
March 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
February 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
January 2020about 300IRCC says it needs more time
December 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
November 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
October 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
September 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
August 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
July 2019about 200IRCC says it needs more time
June 2019about 200IRCC says it needs more time
May 2019about 200IRCC says it needs more time
April 2019about 200IRCC says it needs more time
March 2019about 200IRCC says it needs more time
February 2019about 200IRCC says it needs more time
January 2019about 200IRCC says it needs more time
December 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
November 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
October 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
September 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
August 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
July 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
June 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
May 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
April 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
March 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
February 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
January 2018about 200IRCC says it needs more time
December 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
November 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
October 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
September 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
August 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
July 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
June 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
May 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
April 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
March 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
February 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
January 2017about 200IRCC says it needs more time
December 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
November 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
October 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
September 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
August 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
July 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
June 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
May 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
April 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
March 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
February 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time
January 2016about 200IRCC says it needs more time

In plain English

  • IRCC estimates a new application would take about 7 months.
  • About 58,300 people are already waiting for a decision.
  • The estimate is about the same as in July.

How the estimate has changed

Each point is an IRCC update.

More in Express Entry

All programs
Canadian Experience Classabout 6 monthsabout 53,900 waiting● SteadyProvincial Nominee Program (Express Entry)about 7 monthsabout 13,100 waiting● SteadyFederal Skilled TradesNo current figure

What does this estimate mean?

1

It looks ahead

IRCC estimates how long a new application would take, based on how many people are already waiting and how many decisions it plans to make.

2

“Waiting” is IRCC's own count

The number of people waiting is IRCC's rounded count of applications in the queue.

3

Already applied?

IRCC also estimates how many people are ahead of you and how much time is left, by when you applied.

Common questions

How long does a Federal Skilled Worker application take?

IRCC's latest estimate, from October 9, 2026, is about 7 months for a new application.

How many people are waiting?

About 58,300 people are waiting, by IRCC's count of October 9, 2026.

I already applied. How long is left for me?

IRCC estimates how many people are ahead of you and how much time is left, by the month you applied. Choose your month in the “Already applied?” box above.

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 estimate
IRCC updateFigureChange
September 3, 2026about 7 months+1 month
August 10, 2026about 6 months−1 month
May 12, 2026about 7 months+1 month
April 7, 2026about 6 months−1 month
January 14, 2026about 7 months+1 month
November 6, 2025about 6 monthsno change
October 9, 20256 monthsfirst figure
Every published count of people waiting
IRCC updateFigureChange
October 9, 2026about 58,300+4,500
September 3, 2026about 53,800+1,400
August 10, 2026about 52,400−3,400
July 7, 2026about 55,800+3,800
May 12, 2026about 52,000+7,900
April 7, 2026about 44,100−1,200
March 9, 2026about 45,300+2,300
February 12, 2026about 43,000+8,400
January 14, 2026about 34,600+7,000
December 9, 2025about 27,600+3,100
November 6, 2025about 24,500+700
October 9, 2025about 23,800–

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