Canada Visa Wait

Permanent residence · Refugees and humanitarian

Humanitarian and compassionate cases processing time

For people in Canada applying for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Estimated wait for a new application

more than10 years

● About the same as in July

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

Already waiting

about 58,800 people

▲ 4,300 more waiting than in July

If you apply today

A new application sent today would be decided around October 2036, 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 58,80010 years left
August 2026about 57,50010 years left
July 2026about 54,70010 years left
June 2026about 53,20010 years left
May 2026about 52,00010 years left
April 2026about 50,80010 years left
March 2026about 49,50010 years left
February 2026about 48,20010 years left
January 2026about 47,20010 years left
December 2025about 45,90010 years left
November 2025about 44,40010 years left
October 2025about 42,90010 years left
September 2025about 41,20010 years left
August 2025about 39,40010 years left
July 2025about 37,50010 years left
June 2025about 35,50010 years left
May 2025about 33,70010 years left
April 2025about 31,70010 years left
March 2025about 29,80010 years left
February 2025about 27,60010 years left
January 2025about 25,90010 years left
December 2024about 24,10010 years left
November 2024about 21,90010 years left
October 2024about 20,00010 years left
September 2024about 18,10010 years left
August 2024about 16,20010 years left
July 2024about 14,20010 years left
June 2024about 12,30010 years left
May 2024about 10,40010 years left
April 2024about 8,90010 years left
March 2024about 7,500111 months left
February 2024about 6,50097 months left
January 2024about 5,60085 months left
December 2023about 5,00075 months left
November 2023about 4,30065 months left
October 2023about 3,80059 months left
September 2023about 3,40053 months left
August 2023about 3,10049 months left
July 2023about 2,80044 months left
June 2023about 2,50040 months left
May 2023about 2,20036 months left
April 2023about 2,00033 months left
March 2023about 1,80031 months left
February 2023about 1,70028 months left
January 2023about 1,50026 months left
December 2022about 1,40024 months left
November 2022about 1,30023 months left
October 2022about 1,200IRCC says it needs more time
September 2022about 1,100IRCC says it needs more time
August 2022about 1,000IRCC says it needs more time
July 2022about 1,000IRCC says it needs more time
June 2022about 900IRCC says it needs more time
May 2022about 900IRCC says it needs more time
April 2022about 800IRCC says it needs more time
March 2022about 800IRCC says it needs more time
February 2022about 700IRCC says it needs more time
January 2022about 700IRCC says it needs more time
December 2021about 700IRCC says it needs more time
November 2021about 700IRCC says it needs more time
October 2021about 600IRCC says it needs more time
September 2021about 600IRCC says it needs more time
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July 2021about 600IRCC says it needs more time
June 2021about 500IRCC says it needs more time
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April 2021about 500IRCC says it needs more time
March 2021about 500IRCC says it needs more time
February 2021about 500IRCC says it needs more time
January 2021about 500IRCC says it needs more time
December 2020about 500IRCC says it needs more time
November 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
October 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
September 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
August 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
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April 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
March 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
February 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
January 2020about 400IRCC says it needs more time
December 2019about 400IRCC says it needs more time
November 2019about 400IRCC says it needs more time
October 2019about 400IRCC says it needs more time
September 2019about 400IRCC says it needs more time
August 2019about 400IRCC says it needs more time
July 2019about 400IRCC says it needs more time
June 2019about 400IRCC says it needs more time
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April 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
March 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
February 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
January 2019about 300IRCC says it needs more time
December 2018about 300IRCC says it needs more time
November 2018about 300IRCC says it needs more time
October 2018about 300IRCC says it needs more time
September 2018about 300IRCC says it needs more time
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February 2018about 300IRCC says it needs more time
January 2018about 300IRCC says it needs more time
December 2017about 300IRCC says it needs more time
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December 2016about 300IRCC says it needs more time
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January 2016about 300IRCC says it needs more time

Estimated wait for a new application

more than10 years

● About the same as in July

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

Already waiting

about 20,800 people

▲ 1,100 more waiting than in July

If you apply today

A new application sent today would be decided around October 2036, 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 20,80010 years left
August 2026about 20,30010 years left
July 2026about 19,80010 years left
June 2026about 19,30010 years left
May 2026about 18,90010 years left
April 2026about 18,40010 years left
March 2026about 18,10010 years left
February 2026about 17,60010 years left
January 2026about 17,20010 years left
December 2025about 17,00010 years left
November 2025about 16,60010 years left
October 2025about 16,20010 years left
September 2025about 15,80010 years left
August 2025about 15,30010 years left
July 2025about 14,90010 years left
June 2025about 14,50010 years left
May 2025about 14,20010 years left
April 2025about 13,80010 years left
March 2025about 13,30010 years left
February 2025about 13,00010 years left
January 2025about 12,70010 years left
December 2024about 12,30010 years left
November 2024about 12,00010 years left
October 2024about 11,60010 years left
September 2024about 11,10010 years left
August 2024about 10,70010 years left
July 2024about 10,30010 years left
June 2024about 9,90010 years left
May 2024about 9,60010 years left
April 2024about 9,20010 years left
March 2024about 8,80010 years left
February 2024about 8,50010 years left
January 2024about 8,30010 years left
December 2023about 8,00010 years left
November 2023about 7,70010 years left
October 2023about 7,40010 years left
September 2023about 7,20010 years left
August 2023about 6,800119 months left
July 2023about 6,500114 months left
June 2023about 6,200109 months left
May 2023about 6,000104 months left
April 2023about 5,60098 months left
March 2023about 5,40095 months left
February 2023about 5,20091 months left
January 2023about 5,00087 months left
December 2022about 4,80085 months left
November 2022about 4,60081 months left
October 2022about 4,40077 months left
September 2022about 4,10071 months left
August 2022about 3,80067 months left
July 2022about 3,60062 months left
June 2022about 3,20057 months left
May 2022about 2,90051 months left
April 2022about 2,70048 months left
March 2022about 2,50044 months left
February 2022about 2,10038 months left
January 2022about 1,90034 months left
December 2021about 1,60029 months left
November 2021about 1,40025 months left
October 2021about 1,20020 months left
September 2021about 1,00017 months left
August 2021about 80014 months left
July 2021about 60011 months left
June 2021about 5009 months left
May 2021about 4007 months left
April 2021about 3006 months left
March 2021about 3005 months left
February 2021about 2004 months left
January 2021about 200IRCC says it needs more time
December 2020about 200IRCC says it needs more time
November 2020about 200IRCC says it needs more time
October 2020about 200IRCC says it needs more time
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February 2020about 100IRCC says it needs more time
January 2020about 100IRCC says it needs more time
December 2019about 100IRCC says it needs more time
November 2019about 100IRCC says it needs more time
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December 2018about 100IRCC says it needs more time
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February 2018about 100IRCC says it needs more time
January 2018about 100IRCC says it needs more time
December 2017about 100IRCC says it needs more time
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February 2017about 100IRCC says it needs more time
January 2017about 100IRCC says it needs more time
December 2016about 100IRCC says it needs more time
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Quebec selects some immigrants itself, so IRCC publishes separate figures for people who will live in Quebec.

In plain English

  • IRCC estimates a new application would take more than 10 years for people who will live outside Quebec.
  • About 58,800 people are already waiting for a decision (outside Quebec).
  • The estimate is about the same as in July.
  • In Quebec the estimate is more than 10 years, with about 20,800 people waiting.

How the estimate has changed

Each point is an IRCC update.

More in Refugees and humanitarian

All programs
Protected persons in Canadaabout 13 monthsabout 77,600 waiting · Quebec: more than 10 years● SteadyDependants of protected personsabout 41 monthsabout 60,400 waiting · Quebec: more than 10 years● SteadyGovernment-assisted refugeesabout 14 monthsabout 17,900 waiting · Quebec: about 9 months● SteadyPrivately sponsored refugeesabout 40 monthsabout 71,000 waiting · Quebec: about 54 months● Steady

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 humanitarian and compassionate application take?

IRCC's latest estimate, from October 9, 2026, is more than 10 years for a new application for people who will live outside Quebec. For people who will live in Quebec it is more than 10 years.

How many people are waiting?

About 58,800 people are waiting (outside Quebec), 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

Outside Quebec

Every published estimate
IRCC updateFigureChange
October 9, 2025more than 10 yearsfirst figure
Every published count of people waiting
IRCC updateFigureChange
October 9, 2026about 58,800+900
September 3, 2026about 57,900+2,100
August 10, 2026about 55,800+1,300
July 7, 2026about 54,500+1,500
May 12, 2026about 53,000+1,200
April 7, 2026about 51,800+1,300
March 9, 2026about 50,500+700
February 12, 2026about 49,800+100
January 14, 2026about 49,700+800
December 9, 2025about 48,900−400
November 6, 2025about 49,300−100
October 9, 2025about 49,400–

Quebec

Every published estimate
IRCC updateFigureChange
October 9, 2025more than 10 yearsfirst figure
Every published count of people waiting
IRCC updateFigureChange
October 9, 2026about 20,800+400
September 3, 2026about 20,400+300
August 10, 2026about 20,100+400
July 7, 2026about 19,700+600
May 12, 2026about 19,100+400
April 7, 2026about 18,700+200
March 9, 2026about 18,500+400
February 12, 2026about 18,100+300
January 14, 2026about 17,800+200
December 9, 2025about 17,600+300
November 6, 2025about 17,300+300
October 9, 2025about 17,000–

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