What changed since November 4
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) refreshed its weekly processing times on November 12, 2026. For applicants in Iran, two figures moved a long way. The study permit went from 31 to 44 weeks, after rising from 16 to 30 weeks at the end of October. The parent and grandparent super visa went the other way, from 231 to 159 days.
The work permit is shorter, down from 57 to 51 weeks. The visitor visa is up slightly, from 76 to 78 days. PR cards continued their slow climb: a first card for a new permanent resident shows 30 days (was 29), and a renewal or replacement shows 49 days (was 46). The renewal figure has gone up in each of our last three reports; on October 14 it was 38 days.
Applications from Iran and PR cards
| Application | November 12, 2026 | November 4, 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor visa, applying from Iran | 78 days | 76 days | 2 days longer |
| Study permit, applying from Iran | 44 weeks | 31 weeks | 13 weeks longer |
| Work permit, applying from Iran | 51 weeks | 57 weeks | 6 weeks shorter |
| Parent and grandparent super visa, applying from Iran | 159 days | 231 days | 72 days shorter |
| First PR card for new permanent residents | 30 days | 29 days | 1 day longer |
| PR card renewal or replacement | 49 days | 46 days | 3 days longer |
The temporary residence figures are for applications submitted from outside Canada and depend on the country you apply from; the ones above are for Iran. IRCC updates them weekly, and they describe how long recent files took, not how long a new one will take.
Express Entry, family sponsorship, citizenship and protected persons
IRCC updates its estimates for permanent residence and citizenship once a month. The current set is still dated October 9, 2026, so nothing in this table has changed. The November set had not been posted when we checked.
| Application | Estimated processing time (October 9, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class | About 6 months |
| Express Entry: Federal Skilled Worker Program | About 7 months |
| Express Entry: Provincial Nominee Program | About 7 months |
| Spousal sponsorship, inside Canada (outside Quebec) | About 26 months |
| Spousal sponsorship, outside Canada (outside Quebec) | About 18 months |
| Citizenship grant | About 12 months |
| Permanent residence for protected persons (outside Quebec) | About 13 months |
Applications destined for Quebec have separate, longer figures on IRCC's page.
What this means for you
For students in Iran, 44 weeks is close to ten months. Counted from mid-November, it runs into September 2027. A new study permit application filed now is unlikely to be decided for a January or May 2027 start, and may be tight even for September. If you hold an admission letter for one of the earlier terms, ask your school about deferral before paying a deposit you may not get back, and check whether your provincial attestation letter would still be valid for the later term. If you already applied, this figure does not mean your file is late; it reflects how long recently finalized files took.
For parents and grandparents applying for a super visa from Iran, the figure has dropped by more than two months in one week. These numbers can move back just as quickly, so treat 159 days as an indication, not a plan. Make sure the medical insurance and the host's income documents are complete when you apply; a request for missing documents adds time whatever the posted figure says.
If your PR card expires in the next few months and you plan to travel, apply for the renewal now. A permanent resident who is outside Canada without a valid card needs a permanent resident travel document to return by plane or another commercial carrier.
These figures are not a promise for any one file. IRCC says they are not a maximum or a guarantee. If you have already applied, do not send a second application. If your file has passed the posted time, our guide to what you can do walks through the options.