QueueCheckofficial waits, shared datesIRCC spousal sponsorship processing time
Visa topic12 months
The latest official timing. Reader reports below are separate and do not change it.
Last checked August 13, 2026.
Unchanged at every check since July 18, 2026.
None yet
Checked reports appear here once shared.
Current wait at a glance
Official information beside reader reports, kept clearly separate.
Official wait
12 months
This is the current official timing. Reader reports are shown separately.
Updated Aug 13
The official figure is the only timing on this page so far. Reader comparisons appear here once people share their dates below.
Official updates over time
Official history chart
How the official wait has changed over time. When the official figure is a range, the chart plots its midpoint.
Canada spousal sponsorship: IRCC's published service standard is about 12 months for most new spousal permanent-residence applications
Updated Aug 13, 2026, 4:33 PM
12 months
Canada spousal sponsorship: IRCC's published service standard is about 12 months for most new spousal permanent-residence applications
Updated Jul 18, 2026, 10:04 AM
12 months
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Reading the IRCC spousal sponsorship figure
Two applications assessed together
Spousal sponsorship is two applications assessed together: the Canadian citizen or permanent resident is assessed as a sponsor, and the spouse or partner is assessed for permanent residence. Whether the applicant is inside or outside Canada changes the stream, the rights available while waiting, and the published timing.
Inside or outside Canada changes everything
The published figure describes the whole process for the relevant stream, from receipt of a complete application to a decision. It assumes a complete submission, and an application returned as incomplete restarts rather than resumes.
Evidence, medicals, and the open work permit clock
Relationship evidence carries the case, and applications that rely on assertion rather than documentation attract requests or interviews. Overseas medical and background checks proceed at their own pace and are not controlled by the officer handling the file. Inland applicants awaiting an open work permit are on a separate clock from the permanent residence decision itself.
Complete timeline guide
Canada spousal sponsorship timeline: the 12-month standard, inland versus outland, stage by stage
How long Canada spousal sponsorship takes in 2026, the difference between inland and outland streams, every stage from AOR to PR, and what to do when a file stalls.
Read the full stage-by-stage guide