Immigration · IRCC processing times · Family sponsorship
Family sponsorship processing times, by program.
IRCC’s forward-looking wait for family sponsorship programs, the queue behind each, and where an application from your month sits.
8 programs listed. 284,300 people are waiting across them (family sponsorship), as of IRCC’s October 9, 2026 update. Shortest wait for a new application: Spouse or partner abroad (outside Quebec), about 18 months. Longest: Dependants abroad (Quebec), more than 10 years.
IRCC refreshes this monthly. Our copy fetched October 26, 2026.
Where am I in line?
Your place in the queue
Choose a program and the month you applied.
Family sponsorship: people waiting and current wait
IRCC publishes first-in-line wait figures for spouse and partner sponsorship (in Canada and abroad), parents and grandparents, and dependants abroad, split between Quebec and the rest of Canada because Quebec selects its own sponsors.
| Program | People waiting | Wait for a new application |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse or partner in Canada (outside Quebec) | 55,600 | about 26 months |
| Spouse or partner in Canada (Quebec) | 14,500 | about 32 months |
| Spouse or partner abroad (outside Quebec) | 65,600 | about 18 months |
| Spouse or partner abroad (Quebec) | 19,400 | about 33 months |
| Parents and grandparents (outside Quebec) | 35,600 | about 28 months |
| Parents and grandparents (Quebec) | 10,300 | about 63 months |
| Dependants abroad (outside Quebec) | 60,400 | about 41 months |
| Dependants abroad (Quebec) | 22,900 | More than 10 years |
The biggest queue is Spouse or partner abroad (outside Quebec) with about 65,600 people waiting.
History since October 20, 2026
Backlog history appears here once the recorder has a second observation.
IRCC publishes only the current figure and keeps no public history, so we record it ourselves. Our recording began October 20, 2026; a line appears once a value has changed, and a recorder feed is checked in your browser for a longer history when one exists.
How to read “people ahead of you”
“We calculate forward-looking processing times using: the total number of applications we already have to process for a given program; the number of applications we expect to process each month going forward… This means the amount of time you have left to wait will generally decrease, but can also increase.”IRCC, Check processing times, “How we calculate estimated (forward-looking) processing times” and “Why processing times change” (read October 26, 2026)
That is why two numbers can look odd together. A program can show tens of thousands of people waiting and a wait of a few months because IRCC finishes many applications a month; another can show a small queue and years of wait because it only finishes a few. The month calculator turns IRCC’s per-month table into one line: how many are ahead of an application received in your month, and how many months IRCC says are left. Older months showing “Less than 100 people ahead” are nearly at the front.
Where IRCC says it “needs more time to process” an application, the tool shows no months-left figure rather than guess.
Worked example
Take Spouse or partner abroad (outside Quebec). IRCC lists about 65,600 people waiting and a wait for a new application of about 18 months. For an application received in September 2026, IRCC’s per-month table shows 65,600 people ahead and about 18 months left. Across the 8 programs on this page 284,300 people are waiting in all, so one program’s queue is only part of the picture.
Common mix-ups
- Comparing a queue size with a wait. A large queue can clear quickly if IRCC finishes many applications a month, and a small one can last years if it finishes few.
- Expecting the months left to fall every month. IRCC says the time left will generally decrease but can also increase.
- Counting from the day you clicked submit. IRCC starts the clock when it has your complete application, so a missing document or unpaid fee pushes the start date back.
- Assuming Quebec and the rest of Canada share one line. IRCC publishes them separately where Quebec selects its own applicants.
Frequently asked questions
How long does family sponsorship take right now?
It depends on the program. IRCC’s current figures for new applications range from about 18 months (Spouse or partner abroad (outside Quebec)) to more than 10 years (Dependants abroad (Quebec)). Pick your program in the table above.
What does “first in line” mean?
IRCC’s first-in-line figure is its estimate of how long a new application would wait before a decision, based on applications already in the queue and how many it expects to finish each month going forward. It is forward-looking, unlike the backward-looking 80% figure used for visas and permits.
How often does IRCC update these numbers?
IRCC labels this data monthly. The update behind this page is dated October 9, 2026 and we fetched it October 26, 2026.
Why is my place in line different from last month?
People ahead of you fall when IRCC finishes older applications and can rise if IRCC reallocates staff or cap space, or if the queue grows. IRCC says the time left “will generally decrease, but can also increase”. We record each update so the history here will show changes.
Can this tell me when I will get my decision?
No. It repeats IRCC’s estimate for the group of applications from your month. Individual applications can finish earlier or later, for example if more documents or checks are needed.
Is this the official IRCC tool?
No. TNAADO Tools is independent and not affiliated with IRCC. The official tool is Check processing times.
Sources and update path
IRCC first-in-line data updated October 9, 2026; fetched October 26, 2026. History recorded since October 20, 2026.
- IRCC, Check processing times (official tool and definitions)
- IRCC public data file behind the tool (first-in-line and people ahead)
To refresh: node scripts/update-ircc-processing-times.mjs then node scripts/gen-ircc-pages.mjs. The page also checks m4tcsirs9vdfljls.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/ircc/history/<program>.json in the browser for longer history and uses it only if it parses.
Estimates, not decisions
These are IRCC’s published estimates, re-presented by TNAADO Tools, which is not affiliated with IRCC or the Government of Canada. No tool here can tell you when your own application will be decided, and nothing on this page is immigration advice. Always check your own case on IRCC’s official tool and your application status in your IRCC account.