Spousal sponsorship

How long spousal sponsorship actually takes.

IRCC publishes one number per category. This page puts that number next to what applicants reported at every stage in between — the part that tells you whether your own wait is normal.

What IRCC says today

IRCC official estimate

Spouse abroad, outside Quebec17 months

54,100 applications in this queue, as of 2026-07-07. IRCC’s figure is forward-looking and covers 80% of applications. It is the official number and the one that governs your case.

IRCC official estimate

Spouse in Canada, outside Quebec27 months

56,900 applications in this queue, as of 2026-07-07. IRCC’s figure is forward-looking and covers 80% of applications. It is the official number and the one that governs your case.

What applicants reported, stage by stage

Every row is measured from the day the application was submitted, so the figures accumulate rather than describing gaps between stages. A stage marked never scored is one the model has never been able to check against real outcomes — the window is still the best estimate available, but its early edge is the part to distrust.

Outland applications

The applicant is outside Canada, or chose the outland route while living in it. Finalised through a visa office, ending in a passport request.

StageDays from submission

Acknowledgement of receipt44

1.4 months33–49 · n=501

Biometrics instruction letter52

1.7 months41–70 · n=501

Biometrics given63

2.1 months52–85 · n=501

Sponsor eligibility61

2.0 months47–98 · n=501

Medical request62

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic49–110 · n=501

Medical attended69

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic55–120 · n=501

Medical passed75

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic59–136 · n=501

PA eligibility135

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic52–360 · n=1,398

Pre-arrival services99

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic45–270 · n=1,398

Background check started79

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic34–386 · n=1,398

Background check complete194

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic88–470 · n=1,398

Passport request208

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic99–414 · n=1,398

Passport stamped285

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic132–720 · n=1,398

eCoPR285

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic132–720 · n=1,398

Median days from submission, with the 10th–90th percentile range beside it: eight in ten reported cases landed inside that span. n is the weighted number of cases behind the row — nothing is published below 25.

Inland applications

The applicant is in Canada and stays through processing, usually with an open work permit. Finalised through the PR Portal.

StageDays from submission

Acknowledgement of receipt36

1.2 months20–43 · n=133

Biometrics instruction letter70

2.3 months37–159 · n=133

Biometrics given87

2.9 months56–182 · n=133

Sponsor eligibility97

3.2 months56–240 · n=133

Medical request171

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic19–218 · n=133

Medical attended182

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic24–229 · n=133

Medical passed182

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic24–265 · n=133

PA eligibility127

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic40–429 · n=460

Pre-arrival services105

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic17–864 · n=460

Background check started128

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic1–1,025 · n=460

Background check complete385

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic203–1,025 · n=460

Passport request419

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic243–578 · n=460

eCoPR465

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic363–723 · n=460

Outland, applicants from India

The largest single country group in the reported data, and the one people most often ask about.

StageDays from submission

Acknowledgement of receipt49

1.6 months46–54 · n=196

Biometrics instruction letter58

1.9 months52–72 · n=196

Biometrics given64

2.1 months57–78 · n=196

Sponsor eligibility64

2.1 months57–93 · n=196

Medical request62

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic55–84 · n=196

Medical attended66

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic59–91 · n=196

Medical passed72

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic64–98 · n=196

PA eligibility101

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic65–232 · n=324

Pre-arrival services72

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic61–182 · n=324

Background check started82

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic61–232 · n=324

Passport request216

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic214–235 · n=324

Outland, applicants from the Philippines

The second country group with enough reported cases to publish a full stage list.

StageDays from submission

Acknowledgement of receipt49

1.6 months41–52 · n=35

Biometrics instruction letter55

1.8 months46–65 · n=35

Biometrics given59

1.9 months51–73 · n=35

Sponsor eligibility60

2.0 months53–109 · n=35

Medical request60

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic47–80 · n=35

Medical attended64

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic50–88 · n=35

Medical passed70

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic56–129 · n=35

Pre-arrival services73

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic64–146 · n=62

Background check started72

never scored — treat the early edge as optimistic56–157 · n=62

Why the two numbers disagree

IRCC’s figure is forward-looking: it estimates how long an application submitted today should take, and it covers 80% of cases. The ranges here are backward-looking — what already happened to applications that were submitted months or years ago, many of which are still waiting. When a queue is getting slower, the official number is the optimistic one; when it speeds up, the reverse.

Neither is wrong. They answer different questions, which is why both are on this page instead of one being quietly picked.

Estimates only — not immigration advice. These dates are modelled from timelines that other applicants reported, and describe a range of likely outcomes, not a commitment. Your case can differ substantially. Not affiliated with or endorsed by IRCC. Please do not make irreversible plans — flights, resignations, leases — on a predicted date.

Method, sample sizes and measured error: how these numbers are made · IRCC figures as of 2026-07-07.

Track your own application