Processing times for federal skilled worker applications

If you applied as a Federal Skilled Worker before February 27, 2008, changes to the law may affect your application.

The tables below indicate application processing times at Canadian visa offices. The times are based on how long it took to process 80 percent of all cases between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Processing times are subject to change and are based on a complete application package.

Last quarterly update: January 16, 2013

Africa and Middle East
Visa Office Processing Times IN MONTHS
for applications received
BEFORE February 27, 2008 BETWEEN February 27, 2008 and June 25, 2010 On or after June 26, 2010
Accra – Ghana – 31 19
Amman – Jordan – – –
Ankara – Turkey 97 25 22
Beirut – Lebanon – – –
Cairo – Egypt 87 35 15
Dakar – Senegal 60 43 26
Nairobi – Kenya 97 35 22
Pretoria – South Africa 92 32 18
Rabat – Morocco 67 – 12
Tel Aviv – Israel 66 26 18

Asia and Pacific
Visa Office Processing Times IN MONTHS
for applications received
BEFORE February 27, 2008 BETWEEN February 27, 2008 and June 25, 2010 On or after June 26, 2010
Beijing – China 76 29 15
Colombo – Sri Lanka 97 35 18
Hong Kong – China 71 30 13
Islamabad – Pakistan 97 49 –
Manila – Philippines 89 28 13
New Delhi – India 97 28 14
Seoul – South Korea 73 30 16
Singapore – Singapore 83 32 22
Sydney – Australia 70 29 15

Europe
Visa Office Processing Times IN MONTHS
for applications received
BEFORE February 27, 2008 BETWEEN February 27, 2008 and June 25, 2010 On or after June 26, 2010
Bucharest – Romania – 30 15
Kyiv – Ukraine 75 29 16
London – United Kingdom 80 33 19
Moscow – Russia 97 34 24
Paris – France 66 37 13
Rome – Italy – 35 21
Vienna – Austria 64 31 14
Warsaw – Poland 91 37 19

Americas
Visa Office Processing Times IN MONTHS
for applications received
BEFORE February 27, 2008 BETWEEN February 27, 2008 and June 25, 2010 On or after June 26, 2010
Bogota - Colombia – 44 25
Buenos Aires - Argentina – – –
Caracas – Venezuela 71 45 26
Detroit – United States 32 24
Guatemala City – Guatemala – 35 23
Havana – Cuba – – –
Kingston – Jamaica – 45 –
Lima – Peru – – 12
Los Angeles – United States 31 24
Mexico City – Mexico 60 42 16
New York – United States 97 33 25
Ottawa (Case Processing Pilot) - Canada 58 30 15
Port-au-Prince – Haiti – 26 –
Port of Spain – Trinidad and Tobago 68 33 18
Santiago – Chile – – –
Santo Domingo – Dominican Republic – – –
Sao Paulo – Brazil 59 34 15
Seattle – United States 79 33 –

Notes

  • You can view your application status online.
  • If it has been longer than the time shown above since you applied and your visa office has not contacted you, you may wish to contact the visa office that is processing your application by e-mail, letter or fax. The Call Centre does not have information about applications processed outside Canada.
  • (-) indicates that not enough data are available. Processing times are shown only where an office has finalized 10 or more cases in the past 12 months.

Related link

Application form

How-to video

Save Time: Send a Complete Application