Community trackers
How long spousal sponsorship takes
Sponsoring your spouse or partner, and the open work permit many couples apply for alongside it: IRCC’s estimates beside the waits couples share.
0 sharing their dates so far
What IRCC says
IRCC’s own estimate for this kind of application, with the date it was published.
Spouse or partner in Canada
About 26 months
As of October 9, 2026
Spouse or partner abroad
About 18 months
As of October 9, 2026
Spouse or partner in Canada (Quebec)
About 32 months
As of October 9, 2026
Spouse or partner abroad (Quebec)
About 33 months
As of October 9, 2026
IRCC does not publish a separate processing time for the spousal open work permit, so its wait comes from the community table below.
What people are sharing
The typical wait between steps, from people who chose to share their dates anonymously. A figure appears once 30 people have dated both ends of a step.
| Step | People | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Submission to AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt) | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| AOR (Acknowledgement of Receipt) to Sponsor approved | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| Sponsor approved to Biometrics | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| Biometrics to Medical request | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| Medical request to PPR (Passport Request) | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| PPR (Passport Request) to eCOPR / COPR | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| Whole journey: Submission to eCOPR / COPR | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| Step | People | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Submission to Interim Letter | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| Interim Letter to Approval | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
| Whole journey: Submission to Approval | 0 | 0 of 30 needed |
Add your dates and help the next person
Track your application in My Applications, then turn on “Share anonymously with the community” in its settings. Every person who shares brings these figures closer.
Your dates are never shown on their own and never tied to you. You can stop sharing at any time.
People who share are not a random sample, and their dates are self-reported. Use these figures as a rough guide from people in a similar situation, never a promise. IRCC’s figure for citizenship and family sponsorship is historical: the time within which 80% of recent applications were processed.