Economic Immigration
Provincial Nominee (Express Entry) Processing Time
About 13,100 people waiting · IRCC data as of October 9, 2026
Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry) applications come from candidates who received an enhanced nomination from a province — worth 600 CRS points — and were then invited to apply for permanent residence through Express Entry.
Because these files pass through both a provincial nomination and the federal Express Entry system, their processing time can differ from base PNP applications. This page tracks the official IRCC number over time.
Processing Time History
| Date | Processing Time (months) |
|---|---|
| October 9, 2025 | 7 |
| November 6, 2025 | 6 |
| December 9, 2025 | 6 |
| January 14, 2026 | 7 |
| February 12, 2026 | 7 |
| March 9, 2026 | 7 |
| April 7, 2026 | 7 |
| May 12, 2026 | 7 |
| June 8, 2026 | 6 |
| July 7, 2026 | 7 |
| August 10, 2026 | 7 |
| September 3, 2026 | 7 |
| October 9, 2026 | 7 |
People Ahead by Application Month
IRCC also publishes how many applications submitted in each month are still ahead of you in the Provincial Nominee (Express Entry) queue.
| Month | People Ahead |
|---|---|
| 2024/10 | 2300 |
| 2024/11 | 2500 |
| 2024/12 | 2600 |
| 2025/01 | 2900 |
| 2025/02 | 3000 |
| 2025/03 | 3100 |
| 2025/04 | 3400 |
| 2025/05 | 3700 |
| 2025/06 | 4000 |
| 2025/07 | 4200 |
| 2025/08 | 4300 |
| 2025/09 | 4400 |
| 2025/10 | 4600 |
| 2025/11 | 4800 |
| 2025/12 | 5200 |
| 2026/01 | 6100 |
| 2026/02 | 6600 |
| 2026/03 | 7000 |
| 2026/04 | 7300 |
| 2026/05 | 7600 |
| 2026/06 | 8100 |
| 2026/07 | 8900 |
| 2026/08 | 10800 |
| 2026/09 | 13100 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Provincial Nominee (Express Entry) take right now?
As of October 9, 2026, IRCC reports a processing time of about 7 months for Provincial Nominee (Express Entry) applications, with about 13,100 people waiting.
What is the difference between base PNP and Express Entry PNP?
An enhanced (Express Entry) nomination is issued to a candidate already in the Express Entry pool and adds 600 CRS points, effectively guaranteeing an invitation. A base nomination is issued outside Express Entry and leads to a paper-based federal application, which IRCC has historically processed more slowly.
Does the provincial nomination stage count toward this time?
No. Each province runs its own nomination queue with its own timeline. IRCC's published processing time covers only the federal permanent residence stage after you apply with your nomination in hand.