Family Sponsorship
Spousal (Abroad, Rest of Canada) Processing Time
About 65,600 people waiting · IRCC data as of October 9, 2026
Outland (family class) spousal sponsorship is for couples where the sponsored spouse or partner applies from outside Canada — or chooses the outland route while visiting Canada — for permanent residence destined outside Quebec.
Outland applications preserve the right to appeal a refusal to the Immigration Appeal Division and let the applicant travel freely during processing. This page tracks IRCC's published time and its trend.
Processing Time History
| Date | Processing Time (months) |
|---|---|
| October 9, 2025 | 15 |
| November 6, 2025 | 14 |
| December 9, 2025 | 14 |
| January 14, 2026 | 14 |
| February 12, 2026 | 15 |
| March 9, 2026 | 15 |
| April 7, 2026 | 15 |
| May 12, 2026 | 16 |
| June 8, 2026 | 16 |
| July 7, 2026 | 17 |
| August 10, 2026 | 17 |
| September 3, 2026 | 18 |
| October 9, 2026 | 18 |
People Ahead by Application Month
IRCC also publishes how many applications submitted in each month are still ahead of you in the Spousal (Abroad, Rest of Canada) queue.
| Month | People Ahead |
|---|---|
| 2024/10 | 3700 |
| 2024/11 | 4100 |
| 2024/12 | 4500 |
| 2025/01 | 4900 |
| 2025/02 | 5400 |
| 2025/03 | 5900 |
| 2025/04 | 6300 |
| 2025/05 | 6900 |
| 2025/06 | 7600 |
| 2025/07 | 8400 |
| 2025/08 | 9400 |
| 2025/09 | 10400 |
| 2025/10 | 11800 |
| 2025/11 | 13400 |
| 2025/12 | 15200 |
| 2026/01 | 18200 |
| 2026/02 | 21500 |
| 2026/03 | 25500 |
| 2026/04 | 29800 |
| 2026/05 | 34500 |
| 2026/06 | 39600 |
| 2026/07 | 45100 |
| 2026/08 | 53400 |
| 2026/09 | 65600 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Spousal (Abroad, Rest of Canada) take right now?
As of October 9, 2026, IRCC reports a processing time of about 18 months for Spousal (Abroad, Rest of Canada) applications, with about 65,600 people waiting.
Can my spouse visit Canada while an outland application is in process?
Yes, with valid temporary status such as a visitor visa or eTA. They must satisfy the officer they will leave at the end of their authorized stay, which can be harder to demonstrate with a pending PR application — but a pending sponsorship is not itself a bar to visiting.
Where is an outland spousal application actually processed?
Intake and eligibility review happen in Canada, and the file may then be transferred to the visa office serving the applicant's country for the final stages. IRCC's published time covers the whole journey to a decision.