Q-1729 - With regard to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the prolonged visa application wait times for applicants from francophone countries: (a) what are the mean and median wait times to process a permanent residency application between 2020 and 2023 from francophone countries, broken down by country, including, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Algeria, Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Haiti, Martinique, and Lebanon; (b) which of these countries have average visa application wait times above the IRCC recommended guidelines; (c) how many applications for permanent residency did the IRCC process from francophone countries between 2020 and 2023, broken down by country, and how many were (i) accepted, (ii) rejected; (d) what are the mean and median processing times for applicants that filed for permanent residency in (i) French, (ii) English; and (e) does the IRCC currently have plans to recommend additional visa application centers in francophone countries, and, if so, which countries?
Overall Permanent Resident Processing TimesFootnote *
Country Group
Country Of Residence
2020
2021
2022
6 month period ending August 31, 2023
80%Footnote *
50%
80%Footnote *
50%
80%Footnote *
50%
80%Footnote *
50%
FrancophoneFootnote **
Algeria
26
15
38
25
20
10
10
4
Belgium
27
16
28
19
36
16
29
5
Burkina-Faso
28
20
41
22
39
22
45
11
Burundi
38
32
43
33
44
28
38
32
Central African Republic
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
Chad, Republic of
41
29
49
33
50
34
53
40
Comoros
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
35
29
51
33
44
30
46
24
Congo, People's Republic of the
35
30
37
27
49
31
47
23
Federal Republic of Cameroon
31
26
39
25
38
19
13
4
France
28
17
32
22
30
16
32
8
Gabon Republic
--
--
39
27
29
19
51
9
Guinea, Republic of
29
23
39
26
44
32
43
26
Haiti
38
26
32
21
44
23
50
36
Lebanon
23
14
33
24
32
22
25
19
Madagascar
21
17
33
21
36
21
20
9
Mali, Republic of
34
20
28
19
42
28
31
19
Martinique
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
Mauritania
--
--
38
18
--
--
57
12
Mauritius
20
13
29
22
23
12
8
2
Morocco
19
15
31
19
33
19
20
5
Peoples Republic of Benin
23
15
40
21
47
38
48
5
Republic of Djibouti
30
15
39
33
45
34
44
34
Republic of Ivory Coast
32
25
39
20
41
21
31
12
Republic of the Niger
15
11
8
4
29
15
23
6
Rwanda
33
13
30
14
42
35
36
21
Senegal
30
25
32
22
39
21
36
13
Seychelles
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
Switzerland
23
14
21
12
32
17
28
7
Togo, Republic of
23
14
37
21
43
15
14
5
Tunisia
26
19
31
18
21
10
9
4
All FrancophoneFootnote **
27
17
36
23
37
19
29
8
All Countries of Residence
22
15
21
8
24
13
23
9
Note:
Service Standards (based on a target of 80% of submitted applications) for permanent resident (PR) applications vary between 6 and 12 months depending on the PR stream.
Cells with '--' represent less than 10 applications processed.
Permanent Resident Applications Processed by Country of Citizenship (Francophone CountriesFootnote **
Country of Citizenship
2020
2021
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Francophone CountriesFootnote **
19,906
1,845
345
22,096
42,936
2,471
796
46,203
Algeria
2,554
89
19
2,662
3,041
87
32
3,160
Belgium
335
19
14
368
618
30
28
676
Burkina-Faso
151
9
2
162
421
25
5
451
Burundi
897
115
27
1,039
1,392
83
16
1,491
Central African Republic
117
9
5
131
185
16
10
211
Chad, Republic of
86
36
1
123
240
15
10
265
Comoros
7
0
0
7
8
2
0
10
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
857
479
40
1,376
2,170
444
67
2,681
Congo, People's Republic of the
77
34
1
112
273
44
1
318
Federal Republic of Cameroon
1,181
120
29
1,330
3,255
221
58
3,534
France
4,632
123
61
4,816
13,051
224
248
13,523
Gabon Republic
22
0
0
22
78
6
5
89
Guinea, Republic of
166
27
9
202
471
46
14
531
Haiti
1,039
240
24
1,303
3,706
610
84
4,400
Lebanon
1,202
140
40
1,382
1,962
161
31
2,154
Madagascar
84
10
0
94
225
4
1
230
Mali, Republic of
157
10
3
170
321
28
11
360
Martinique
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Mauritania
32
2
0
34
84
6
3
93
Mauritius
392
30
8
430
763
18
17
798
Morocco
2,355
83
24
2,462
3,251
66
35
3,352
Peoples Republic of Benin
208
8
0
216
420
24
7
451
Republic of Djibouti
346
16
1
363
341
27
4
372
Republic of Ivory Coast
509
91
12
612
1,589
85
37
1,711
Republic of the Niger
26
1
1
28
85
12
4
101
Rwanda
312
52
9
373
892
81
16
989
Senegal
264
22
3
289
827
35
13
875
Seychelles
1
3
1
5
4
0
0
4
Switzerland
159
15
5
179
319
14
14
347
Togo, Republic of
183
15
0
198
387
16
3
406
Tunisia
1,555
47
6
1,608
2,557
41
22
2,620
All Other Countries
156,686
22,563
2,783
182,032
412,422
24,919
11,666
449,007
Grand Total
176,592
24,408
3,128
204,128
455,358
27,390
12,462
495,210
DPermanent Resident Applications Processed by Country of Citizenship (Francophone CountriesFootnote *
Country of Citizenship
2022
2023
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Francophone CountriesFootnote **
75,276
3,660
1,272
80,208
45,801
3,561
749
50,111
Algeria
6,867
91
72
7,030
4,071
142
49
4,262
Belgium
692
44
48
784
419
27
11
457
Burkina-Faso
622
32
14
668
334
47
1
382
Burundi
1,611
70
23
1,704
702
64
26
792
Central African Republic
982
6
17
1,005
222
12
15
249
Chad, Republic of
275
28
5
308
216
53
0
269
Comoros
19
0
4
23
18
0
0
18
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
4,401
400
82
4,883
3,633
361
59
4,053
Congo, People's Republic of the
369
56
12
437
186
60
8
254
Federal Republic of Cameroon
8,290
392
83
8,765
8,631
561
54
9,246
France
15,920
445
300
16,665
7,718
344
133
8,195
Gabon Republic
79
16
6
101
80
11
10
101
Guinea, Republic of
649
96
19
764
360
88
17
465
Haiti
5,721
1,067
190
6,978
2,220
724
115
3,059
Lebanon
5,187
162
118
5,467
3,176
179
62
3,417
Madagascar
369
5
3
377
316
16
0
332
Mali, Republic of
491
28
16
535
338
25
4
367
Martinique
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Mauritania
98
11
2
111
107
2
0
109
Mauritius
1,181
43
9
1,233
894
17
10
921
Morocco
7,661
209
74
7,944
4,527
169
40
4,736
Peoples Republic of Benin
982
48
19
1,049
482
29
8
519
Republic of Djibouti
322
18
8
348
258
24
10
292
Republic of Ivory Coast
3,904
157
22
4,083
1,863
310
22
2,195
Republic of the Niger
125
3
7
135
93
10
0
103
Rwanda
1,061
55
27
1,143
708
101
26
835
Senegal
1,247
44
29
1,320
762
59
15
836
Seychelles
10
1
0
11
2
1
0
3
Switzerland
285
26
11
322
140
9
12
161
Togo, Republic of
791
37
8
836
588
44
4
636
Tunisia
5,065
70
44
5,179
2,737
72
38
2,847
All Other Countries
423,623
27,680
19,824
471,127
295,216
26,657
9,792
331,665
Grand Total
498,899
31,340
21,096
551,335
341,017
30,218
10,541
381,776
Permanent Resident Applications Processed by Country of Residence (Francophone CountriesFootnote **
Country of Citizenship
2020
2021 - 2021 Total
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Francophone CountriesFootnote **
11,354
1,288
211
12,853
16,084
1,617
401
18,102
Algeria
2,019
68
10
2,097
1,412
49
16
1,477
Belgium
105
16
6
127
173
9
10
192
Burkina-Faso
87
6
0
93
172
11
1
184
Burundi
332
43
17
392
411
49
3
463
Central African Republic
15
4
4
23
20
11
0
31
Chad, Republic of
116
32
1
149
126
16
25
167
Comoros
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
161
98
8
267
578
245
12
835
Congo, People's Republic of the
36
19
0
55
154
39
2
195
Federal Republic of Cameroon
808
88
14
910
2,084
157
39
2,280
France
597
62
14
673
1,145
79
45
1,269
Gabon Republic
13
0
0
13
50
3
3
56
Guinea, Republic of
74
18
6
98
224
27
3
254
Haiti
276
119
10
405
1,281
313
34
1,628
Lebanon
2,356
330
73
2,759
2,563
308
106
2,977
Madagascar
33
5
0
38
81
4
1
86
Mali, Republic of
46
4
0
50
111
19
4
134
Martinique
1
0
0
1
6
2
1
9
Mauritania
7
1
0
8
36
2
3
41
Mauritius
225
21
4
250
293
5
4
302
Morocco
1,672
70
11
1,753
1,314
33
9
1,356
Peoples Republic of Benin
126
2
0
128
180
15
4
199
Republic of Djibouti
79
97
1
177
178
61
4
243
Republic of Ivory Coast
371
59
10
440
1,158
68
28
1,254
Republic of the Niger
155
10
3
168
237
1
9
247
Rwanda
317
20
11
348
548
28
9
585
Senegal
129
14
0
143
442
21
9
472
Seychelles
5
0
1
6
1
0
0
1
Switzerland
54
9
4
67
104
8
9
121
Togo, Republic of
97
35
0
132
173
15
1
189
Tunisia
1,041
38
3
1,082
828
19
7
854
All Other Countries
165,238
23,120
2,917
191,275
439,274
25,773
12,061
477,108
Grand Total
176,592
24,408
3,128
204,128
455,358
27,390
12,462
495,210
Permanent Resident Applications Processed by Country of Residence (Francophone CountriesFootnote *
Country of Citizenship
2020
2021 - 2021 Total
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Approved
Refused
Withdrawn
Total
Francophone CountriesFootnote **
42,081
3,105
861
46,047
29,925
2,875
482
33,282
Algeria
4,761
61
38
4,860
2,973
111
19
3,103
Belgium
275
34
18
327
191
27
4
222
Burkina-Faso
313
24
5
342
183
32
0
215
Burundi
686
27
6
719
769
19
9
797
Central African Republic
57
1
1
59
28
8
1
37
Chad, Republic of
356
26
16
398
143
41
6
190
Comoros
9
0
3
12
10
0
0
10
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
1,041
195
15
1,251
644
127
11
782
Congo, People's Republic of the
233
27
6
266
142
29
4
175
Federal Republic of Cameroon
7,060
313
48
7,421
7,151
489
34
7,674
France
2,674
192
87
2,953
1,561
229
60
1,850
Gabon Republic
51
12
3
66
73
15
6
94
Guinea, Republic of
330
83
5
418
211
73
10
294
Haiti
3,093
900
141
4,134
1,191
535
81
1,807
Lebanon
6,089
613
323
7,025
4,612
396
116
5,124
Madagascar
163
2
1
166
142
22
0
164
Mali, Republic of
249
10
2
261
195
16
1
212
Martinique
10
0
0
10
3
0
0
3
Mauritania
40
6
0
46
75
2
0
77
Mauritius
644
37
1
682
618
8
2
628
Morocco
4,730
168
45
4,943
3,098
131
28
3,257
Peoples Republic of Benin
689
39
10
738
325
28
2
355
Republic of Djibouti
293
31
7
331
170
32
11
213
Republic of Ivory Coast
3,250
144
14
3,408
1,541
289
12
1,842
Republic of the Niger
200
2
19
221
342
5
1
348
Rwanda
1,283
17
19
1,319
1,087
64
43
1,194
Senegal
676
32
14
722
464
44
2
510
Seychelles
8
0
0
8
4
1
0
5
Switzerland
170
34
1
205
79
16
7
102
Togo, Republic of
480
35
3
518
431
36
0
467
Tunisia
2,168
40
10
2,218
1,469
50
12
1,531
All Other Countries
456,818
28,235
20,235
505,288
311,092
27,343
10,059
348,494
Grand Total
498,899
31,340
21,096
551,335
341,017
30,218
10,541
381,776
Permanent Resident Processing TimesFootnote *Footnote ***Footnote **
Calendar Year
PA Official LanguageFootnote ***
80%
50%
2020
English
22
13
French
28
18
2021
English
31
20
French
37
23
2022
English
29
18
French
38
18
6 month period ending August 31, 2023
English
24
9
French
26
5
Permanent Resident Processing TimesFootnote *Footnote ***
Calendar Year
PA Official LanguageFootnote ***
80%
50 %
2020
English
20
13
French
27
23
2021
English
17
7
French
26
16
2022
English
22
13
French
25
13
6 month period ending August 31, 2023
English
22
8
French
23
6
Footnotes
Footnote 1
Processing times refer to the time in which 80% of applications and 50% of applications (median) were finalized by IRCC. Please note that a minimum of 10 cases are required to calculate processing times, and that the country is based on the principal applicants' country of residency.
Return to footnote * referrer
Footnote 2
Based on the countries listed, francophone countries include: Belgium, France, Switzerland, Algeria, Chad, Djibouti, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Togo, Haiti, Martinique, and Lebanon.
Return to footnote ** referrer
Footnote 3
Official language data derived from applicant's declared language on application.
Return to footnote *** referrer
