Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's processing times for proof of Canadian citizenship have dramatically increased. The wait time for a new applicant has grown from about five months in December 2025 to as long as 33 months in September 2026. The number of people waiting for a decision has also surged from approximately 22,900 in December 2025 to around 136,000 as of September 2026. These individuals are already Canadian citizens and require the document to prove their status.
This significant increase represents an administrative failure by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Processing times for proof of Canadian citizenship rose from five months in December 2025 to 33 months by September 2026. The number of people awaiting a decision surged from about 22,900 in December 2025 to approximately 136,000 in September 2026. In September 2025, the estimated processing time was around three months, with about 14,800 people waiting.
The surge followed the passing of Bill C-3 in December 2025, which changed Canada's citizenship laws. This legislation removed the first-generation limit for those born abroad to Canadian citizens, making many individuals born outside Canada citizens overnight. This change led to an expected increase in applications for proof of citizenship. However, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada underestimated the demand and did not allocate sufficient resources for processing. The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated that around 115,000 people could be affected by these legislative changes.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated in November 2025 briefing materials that it expected tens of thousands, not hundreds of thousands, of people to be affected by Bill C-3. The department also said it was prepared to process proof of citizenship applications within the current capacity of a dedicated citizenship team. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada disagreed with the Parliamentary Budget Officer's estimates regarding the number of people who could be affected.
The increasing backlog and extended processing times have significant impacts on individuals who are already Canadian citizens. Without this document, people may struggle to obtain a Canadian passport, prove their right to work, or access domestic tuition rates. This situation can force individuals to put their education on hold, forgo Canadian job opportunities, delay moving to Canada, or apply for temporary status they do not require. The delays affect their plans to work, study, or live in Canada. The application fee for a citizenship certificate is $75 in Canada, compared to £489 in the United Kingdom and US$1,335 in the United States.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is expected to take action to bring processing times under control. This includes reducing the current backlog and reconsidering how proof of citizenship applications are funded and processed. The department should also review the $75 application fee and adjust its approach to encouraging people who are unsure of their citizenship to apply. A clear plan is needed to reduce the backlog, which should involve increasing processing capacity and setting targets for inventory reduction. The 33-month processing time for a proof of citizenship certificate is considered indefensible, and the department needs to take responsibility and address these issues.