May 2025 - Citizenship Applications

[ChuckNorris]

Interesting that they have updated the processing time estimates.
The processing time depends on when you have applied.
For May applicants:

Estimated time left: 6 months left
Last updated: October 9, 2025 Updated monthly
People ahead of you:
About 134,300 people ahead of you
Total number of people waiting for a decision:
About 283,700 people waiting

 

[spreadpeace]

Whats your processing office? They are certainly not processing based on application submit date i think. People from other offices have got oath especially from GTA

Sydney, NS is mentioned in the AOR.

 

[vkamath]

Sydney, NS is mentioned in the AOR.

Thats the Central processing center. AOR's are generated from there. Check with IRCC or order ATIP notes. in my case Primary is Vancouver and Secondary is Sydney

 

[d-pen]

We are in the same boat. All stages except ceremony are completed on 22nd September for me. Waiting on my kid's language and test sections since 6th October, which are not required for kids under 16. I think they are processing based on the application submit date. Otherwise I don't see any reason for not getting ceremony by now.

I just don’t understand their processing system. This is exactly why millions of files are still waiting for updates. If the applicants have kids who don’t need a language test, then just finalize and close the file. It would bring relief to the family and be one less file for them to deal with. Instead, they’re putting the process on hold for no reason.

 

[d-pen]

Interesting that they have updated the processing time estimates.
The processing time depends on when you have applied.
For May applicants:

Estimated time left: 6 months left
Last updated: October 9, 2025 Updated monthly
People ahead of you:
About 134,300 people ahead of you
Total number of people waiting for a decision:
About 283,700 people waiting

Processing time begins the day they receive an application and ends when a decision is made. Beyond that, all those estimated timelines don’t mean much. If files were really processed according to those estimates, none of us would still be here on the forum. But that “ahead of you and waiting” figure does sound interesting

 

[rpcanada]

I got an email on 20th October that the Oath is scheduled for 25th October. Since I was not in Canada, I replied IRCC to reschedule the Oath Ceremony. Does anyone knows how long do they take to reschedule it ?

 

[aaron_matthew]

I got my GCMS notes back on the 30day marker. Says my LPP hasn't started but it also says:

Grant Review Ready (and a file number)

So, I dug a little deeper, and found this info:

• Grant Review Ready means your file has passed background verifications and eligibility checks, and it is ready for the “grant review” stage, where an officer reviews everything before final approval.
• Grant Review is the stage before the decision and oath invitation. If no issues are found, the next move in GCMS would often be “Decision Made (DM)” and then “Oath Scheduled.”

In short, your file is fully prepared for a final review by a citizenship officer in Vancouver. That usually means you are near the end of the process, awaiting the officer’s decision or the next available oath ceremony scheduling.

I feel like Vancouver has just a lot of files on hand (just look in the tracker and the March & April application numbers) and it's just patience game as they clear through the backlog of files on hand.

 

[pavaumar]

What does that mean in the GCMS note?

PAPER FILE
Office: Vancouver Citizenship
#:
Location: Grant Review Ready PM03
APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
Due Date: 2025/10/10
Assigned By:
Assigned To:

Hey, I received the GMCS notes today and I have the following, were you able to get any further info.
The difference I see between your update and mine is Due Date is blank & Location: PM01

PAPER FILE
Office: Vancouver Citizenship
#: _________
Location: Grant Review Ready PM01

APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
Due Date:
Assigned By:
Assigned To:

 

[aaron_matthew]

Hey, I received the GMCS notes today and I have the following, were you able to get any further info.
The difference I see between your update and mine is Due Date is blank & Location: PM01

PAPER FILE

Office: Vancouver

Citizenship#: _________

Location: Grant Review Ready PM01

APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT

Due Date:

Assigned By:

Assigned To:

Due dates mean nothing in the notes - they're internal and I dont think are even being met at the second with the backlog.

But I think we are in the exact same boat. Except yours is filled a little ahead of me ... just waiting on the final ok by an officer.

PM03 is an internal storage or queue code, identifying where the paper file physically or digitally sits (for example, “Processing Module 03” or a shelf/bin location). It’s purely administrative and not a status indicator.

 

[arkhan433]

i have stopped checking my tracker and this forum daily and decided to check it once a week.
It is frustrating to wait without any progress/update on the application.
I applied on 13th May, AOR was 19th June, test was taken on 1st Aug, test was update on 13th Aug and th BC was completed on 30th Aug. Since then, no update.
I called IRCC a couple of times and the answer was the same “We do not have any update”. Surprisingly, LPP hasn’t even started in 2 months.

I don’t know what they’re checking. I’ve not even been fined in any country let alone have any criminal records. I’ve only left Canada twice since became PR…
Just giving up already, it’ll simply happen when it’ll happen.

 

[dzx]

Due dates mean nothing in the notes - they're internal and I dont think are even being met at the second with the backlog.

But I think we are in the exact same boat. Except yours is filled a little ahead of me ... just waiting on the final ok by an officer.

Your information about storage is not true. PM03 and PM01 are government pay tiers. Read: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...ttees/secu-september-19-2024/citizenship.html

In general if your officer is PM03 it indicates more scrutiny.

Hey, I received the GMCS notes today and I have the following, were you able to get any further info.
The difference I see between your update and mine is Due Date is blank & Location: PM01

PAPER FILE
Office: Vancouver Citizenship
#: _________
Location: Grant Review Ready PM01

APPLICATION ASSIGNMENT
Due Date:
Assigned By:
Assigned To:

I am in the same situation, did you pass background? I don’t even have background passed

 

[d-pen]

i have stopped checking my tracker and this forum daily and decided to check it once a week.
It is frustrating to wait without any progress/update on the application.
I applied on 13th May, AOR was 19th June, test was taken on 1st Aug, test was update on 13th Aug and th BC was completed on 30th Aug. Since then, no update.
I called IRCC a couple of times and the answer was the same “We do not have any update”. Surprisingly, LPP hasn’t even started in 2 months.

I don’t know what they’re checking. I’ve not even been fined in any country let alone have any criminal records. I’ve only left Canada twice since became PR…
Just giving up already, it’ll simply happen when it’ll happen.

I understand that feeling but don’t feel frustrated because like you said it’ll happen when it happens. 100% agree

 

[mistahT]

i have stopped checking my tracker and this forum daily and decided to check it once a week.
It is frustrating to wait without any progress/update on the application.
I applied on 13th May, AOR was 19th June, test was taken on 1st Aug, test was update on 13th Aug and th BC was completed on 30th Aug. Since then, no update.
I called IRCC a couple of times and the answer was the same “We do not have any update”. Surprisingly, LPP hasn’t even started in 2 months.

I don’t know what they’re checking. I’ve not even been fined in any country let alone have any criminal records. I’ve only left Canada twice since became PR…
Just giving up already, it’ll simply happen when it’ll happen.

Basically in the same boat, I guess our time will come. Maybe in the next month... Ordered GCMS notes 2 weeks ago so waiting for that to see a bit more insight about my application.

 

[aaron_matthew]

Your information about storage is not true. PM03 and PM01 are government pay tiers. Read: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...ttees/secu-september-19-2024/citizenship.html

In general if your officer is PM03 it indicates more scrutiny.


I am in the same situation, did you pass background? I don’t even have background passed

No criminal record or interaction in my home country or in Canada. The article doesn’t explicitly say it needs higher scrutiny… but I think it’s it is probably sitting with an offer who does that checking when required. ‍

Still says grant review ready… so I’m just gonna sit back and try and wait patiently.

 

[pavaumar]

Your information about storage is not true. PM03 and PM01 are government pay tiers. Read: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigratio...ttees/secu-september-19-2024/citizenship.html

In general if your officer is PM03 it indicates more scrutiny.


I am in the same situation, did you pass background? I don’t even have background passed

Citizenship Test -- Completed
Background Check -- In Progress
Language Skills -- In Progress
Physical presence -- In progress
Prohibitions -- In Progress
Citizenship ceremony -- Not started