Expedite your patent application

Are you looking for ways to expedite the examination process for your patent application?

There are different ways to process a patent application faster.

4 options to expedite patent examination

1. Advanced examination for green technologies
   Faster patent application processing for technologies that help resolve or mitigate environmental impacts or conserve the natural environment and resources.
2. Advanced examination under a special order
   Faster patent application processing if the regular patent approval process time is likely to prejudice the applicant's or a third party's rights.
3. Accelerated examination under the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
   Fast track the examination process if you already have a corresponding patent application or grant with one of Canada's PPH partners.
4. Accelerated examination of patent applications related to COVID-19 relief for small entities
   Accelerated examination for inventions related to medical products and processes supporting the response to COVID-19 for businesses employing 50 or fewer employees and universities.

How long does it take on average to get a patent grant?

A patent grant is a complex process. It generally takes longer to get a patent grant when compared to other forms of intellectual property (IP) rights. On average, it takes roughly 6.5 years from filing to get a patent grant from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO).

Why should I expedite a patent application?

While the lengthy timeline to obtain a patent may work for many business objectives, there are instances where expedited patent examination may be the appropriate strategy, such as:

• when a start-up is looking for investor funding to secure patents to increase the company valuation before its pitching rounds
• when a company wants to determine the patentability of their invention in Canada prior to incurring the costs for patenting in other jurisdictions
• when, in rapidly evolving digital technologies, the traditional patent approval process takes longer than the market viability of the technology itself
• when a competitor is likely infringing a patent pending technology (determining the patentability of the invention faster can guide the legal steps to take)