U.S. Super Visa Wait Drops 50 Days in Canada’s Latest Update

Canada’s latest processing estimates show changes for temporary residents. Work permit waits increased for applications from Canada and the United States, while super visa waits for U.S. applicants fell sharply. Study permit estimates did not change.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released figures on September 22, 2026. They compare with estimates published on September 16 and cover work permits, study permits, visitor visas and super visas.

Work Permit Estimates Move in Different Directions

Applicants applying for work permits from inside Canada now face an estimated 16-week wait, compared with 109 days previously. This is the first in-Canada increase since at least early June. IRCC also changed how it reports this category, switching from days to weeks.

For U.S. applicants, the estimate rose from three weeks to four. In the Philippines, it dropped from seven weeks to six.

Estimates held at 10 weeks for India and Nigeria and eight weeks for Pakistan. IRCC’s service standard is 120 days for applications submitted inside Canada, including extensions, and 60 days for those submitted from abroad.

Study Permit Waits Stay Unchanged

For the first time since July 17, study permit estimates did not change. Applications from Canada remain at eight weeks. India and the Philippines are at five weeks each, Pakistan at seven, Nigeria at 10 and the U.S. at six.

The service standards for study permits are 120 days for in-Canada submissions, including extensions, and 60 days for applications from outside Canada.

Visitor Visas Take Slightly Longer

Visitor visa estimates increased in four of the six locations. Nigeria recorded the largest increase, from 87 to 93 days. India rose from 29 to 32 days; Pakistan from 75 to 78; and the U.S. from 16 to 17.

Canada remained at 11 days, and the Philippines stayed at 21. The service standard for visitor visa applications submitted outside Canada is 14 days. No service standard is listed for applications submitted inside Canada.

Super Visa Wait Falls Sharply for U.S. Applicants

The super visa estimate for U.S. applicants fell from 116 to 66 days, a 50-day decrease. Pakistan’s estimate declined from 95 to 92 days, while Nigeria’s moved from 46 to 44.

India remained at 70 days and the Philippines at 90. Applicants can submit super visa applications only from outside Canada. The service standard is 112 days.

What These Figures Mean for Applicants

Processing estimates are not approval deadlines or promises. IRCC bases historical estimates on how long it took to finish 80 per cent of completed applications. Its forward-looking estimates also consider pending applications and processing resources.

Service standards, by contrast, describe the department’s targets under normal conditions, generally for 80 per cent of applications. Individual cases may take longer or finish sooner because of application complexity, extra document requests or verification.

IRCC generally updates temporary residence estimates weekly. Its next update is expected around September 30. Between January and July 2026, the department processed 1,832,065 temporary residence applications; more than 394,000 were still awaiting decisions on July 31.