Canada Immigration Processing  Times Shift as Study Permits Surge

Canada’s immigration department has released fresh processing times for temporary resident applications, showing mixed changes across study permits, work permits and visitor visas.

The latest figures, updated on February 24, reveal a sharp jump in study permit wait times for applicants in Pakistan. At the same time, visitor visa processing has improved in several countries. Work permit timelines have largely held steady, with only a few increases.

Study Permits See Sharp Rise for Pakistan

Study permit applicants in Pakistan now face a 15-week wait. Just one week earlier, the posted time stood at seven weeks. This marks a significant increase in a short period.

In Canada, study permit processing now takes nine weeks, up from eight. India remains unchanged at four weeks. Nigeria also holds steady at eight weeks. Applicants in the United States now wait six weeks, one week less than before.

The department aims to process most study permit applications submitted from inside Canada within 120 days. For those applying from outside Canada, the target remains 60 days.

Work Permits Mostly Stable

Work permit processing has not shifted much overall. However, some applicants will notice small increases.

People applying from within Canada now wait 256 days, up from 246. Nigerian applicants now face an 11-week timeline, two weeks longer than before. Processing times remain unchanged for India at eight weeks, Pakistan at 30 weeks and the United States at 10 weeks.

The department sets service targets of 120 days for in-Canada work permit applications and 60 days for those submitted from outside the country. International Experience Canada applications carry a 56-day target.

Visitor Visas Show Modest Improvements

Visitor visa applicants have seen slight improvements in most regions.

Applications filed inside Canada now take 19 days, down from 21. India’s processing time has dropped to 71 days from 78. Pakistan has improved to 53 days from 58. The United States has seen a small decrease to 23 days from 25.

Nigeria stands as the only country where visitor visa processing has edged up slightly, moving to 56 days from 51.

For visitor visas submitted outside Canada, the department sets a 14-day service goal, though actual times often vary.

Super Visas: Mixed Changes

Super visa processing has shifted as well. Applicants in Pakistan now wait 136 days, an improvement from 124 days previously. India stands at 210 days, slightly down from 213. Nigeria remains almost unchanged at 47 days. The United States continues at 205 days.

Applicants cannot submit super visa applications from within Canada. The department’s service target for super visas is 112 days.

Understanding Processing Times

The published timelines reflect how long current applications may take from the day the department receives them to the day it makes a decision. Processing begins once officials receive the file, either online or by mail.

Actual wait times can change based on how many applications the department handles, how complete the information appears and how quickly applicants respond to requests.

The department bases temporary residence timelines on past data. Officials aim to finalize about 80 per cent of cases within the set service period. More complex files can take longer.