New IRCC Figures Show Longer Permit Processing Times

Canada’s immigration department reports longer processing times for several temporary residence applications, as work and study permit waits rose most for applicants in Pakistan and Nigeria.

IRCC updated its estimates on July 28, 2026. The figures compare expected times for new applications with estimates published on July 22.

Work Permit Waits Shift by Country

Work permit times increased by one week for applicants in Pakistan and Nigeria. Pakistan’s estimate rose from 10 to 11 weeks, while Nigeria’s increased from six to seven weeks.

Applicants in India still face a nine-week wait, while those in the United States remain at three weeks. Processing improved in the Philippines, dropping from seven weeks to six.

For applications submitted inside Canada, the estimate fell from 122 days to 120 days. IRCC’s service standard is 120 days for initial work permits and extensions submitted in Canada and 60 days for applications submitted from outside the country.

Study Permit Delays Break Recent Pattern

Study permit processing times had remained unchanged for four weeks, but the latest update ended that trend for Pakistan and Nigeria.

Pakistan’s estimate increased from six to seven weeks, while Nigeria’s rose from five to six weeks. The estimate stayed at five weeks for applicants in India and the United States, four weeks for the Philippines, and seven weeks for applications submitted within Canada.

IRCC lists a 120-day service standard for study permit applications filed within Canada and 60 days for applications submitted abroad.

Visitor and Super Visa Estimates Climb

Visitor visa times improved for applicants in Canada and the United States. The Canadian estimate dropped from 29 to 24 days, while the U.S. estimate fell from 27 to 26 days.

Elsewhere, India rose from 21 to 22 days, Pakistan from 40 to 43 days, Nigeria from 63 to 64 days, and the Philippines from 16 to 17 days. IRCC’s service standard for visitor visas submitted outside Canada is 14 days.

Super visa processing remained unchanged at 124 days for U.S. applicants. Estimates increased to 52 days for India, 196 days for Pakistan, 41 days for Nigeria, and 73 days for the Philippines. The service standard is 112 days.

Estimates Are Not Guarantees

IRCC says processing times help applicants understand how long an application may take, but they do not set a maximum and do not guarantee a decision within that period.

Historical estimates reflect how long IRCC took to finalize 80 per cent of completed applications. Forward-looking estimates consider pending applications and processing capacity.

Service standards are separate internal targets for completing about 80 per cent of cases under normal conditions. Actual timelines may vary because of backlogs, case complexity, additional document requests, operational limits, or further review.

IRCC updates temporary residence estimates weekly, while permanent residence and citizenship times usually change monthly. The department completed more than 1.2 million temporary residence applications during the first five months of 2026. More than 404,000 applications remained pending on May 31. The next update is expected around August 5, 2026.