IRCC released its latest estimates for temporary‑residence application processing times on 22 September 2026. The update shows modest shifts for work permits, visitor visas and super visas, while study‑permit timelines remained unchanged since the previous release on 16 September.
Work permits
| Origin | Current estimate (Sept 22) | Previous estimate (Sept 16) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 16 weeks* (≈ 112 days) | 109 days |
| India | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Pakistan | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| United States | 4 weeks | 3 weeks |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | 7 weeks |
*IRCC now reports in‑Canada work‑permit processing in weeks rather than days.
Service standards – 120 days for in‑Canada submissions (initial and extensions); 60 days for submissions from outside Canada.
Study permits
No change from the 16 September update.
| Origin | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Canada | 8 weeks |
| India | 5 weeks |
| Pakistan | 7 weeks |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks |
| United States | 6 weeks |
| Philippines | 5 weeks |
Service standards – 120 days for in‑Canada submissions; 60 days for outside‑Canada submissions.
Visitor visas
Processing times increased for all listed countries except Canada and the Philippines.
| Origin | Current (Sept 22) | Previous (Sept 16) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 11 days | 11 days |
| India | 32 days | 29 days |
| Pakistan | 78 days | 75 days |
| Nigeria | 93 days | 87 days |
| United States | 17 days | 16 days |
| Philippines | 21 days | 21 days |
Service standard – 14 days for applications submitted from outside Canada (no standard for in‑Canada submissions).
Super visas
All countries saw shorter wait times except India and the Philippines; the United States experienced the largest drop.
| Origin | Current (Sept 22) | Previous (Sept 16) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 70 days | 70 days |
| Pakistan | 92 days | 95 days |
| Nigeria | 44 days | 46 days |
| United States | 66 days | 116 days |
| Philippines | 90 days | 90 days |
Service standard – 112 days (applications can only be filed from outside Canada).
Processing times vs. service standards
- Processing times are statistical estimates of how long a newly filed application may take, based on either historical data (time to complete 80 % of past cases) or forward‑looking calculations that factor in current inventory and processing capacity. They are not guarantees.
- Service standards are departmental performance targets indicating how quickly IRCC aims to process 80 % of applications under normal conditions.
- Actual outcomes can be shorter or longer than either figure, depending on case complexity, inventory size, staffing levels, requests for additional information, and any required verifications.
Application volume
From January through July 2026, IRCC processed 1,832,065 temporary‑residence applications. As of 31 July, over 394,000 applications remained pending.
The next set of temporary‑residence processing estimates is expected around 30 September 2026.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
