Canada reports longer wait times for temporary residence applicants
Temporary residence applicants in several categories are facing longer wait times, according to processing figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Oct. 14.
The most notable increases in processing times from IRCC’s latest update were as follows:
- Work permits: One-week increases for Canada, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
- Study permits: One-week increases for India, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
- Super visas: An increase of almost two weeks for the Philippines.
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On the other hand, the most substantial reductions were seen in study permit processing times for Canada and the U.S., both of which fell by one week.
This article highlights the latest changes in temporary residence processing times by comparing IRCC’s Oct. 14 estimates with those published one week earlier, on Oct. 7.
The immigration department is expected to provide its next update on or around Oct. 21.
Work permits
Work permit wait times worsened by one week for applicants from Canada, Pakistan, and the Philippines, while others saw processing estimates remain unchanged.
| Applying from: | Current (Oct. 14) | Previous (Oct. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 15 weeks | 14 weeks |
| India | 11 weeks | 11 weeks |
| Pakistan | 9 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| United States | 6 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Philippines | 8 weeks | 7 weeks |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120 days.
- Outside-Canada submissions: 60 days.
Study permits
While study permit processing times fell for in-Canada and U.S. applicants, estimates for India, Pakistan, and the Philippines rose by one week, with Pakistan recording its longest wait time in over four months.
| Applying from: | Current (Oct. 14) | Previous (Oct. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 7 weeks | 8 weeks |
| India | 7 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Pakistan | 8 weeks | 7 weeks |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
| United States | 5 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | 5 weeks |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120 days.
- Outside Canada submissions: 60 days.
Visitor visas
Processing times for visitor visas lengthened for applicants in Canada and Nigeria but shortened for applicants from all other countries except the U.S., where they remained unchanged.
| Applying from: | Current (Oct. 14) | Previous (Oct. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 12 days | 11 days |
| India | 29 days | 30 days |
| Pakistan | 65 days | 71 days |
| Nigeria | 103 days | 100 days |
| United States | 18 days | 18 days |
| Philippines | 24 days | 25 days |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions: N/A.
- Outside Canada submissions: 14 days.
Super visas
Nigeria was the only featured country where super visa wait times shortened, while all others recorded increases, the largest being a nearly two-week rise in the Philippines.
| *Applying from: | Current (Oct. 14) | Previous (Oct. 7) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 77 days | 74 days |
| Pakistan | 105 days | 101 days |
| Nigeria | 35 days | 37 days |
| United States | 68 days | 66 days |
| Philippines | 103 days | 90 days |
Service standard: 112 days.
*Super visa applications can only be submitted from outside Canada.
Extensions
Below are the latest wait times for visitor records, as well as study and work permit extensions submitted from within Canada:
Visitor record: 357 days.
Study permit extension: eight weeks, with 27,700 applications in the queue.
Work permit extension: 13 weeks, with 205,400 applications in the queue.
- Includes new post-graduation work permits and bridging open work permits, and changes to work permit conditions.
Understanding IRCC’s processing times vs. Service standards
Processing times and service standards are two separate measures used by IRCC to communicate information about application timelines.
Processing times provide an estimate of how long it may take to receive a decision on a newly submitted application. These figures are intended as a general guide and should not be interpreted as guaranteed turnaround times, deadlines, or maximum waiting periods.
The department produces these figures in two ways:
- Historical processing times: Based on the time IRCC took to finalize 80% of applications in the past.
- Forward-looking processing times: Based on the number of applications currently awaiting decisions and the resources IRCC has available to process them.
Service standards instead reflect the department's operational objectives, specifying how long IRCC aims to take to finalize 80% of applications in a particular category under normal circumstances.
Applications may be finalized sooner or later than either measure indicates. Factors contributing to differences in processing timelines include the complexity of the file, the department's pending inventory, processing capacity, requests for further documentation, and additional verification requirements.
IRCC generally publishes updated temporary residence processing estimates each week, while permanent residence and citizenship figures are usually revised monthly. Service standards undergo changes less frequently, with those for temporary residence last updated in 2018–2019.
From January to July 2026, IRCC completed processing of 1,832,065 temporary residence applications, while over 394,000 remained outstanding as of July 31.
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