Canadian immigration processing times: Visitor visas see improvements while certain study permit applications surge
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its processing times for various temporary resident application types—work permits, study permits, and visitor visas.
Most notably, study permit processing times have skyrocketed for Pakistan-based submissions (an eight-week climb compared to one week ago), and US wait times have dropped by one week.
Work permits remained relatively steady overall, except for the two-week hike for submissions made from Nigeria.
As for visitor visas, small reductions in processing times were generally seen across several countries.
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This article examines the changes in temporary resident processing times, comparing figures from February 17—the date of the department’s previous update—with the latest estimates released on February 24.
Work permits
Work permit wait times increased for Canada– and Nigeria-based applications but remained unchanged for all other countries.
Applying from:Current processing timeProcessing time as of February 17, 2026
Canada256 days246 days
India8 weeks8 weeks
Pakistan30 weeks30 weeks
Nigeria11 weeks9 weeks
United States10 weeks10 weeks
Service standard:
In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120-days
Outside Canada submissions: 60 days
International Experience Canada permit submissions: 56 days
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Study permits
While US submissions saw a one-week decrease in study permit processing time, applications made from Pakistan are now subject to a nearly 3.5-month wait time.
Applying from: Current processing timeProcessing time as of February 17, 2026
Canada9 weeks8 weeks
India4 weeks4 weeks
Pakistan15 weeks7 weeks
Nigeria8 weeks8 weeks
United States6 weeks7 weeks
Service standard:
In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120 days
Outside Canada submissions: 60 days
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Visitor visas
Modest improvements can be seen for all visitor visa submissions since the last processing times update, with Nigeria applications showing a negligible decline.
Applying from:Current processing timeProcessing time as of February 17, 2026
Canada19 days21 days
India71 days78 days
Pakistan53 days58 days
Nigeria56 days51 days
United States23 days25 days
Service standard:
In-Canada submissions: N/A
Outside Canada submissions: 14 days
Super visas
The most notable improvement is attributable to Pakistan-based submissions, which saw wait times improve by 12 days.
Applying from:Current processing timeProcessing time as of February 17, 2026
India210 days213 days
Pakistan136 days124 days
Nigeria47 days46 days
United States205 days205 days
Service standard: 112 days
Super visa applications cannot be submitted from within Canada.
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Processing times and service standards
IRCC processing times represent estimated durations for new applications submitted today, showing how long it might take to render a final decision.
The process starts once IRCC receives an application—whether it’s via mail (for paper submissions, arrival in the mailroom) or online (based on submission timestamp)—and concludes when a decision is made.
Timelines can vary depending on factors like case complexity, the clarity of information, and how quickly applicants respond to requests.
There are two types of processing times:
Historical: Based on the time it took IRCC to process 80% of files in the past (updated weekly); and
Forward-looking: Based on future estimates (considering current inventory and anticipated finalizations).
IRCC uses historical processing times for temporary residence applications.
As for service standards, these are internal benchmarks that reflect IRCC’s goal of finalizing 80% of applications of a given type within a set period, allowing that around 20% of applications are expected to constitute complex cases requiring additional time.
Not all application types have established service standards.
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