Canadian immigration processing times show mixed trends, i.e., Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released new processing times for temporary resident applications. These include work permits, study permits, and visitor visas.
The biggest change is seen in study permit processing for applicants in Pakistan. Processing time there has risen sharply by eight weeks compared to the previous update. At the same time, study permit wait times in the United States have improved slightly, dropping by one week.
Work permit timelines stayed mostly stable, although Nigeria-based applications saw a small increase. Visitor visa processing showed modest improvements across several countries.
This article reviews the latest temporary resident processing times and compares them with the figures published on February 17. The newest estimates were released on February 24.
Work Permits
Work permit processing times increased slightly for applications submitted inside Canada and from Nigeria. Processing times for other countries remained unchanged.
| Applying From: | Current Processing Time | Processing Time As Of February 17, 2026 |
| Canada | 256 days | 246 days |
| India | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Pakistan | 30 weeks | 30 weeks |
| Nigeria | 11 weeks | 9 weeks |
| United States | 10 weeks | 10 weeks |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120-days
- Outside Canada submissions: 60 days
- International Experience Canada permit submissions: 56 days
Study Permits
Study permit timelines showed mixed movement. Applications from the United States became faster by one week. However, Pakistan-based submissions increased sharply and now face a wait time of about 15 weeks.
| Applying From: | Current Processing Time | Processing Time As Of February 17, 2026 |
| Canada | 9 weeks | 8 weeks |
| India | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Pakistan | 15 weeks | 7 weeks |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
| United States | 6 weeks | 7 weeks |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120 days
- Outside Canada submissions: 60 days
Visitor Visas
Visitor visa processing times improved slightly across most countries compared with the previous update. Nigeria saw a very small increase instead of a drop.
| Applying From: | Current Processing Time | Processing Time As Of February 17, 2026 |
| Canada | 19 days | 21 days |
| India | 71 days | 78 days |
| Pakistan | 53 days | 58 days |
| Nigeria | 56 days | 51 days |
| United States | 23 days | 25 days |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions: N/A
- Outside Canada submissions: 14 days
Super Visas
The most noticeable improvement in this category was for Pakistan-based applicants, whose wait times improved by 12 days.
| Applying From: | Current Processing Time | Processing Time As Of February 17, 2026 |
| India | 210 days | 213 days |
| Pakistan | 136 days | 124 days |
| Nigeria | 47 days | 46 days |
| United States | 205 days | 205 days |
Service standard: 112 days
Super visa applications cannot be submitted from within Canada.
Understanding Processing Times And Service Standards
IRCC processing times are estimates that show how long new applications submitted today may take to receive a final decision.
The processing clock begins when IRCC receives an application. For paper submissions, this means when the file arrives in the mailroom. For online submissions, it begins at the time of electronic submission. The timeline ends when a final decision is made.
Actual timelines can vary. Factors such as application complexity, missing information, and response speed to IRCC requests can all affect processing.
There are two types of processing time models used by IRCC:
- Historical: Based on how long it took IRCC to process 80% of past applications. These are updated weekly.
- Forward-looking: Based on future projections that consider current inventory and expected processing capacity.
For temporary residence applications, IRCC currently uses historical processing times.
Service standards are different from processing times. They are internal targets that show IRCC’s goal of completing 80% of applications within a set timeframe. About 20% of cases may take longer because they are more complex.
It is important to note that not every immigration stream has an official service standard.
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