In-Canada work permit waits reach the lowest level of 2026, i.e., Canada’s immigration department has released updated application wait estimates for temporary residence programs, showing noticeable improvements in several categories, especially work permits.
The latest update, published on June 24, highlights shorter wait periods for many applicants compared to the figures released a week earlier on June 17.
Among all categories, work permit applicants saw some of the biggest improvements. The wait period for in-Canada work permit applications dropped to its lowest level of the year. Applicants from Nigeria also experienced a major improvement.
The most notable changes since June 17 are as follows:
- Work permits: lowest wait period for in-Canada work permits in 2026 (144 days); down by seven weeks for Nigeria;
- Super visas: down by more than one month for applicants from India; and
- Study permits: one-week improvement for applications submitted from India and Nigeria.
Applications for super visas from Pakistan saw the largest increase during the same period, rising by 11 days. Apart from this change, increases remained small, with visitor visa and super visa wait periods rising by only one to three days in a few cases.
This article looks at changes in wait periods for work permits, study permits, visitor visas, and super visas between June 17 and June 24.
So, without further ado, let us begin!
Work Permits
Work permit wait periods improved for applicants applying from within Canada and from Nigeria.
Nigeria recorded the largest improvement, with wait periods falling by seven weeks. At the same time, applicants already in Canada saw the shortest wait period recorded so far in 2026.
| Applying From: | Current (June 24) | Previous (June 17) |
| Canada | 144 days | 171 days |
| India | 9 weeks | 9 weeks |
| Pakistan | 5 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Nigeria | 9 weeks | 16 weeks |
| United States | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Philippines | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120 days
- Outside Canada submissions: 60 days
The decline in wait periods is encouraging for many temporary foreign workers and those seeking work permit extensions while already living in Canada.
Study Permits
Study permit wait periods had remained unchanged for several weeks. However, the latest update brought small improvements for applicants from India and Nigeria.
Both countries saw wait periods fall by one week.
| Applying From: | Current (June 24) | Previous (June 17) |
| Canada | 6 weeks | 6 weeks |
| India | 4 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Pakistan | 6 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Nigeria | 5 weeks | 6 weeks |
| United States | 5 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Philippines | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120 days
- Outside Canada submissions: 60 days
While the changes were modest, they provide some positive news for students planning to begin or continue their studies in Canada.
Visitor Visas
Visitor visa wait periods showed minor movement during the week.
Applications submitted from Canada and India saw slight improvements, while Nigerian applicants experienced a small increase.
| Applying From: | Current (June 24) | Previous (June 17) |
| Canada | 42 days | 44 days |
| India | 22 days | 24 days |
| Pakistan | 43 days | 43 days |
| Nigeria | 54 days | 53 days |
| United States | 31 days | 31 days |
| Philippines | 17 days | 17 days |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions: N/A
- Outside Canada submissions: 14 days
Overall, visitor visa wait periods remained relatively stable compared to the previous week.
Super Visas
Super visa applicants experienced some of the largest changes in this update.
Applications from India recorded a major improvement, with wait periods dropping by 44 days. Pakistan moved in the opposite direction, with wait periods increasing by more than a week.
Other countries recorded only small changes.
| Applying From: | Current (June 24) | Previous (June 17) |
| India | 66 days | 110 days |
| Pakistan | 95 days | 84 days |
| Nigeria | 34 days | 35 days |
| United States | 104 days | 101 days |
| Philippines | 42 days | 41 days |
Note: Super visa applications can only be submitted from outside Canada.
Service standard: 112 days.
The sharp improvement for Indian applicants is one of the most significant changes seen in this week’s update.
Understanding Wait Estimates And Service Standards
IRCC publishes application wait estimates to help applicants understand how long a decision may take.
These figures are only estimates and do not guarantee that an application will be finalized within a specific period.
IRCC uses two types of estimates:
- Historical estimates: based on the time it took to finalize 80% of applications in the past; and
- Forward-looking estimates: based on the department’s current inventory and available resources.
Service standards serve a different purpose.
Instead of predicting an individual application’s timeline, they act as performance targets used by IRCC to measure operational efficiency. The department generally aims to finalize about 80% of applications within the published service standard.
Because of this, wait estimates and service standards do not always match. Some applications move faster, while others may take longer due to higher application volumes, incomplete submissions, complex cases, or operational pressures.
IRCC updates temporary residence application wait estimates every week. Permanent residence and citizenship application updates are typically published monthly.
Service standards change much less often. In fact, the standards for temporary residence applications have remained largely unchanged since 2018 – 2019.
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