IRCC Updates Work And Study Permit Wait Periods
Canada’s immigration department has released new estimates for temporary residence application wait periods. The latest update, current as of July 28, shows that several application categories are now taking longer than before.
The biggest changes were seen in study permit and work permit applications. Applicants from Pakistan and Nigeria are now expected to wait one additional week for both types of permits.
The latest figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) also show small increases in visitor visa and super visa wait periods for most countries.
The information below compares the estimated wait periods for newly submitted temporary residence applications between July 22 and July 28.
Canada is expected to publish its next update for temporary residence application estimates on or around August 5, 2026.
Work Permits
Work permit wait periods became slightly shorter for applicants applying from within Canada & the Philippines. However, applicants from Pakistan and Nigeria are now expected to wait one week longer than before.
| Applying from: | Current (July 28) | Previous (July 22) |
| Canada | 120 days | 122 days |
| India | 9 weeks | 9 weeks |
| Pakistan | 11 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Nigeria | 7 weeks | 6 weeks |
| United States | 3 weeks | 3 weeks |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | 7 weeks |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions (initial and extensions): 120 days
- Outside Canada submissions: 60 days
Study Permits
Study permit wait periods had remained unchanged for the previous four weeks. However, the latest update shows a one-week increase for applicants from Pakistan and Nigeria.
| Applying from: | Current (July 28) | Previous (July 22) |
| Canada | 7 weeks | 7 weeks |
| India | 5 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Pakistan | 7 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Nigeria | 6 weeks | 5 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
Visitor Visas
Visitor visa wait periods improved slightly for candidates applying from inside Canada & from the United States. Most other countries recorded only small increases.
| Applying from: | Current (July 28) | Previous (July 22) |
| Canada | 24 days | 29 days |
| India | 22 days | 21 days |
| Pakistan | 43 days | 40 days |
| Nigeria | 64 days | 63 days |
| United States | 26 days | 27 days |
| Philippines | 17 days | 16 days |
Service standard:
- In-Canada submissions: N/A
- Outside Canada submissions: 14 days
Super Visas
Super visa wait periods stayed the same for applicants from the United States. However, applicants from the other listed countries saw increases ranging from two to five days.
| Applying from: | Current (July 28) | Previous (July 22) |
| India | 52 days | 49 days |
| Pakistan | 196 days | 194 days |
| Nigeria | 41 days | 39 days |
| United States | 124 days | 124 days |
| Philippines | 73 days | 68 days |
Note: Super visa applications can only be submitted from outside Canada.
Service standard: 112 days.
Understanding Wait Periods And Service Standards
IRCC’s published wait period estimates and its service standards are two different things. They should not be treated the same.
The department publishes wait period estimates to give applicants an idea of how long newly submitted applications may take to receive a decision.
Moreover, these estimates are only for general guidance. They are not guaranteed timelines, and they do not represent the longest possible wait.
IRCC uses two methods to calculate these estimates:
- Historical: based on the time taken to finalize 80% of applications completed in the past; and
- Forward-looking: based on the number of applications currently waiting and IRCC’s available resources.
Service standards are different. They are internal targets set by IRCC that show how quickly the department aims to complete most applications under normal conditions. In most cases, the goal is to finalize about 80% of applications within the service standard.
Actual wait periods can be shorter/ longer than both the published estimate and the service standard. Many factors can affect the final timeline, including application complexity, existing backlogs, staffing levels, requests for extra documents, and additional review when required.
Moreover, IRCC updates temporary residence application estimates every week. The department updates permanent residence and citizenship estimates once a month. However, it reviews service standards much less often. IRCC last updated the service standards for temporary residence applications between 2018 and 2019.
IRCC finalized more than 1.2 million temporary residence applications during the first five months of 2026. As of May 31, more than 404,000 applications were still waiting for a final decision.
Palina Immigration Consultancy, a Canadian immigration leader, promises excellence and tailored pathways for your Canadian journey. Get in touch with us at Palinaimmigration.com.
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