Canada releases updated wait times for temporary residence applicants
Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has released updated data showing the estimated processing times for various temporary residence applications as of July 22. The immigration department’s latest figures point to moderate movement across several categories, led by changes in work permit wait times. The most notable changes to processing times seen in this update include increases in work permit wait times for certain countries and decreases in visitor visa and super visa wait times for others.
These changes are part of the ongoing updates to Canada's temporary residence processing times, which have been shifting over the past weeks. Compared to the previous update on July 15, the new figures show that work permit processing times have increased for Pakistan and the Philippines, while visitor visa processing times have decreased for In-Canada submissions. Study permit wait times have remained consistent for all featured countries. This stability in study permit processing times is notable, given the fluctuations in other categories.
The updated processing times for each category are as follows: work permits range from 3 weeks for the United States to 10 weeks for Pakistan, with service standards of 120 days for In-Canada submissions and 60 days for outside Canada submissions. Study permits have consistent processing times across the past four weeks, ranging from 4 weeks for the Philippines to 7 weeks for Canada, with a service standard of 120 days for In-Canada submissions and 60 days for outside Canada submissions. Visitor visa processing times have decreased for Canada, the United States, and the Philippines, but increased for India, Pakistan, and Nigeria, with a service standard of 14 days for outside Canada submissions. Super visa processing estimates have increased for Pakistan and Nigeria, but decreased for other countries, with a service standard of 112 days.
"Service standards serve a different purpose" than processing times, and are internal performance goals that identify how quickly IRCC aims to finalize a particular application type under normal conditions. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, these service standards generally cover 80% of applications.
These changes affect various groups of applicants, including those from Pakistan, the Philippines, India, Nigeria, and the United States. Applicants from these countries should be aware of the updated processing times and plan accordingly. For example, applicants from Pakistan can expect longer wait times for work permits, while those from the Philippines can expect shorter wait times for visitor visas.
Applicants can check the updated processing times on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website and plan their applications accordingly. The next update to Canada’s temporary residence processing times is expected on or around July 29, 2026. Applicants should check the website regularly for updates and plan their applications based on the latest processing times. Additionally, applicants can consult IRCC’s published processing times for an approximate indication of how long their application may take to be finalized.
Original reporting: CIC News