Recent updates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have brought changes to processing times for various temporary resident application types, including work permits, study permits, and visitor visas.
Notably, study permit processing times have significantly increased for submissions from Pakistan, while wait times for the US have decreased. Work permit processing times have remained stable overall, except for an increase in processing times for submissions from Nigeria. Visitor visa processing times have seen minor reductions across several countries.
This article analyzes the shifts in temporary resident processing times, comparing data from the department’s previous update on February 17 to the latest estimates released on February 24.
Work Permits
Work permit processing times have increased for applications from Canada and Nigeria but have not changed for other countries.
| 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