IRCC Wait Times Show Visitor Visas Faster & Work Permits Slower

IRCC wait times show visitor visas faster & work permits slower, i.e., Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released new processing times for temporary resident applications, including visitor visas, study permits, work permits, and super visas.

The latest update shows mixed results. Visitor visa processing has improved for some applicants, while work permits have generally slowed down and become less predictable. Study permits remain mostly steady, showing only small changes.

One of the most positive changes is for visitor visa applicants from India, where processing times dropped from 99 days to 83 days. At the same time, some applicants from Nigeria and within Canada are now seeing slightly longer waits.

The largest delays are in work permit and super visa applications. Super visa applications from the United States now take about twice as long as they did just two weeks ago.

On the other hand, study permits remain the most stable category, with only minor increases across a few countries, showing a small slowdown rather than a major change.

This article compares processing times from January 14 (the last update) to today’s figures.

So, without further ado, let us begin!

Visitor Visas

The biggest improvement was for applicants from India, who now receive visitor visas 16 days faster than before.

Service standards for visitor visas are 14 days for applications made outside Canada. There is no published service standard for applications made from within Canada.

Work Permits

Work permit processing times have stayed mostly steady, but some countries have seen noticeable increases. Applicants from Pakistan and the United States, in particular, are now facing longer waits.

Service standards are 120 days for applications submitted within Canada (both new permits and extensions). For applications submitted outside Canada, the standard is 60 days, except for International Experience Canada (IEC) permits, which have a 56-day standard.

Study Permit

Study permit processing times remain the most stable of all temporary resident categories. Most changes were small, with increases of about one week for some countries.

Service standards are 120 days for applications submitted inside Canada (both new permits and extensions) and 60 days for applications submitted from outside Canada.

Super Visa

Some super visa applicants saw small reductions in processing times, but the biggest change was for applications submitted from the United States. Processing times for these applications have doubled, likely due to a high volume of new submissions.

Service standards for super visa applications are 112 days. These applications can only be submitted from outside Canada.

Understanding Processing Times And Service Standards

IRCC processing times are estimates that show how long it may take to receive a final decision on a new application submitted today.

Processing begins when IRCC receives an application. For paper applications, this means when the application arrives in the mailroom. For online or in-person applications, it begins at the time of submission. Processing ends when a final decision is issued.

Actual processing times can vary depending on several factors, including how complex the case is, how easy the information is to verify, and how quickly the applicant responds to any requests from IRCC.

Processing time estimates are based on both past performance and current application volumes. IRCC provides two types of estimates:

• Historical processing times, which show how long IRCC took to finalize 80% of cases and are updated weekly
• Forward-looking times, which predict future processing timelines based on current application inventories and expected monthly decisions

Forward-looking processing times apply only to the following application types:

• Canadian Experience Class
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Provincial Nominee Program (base and enhanced)
• Quebec Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ)
• Spouse or Common-Law Partner (living inside and outside Canada)
• Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
• Citizenship grants
• Citizenship certificates

Service standards, on the other hand, are IRCC’s internal targets to finalize about 80% of applications within a set timeframe. Some applications, i.e., around 20% may take longer due to complexity. Not all application types have service standards, and unlike processing times, these standards are not updated regularly.

Overall, the latest update shows that while visitor visa processing has improved for some applicants, work permit and super visa applicants may need to prepare for longer waits. Study permit applicants, however, continue to benefit from relatively stable processing timelines.

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