Indians planning to visit, study or work in Canada in 2026 may need to brace for shifting visa timelines, as processing speeds continue to vary widely across categories and countries. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its latest update on how long it is taking to process temporary resident applications. This includes visitor visas, work permits, study permits and super visas.
The new numbers show a mixed picture. Visitor visa timelines are mostly steady, with some clear improvements for certain countries. Work permits, however, have slowed in many cases and are showing more variation. Study permits remain the most stable of all. The comparison below looks at how processing times have changed since January 14, when IRCC last updated its timelines.
Canada immigration 2026: India applications processing time
For applicants from India, the latest IRCC update shows mixed changes across visa categories. Visitor visa processing has improved the most, with wait times dropping from 99 days to 83 days, offering clear relief to travellers. Work permit applications are now being processed in about 8 weeks, slightly faster than the earlier 9-week timeline. Study permits remain quick and largely stable, though processing has inched up from 3 weeks to 4 weeks. Super visa applicants from India, however, are facing longer waits, with processing times rising from 206 days to 214 days, continuing to be the slowest category overall.
Work permits: Longer waits for several countries
Work permit processing has generally slowed, with major increases for applicants from Pakistan and the United States. Applications from within Canada are also taking longer than before.
Current work permit processing times show:
- Applications from Canada: 241 days, up from 220 days
- Applications from India: 8 weeks, down from 9 weeks
- Applications from Pakistan: 20 weeks, up sharply from 13 weeks
- Applications from Nigeria: 9 weeks, down from 11 weeks
- Applications from the United States: 10 weeks, up from 7 weeks
IRCC’s service standard is 120 days for work permit applications submitted inside Canada, whether they are new permits or extensions. For applications filed outside Canada, the standard is 60 days. International Experience Canada (IEC) permits are an exception, with a service standard of 56 days.
Visitor visas: India sees the biggest relief
For visitor visa applicants, the most noticeable improvement is for India. Processing times for Indian applicants have dropped from 99 days to 83 days, meaning visas are now being issued about 16 days faster.
At present, visitor visa processing times are:
- Applications from Canada: 21 days, up from 17 days
- Applications from India: 83 days, down from 99 days
- Applications from Pakistan: 56 days, compared to 57 days earlier
- Applications from Nigeria: 40 days, up from 36 days
- Applications from the United States: 25 days, down from 27 days
IRCC’s service standard for visitor visas filed from outside Canada is 14 days. There is no fixed service standard for applications submitted from within Canada.
Study permits remain largely stable
Study permits continue to be the most consistent category across countries. Changes have been minor, with most increases limited to about one week.
The latest study permit timelines are:
- Applications from Canada: 7 weeks, unchanged
- Applications from India: 4 weeks, up from 3 weeks
- Applications from Pakistan: 5 weeks, unchanged
- Applications from Nigeria: 7 weeks, up from 6 weeks
- Applications from the United States: 7 weeks, up from 6 weeks
Service standards for study permits are 120 days for applications submitted within Canada and 60 days for those filed from outside the country.
Super visas: Sharp jump for US-based applicants
Super visa processing showed mixed results. While some countries saw small improvements, applications submitted from the United States saw a dramatic slowdown.
Processing times for super visas are now:
- Applications from India: 214 days, up from 206 days
- Applications from Pakistan: 126 days, down from 133 days
- Applications from Nigeria: 38 days, down from 41 days
- Applications from the United States: 187 days, up sharply from 93 days
IRCC says processing times are estimates for new applications submitted today. They show how long it may take to receive a final decision. The clock starts when IRCC receives an application, either when a paper file reaches the mail room or when an online or in-person application is submitted. It ends when a decision is made. Actual timelines can vary depending on how complex a case is, how easy the information is to verify, and how quickly an applicant responds if additional documents are requested.