IRCC Processing Times Rise for Temporary Residence Applicants in September 2026

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its latest temporary residence processing time update, and wait times have increased for several types of applications.

The updated processing estimates were published on September 16, 2026. The latest figures show increases for some work permit, study permit, visitor visa, and super visa applicants, although processing times have also decreased in certain cases.

Among the biggest changes in the latest update are:

• Work permit processing increased by one week for applicants from the United States.
• Study permit processing increased by one week for applicants applying from within Canada and from Nigeria.
• Super visa processing increased significantly for applicants from the United States and the Philippines.
• Super visa processing for applicants from Pakistan decreased by more than five weeks.
  
  

The latest figures are compared with IRCC processing times published on September 9, 2026.

IRCC is expected to release its next temporary residence processing time update on or around September 23, 2026.

Work Permit Processing Times

Work permit processing times remained unchanged for most of the countries included in the latest update.

However, applicants from the United States saw their estimated processing time increase from two weeks to three weeks after remaining stable for more than a month.

Applicants applying from within Canada saw a slight improvement, with the estimated processing time decreasing from 110 days to 109 days.

Work Permit Service Standards

IRCC’s service standards are:

• Applications submitted from within Canada, including initial applications and extensions: 120 days
• Applications submitted from outside Canada: 60 days
  
  

Study Permit Processing Times

Study permit processing times increased for applicants applying from within Canada and from Nigeria.

For in-Canada applicants, the estimated processing time increased from seven weeks to eight weeks.

For applicants from Nigeria, the processing time increased from nine weeks to 10 weeks.

Processing times for applicants from India, Pakistan, the United States, and the Philippines remained unchanged.

Study Permit Service Standards

IRCC’s service standards are:

• Applications submitted from within Canada, including initial applications and extensions: 120 days
• Applications submitted from outside Canada: 60 days
  
  

Visitor Visa Processing Times

Visitor visa processing times showed only small changes in the latest update.

Applicants from India saw processing times decrease from 31 days to 29 days.

Processing times for applicants from the United States also decreased, from 18 days to 16 days.

However, processing times increased for applicants from Pakistan, Nigeria, and the Philippines.

Applicants applying from within Canada saw no change.

Visitor Visa Service Standards

IRCC’s service standards are:

• Applications submitted from within Canada: No specific service standard
• Applications submitted from outside Canada: 14 days
  
  

Super Visa Processing Times

Super visa processing times showed some of the largest changes in IRCC’s September 16 update.

Processing times increased for applicants from India, Nigeria, the United States, and the Philippines.

The largest increase was seen for applicants from the United States. Their estimated processing time increased from 66 days to 116 days.

Applicants from the Philippines also saw a significant increase, from 64 days to 90 days.

In contrast, applicants from Pakistan saw a major improvement. Their estimated processing time decreased from 132 days to 95 days.

The service standard for super visa applications is 112 days.

Super visa applications can only be submitted from outside Canada.

What Are IRCC Processing Times?

IRCC processing times are estimates showing how long a newly submitted application may take to process.

These processing times are not guaranteed timelines, deadlines, or maximum processing periods. An individual application may take more or less time depending on the circumstances of the case.

Depending on the application type, IRCC may calculate processing times using historical or forward-looking estimates.

Historical processing times are generally based on how long it took IRCC to finalize 80% of previously completed applications.

Forward-looking processing times consider factors such as the number of applications currently in IRCC's inventory and the resources available to process those applications.

What Are IRCC Service Standards?

Service standards are different from processing time estimates.

A service standard is a performance target showing the period within which IRCC aims to process a particular type of application under normal circumstances.

In general, IRCC aims to meet these service standards in approximately 80% of cases.

Applicants should therefore not assume that a service standard guarantees that their application will be finalized within that period.

Why Can IRCC Processing Times Change?

Processing times can increase or decrease depending on several factors, including:

• The number of applications IRCC receives
• The number of applications already waiting to be processed
• The complexity of individual applications
• Available processing capacity
• Requests for additional documents
• Background checks or other assessments
• Changes in immigration programs or application volumes
  
  

Applicants should regularly check current IRCC processing times when planning their immigration applications.

How Often Does IRCC Update Processing Times?

IRCC generally updates temporary residence processing time estimates every week.

Processing times for permanent residence and citizenship applications are usually updated once a month.

Service standards are updated less frequently. Temporary residence service standards were last revised during the 2018–2019 period.

IRCC Processed More Than 1.8 Million Applications in Early 2026

During the first seven months of 2026, IRCC reported processing 1,832,065 applications.

As of July 31, 2026, more than 394,000 applications were still awaiting finalization.

These application volumes can affect processing times across different immigration and temporary residence programs.

What Applicants Should Keep in Mind

The latest IRCC update shows that temporary residence processing times can change considerably from one week to the next.

Some applicants may experience shorter processing periods, while others may see their estimated wait times increase depending on the type of application and the country from which they apply.

Applicants planning to apply for a Canadian work permit, study permit, visitor visa, or super visa should check the latest IRCC processing time estimates before making travel or immigration plans.

It is also important to remember that the published processing time is only an estimate. The actual time required to finalize an application can vary depending on the applicant's individual circumstances and whether IRCC requires additional information or documents.