Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its processing dashboard, revealing sharply divergent timelines for Indian applicants. As of 30 January, visitor-visa decisions for files lodged in India now average 83 days, down from 99 days two weeks ago—a 16-day improvement and the fastest drop among the countries tracked. The change coincides with IRCC’s year-end inventory purge and a reallocation of officers to the visitor stream ahead of Canada’s summer travel season.
The good news stops there. Work-permit applications filed in New Delhi and Chandigarh are still taking around eight weeks, only a slight improvement, while applicants filing from within Canada face 241-day backlogs. Super-visa processing (used by parents and grandparents) has deteriorated further, climbing to 214 days for Indian residents. Study-permit timelines remain relatively steady at four weeks offshore and seven weeks onshore.
![Canada Cuts Visitor-Visa Wait Time for Indians but Work-Permit and Super-Visa Delays Worsen]()
Applicants looking to navigate these fluctuating queues more efficiently can enlist the support of VisaHQ. The company’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides step-by-step guidance, document checks and real-time tracking for Canadian visitor, work, study and super-visa requests, helping travellers and HR teams avoid common errors and lost time.
For Indian businesses the mixed picture is a planning headache. Organisations sending staff on short sales trips or conferences can expect quicker approvals, but intra-company transferees and project engineers may be stuck in limbo. Mobility teams are advised to sequence visitor-visa filings before work-permit submissions where the business case allows, and to consider flagpoling options for employees already in Canada.
IRCC’s internal service standards—14 days for visitor visas and 60 days for overseas work permits—remain aspirational. Officials cite post-pandemic demand spikes, security screening and resource constraints. The department updates the dashboard weekly; employers should monitor changes in the run-up to Canada’s 1 April fee increase.
The good news stops there. Work-permit applications filed in New Delhi and Chandigarh are still taking around eight weeks, only a slight improvement, while applicants filing from within Canada face 241-day backlogs. Super-visa processing (used by parents and grandparents) has deteriorated further, climbing to 214 days for Indian residents. Study-permit timelines remain relatively steady at four weeks offshore and seven weeks onshore.
Applicants looking to navigate these fluctuating queues more efficiently can enlist the support of VisaHQ. The company’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides step-by-step guidance, document checks and real-time tracking for Canadian visitor, work, study and super-visa requests, helping travellers and HR teams avoid common errors and lost time.
For Indian businesses the mixed picture is a planning headache. Organisations sending staff on short sales trips or conferences can expect quicker approvals, but intra-company transferees and project engineers may be stuck in limbo. Mobility teams are advised to sequence visitor-visa filings before work-permit submissions where the business case allows, and to consider flagpoling options for employees already in Canada.
IRCC’s internal service standards—14 days for visitor visas and 60 days for overseas work permits—remain aspirational. Officials cite post-pandemic demand spikes, security screening and resource constraints. The department updates the dashboard weekly; employers should monitor changes in the run-up to Canada’s 1 April fee increase.
