New figures released 29 April 2026 reveal that average processing times for several temporary-residence categories have improved markedly over the past two weeks. Work-permit decisions for applicants in Pakistan now take eight weeks, down from 16, while Nigeria saw a six-week reduction. Study-permit times also fell by three weeks for Pakistan and two for Nigeria. In contrast, visitor-visa queues lengthened modestly across most source countries. IRCC attributes the gains to targeted overtime and the full rollout of its AI-assisted triage tool, which directs simpler files to fast-track lanes. Officials say the tool cut manual review time by 30 % without increasing refusal rates.
![IRCC data show faster work- and study-permit processing—but visitor visas slow]()
For applicants looking to navigate these shifting timelines with confidence, VisaHQ can provide comprehensive support on Canadian work, study, and visitor visas. The company’s platform simplifies form completion, document uploads, and appointment scheduling, while its specialists monitor IRCC updates to keep your application on track. Find out more at https://www.visahq.com/canada/
The department is now training officers in Delhi and Manila to expand the pilot to high-volume posts that handle Indian and Philippine applications. For employers, shorter overseas work-permit waits ease project-planning headaches, especially in sectors that recruit heavily from Pakistan and West Africa. Universities may also benefit from quicker study-permit approvals as they finalise September intake numbers. However, the uptick in visitor-visa times—up to a five-day increase for key markets—signals resource trade-offs. Tour operators warn that delays could hurt peak summer travel. IRCC says additional staff will be shifted to visitor-visa inventories by mid-May to stabilise service levels. The update underscores how volatile processing times remain. Global mobility teams should monitor weekly IRCC dashboards and build buffer time into assignment start dates, particularly for visitor-visa-dependent training or onboarding trips.
For applicants looking to navigate these shifting timelines with confidence, VisaHQ can provide comprehensive support on Canadian work, study, and visitor visas. The company’s platform simplifies form completion, document uploads, and appointment scheduling, while its specialists monitor IRCC updates to keep your application on track. Find out more at https://www.visahq.com/canada/
The department is now training officers in Delhi and Manila to expand the pilot to high-volume posts that handle Indian and Philippine applications. For employers, shorter overseas work-permit waits ease project-planning headaches, especially in sectors that recruit heavily from Pakistan and West Africa. Universities may also benefit from quicker study-permit approvals as they finalise September intake numbers. However, the uptick in visitor-visa times—up to a five-day increase for key markets—signals resource trade-offs. Tour operators warn that delays could hurt peak summer travel. IRCC says additional staff will be shifted to visitor-visa inventories by mid-May to stabilise service levels. The update underscores how volatile processing times remain. Global mobility teams should monitor weekly IRCC dashboards and build buffer time into assignment start dates, particularly for visitor-visa-dependent training or onboarding trips.
