Canada revises visa processing estimates as Nigerians face longer waits for study permits

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its temporary residence processing times, with Nigerian applicants now expected to wait longer for some visa categories.

The revised estimates, released on August 5, 2026, show increases in processing times across several temporary residence streams.

For Nigerians applying for study permits, the estimated waiting period increased from six weeks to seven weeks compared with the previous update issued on July 28.

Visitor visa processing times also rose, moving from an estimated 64 days to 68 days.

However, the estimated processing time for work permits submitted by Nigerians remained steady at seven weeks.

The estimated processing period for Nigerian super visa applications also increased slightly, climbing from 41 days to 43 days.

According to the latest figures, estimated processing times for Nigerian applicants are now:

• Work permit: 7 weeks
• Study permit: 7 weeks
• Visitor visa: 68 days
• Super visa: 43 days

IRCC’s latest update also revealed changes affecting applicants from other countries. Work permit processing for Pakistan increased significantly from 11 weeks to 25 weeks.

Applicants from the Philippines saw study permit processing times increase by one week, while super visa processing rose from 73 days to 100 days.

In contrast, Pakistan recorded the largest reduction in the featured categories, with super visa processing times dropping from 196 days to 185 days.

What applicants should know

IRCC emphasized that processing times are estimates and do not guarantee when an application will be finalized.

The department explained that actual timelines depend on factors such as the complexity of each application, overall application volumes, available processing resources and whether officers request additional documents or information.

Because IRCC updates temporary residence processing times every week, the estimated wait for Nigerian applicants may change again. The next update is expected around August 12, 2026.

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