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Applying for Canada visa? Latest processing times reveal growing wait for Indian applicants; what it means
As of now, Indian applicants for Canadian work permits wait 10 weeks, study permits 5 weeks, and visitor visas 29 days.
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Canada has updated its temporary residence processing times, with Indian applicants currently facing waits of 10 weeks for work permits, five weeks for study permits and 29 days for visitor visas, according to figures published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as reported by CIC News.
The latest update shows that processing times for Indian applicants have remained unchanged for work and study permits compared with the previous week, while the estimated wait for a visitor visa has fallen by two days.
Canada visa wait times for Indians
For Indians applying for a Canadian work permit, the estimated processing time is currently 10 weeks. That is unchanged from the September 9 estimate. IRCC's service standard is 60 days for applications submitted from outside Canada, while applications made from within Canada have a 120-day service standard.
For study permits, Indian applicants are currently looking at an estimated five-week processing time, also unchanged from the previous week's figure. Applicants applying from Canada face an estimated wait of eight weeks.
The wait is shorter for Indians applying for a visitor visa. IRCC's September 16 estimate puts the processing time at 29 days, down from 31 days on September 9. The service standard for applications submitted from outside Canada is 14 days.
Indian applicants for a super visa currently face an estimated wait of 70 days, compared with 69 days in the previous update. Super visa applications can only be submitted from outside Canada, according to the latest processing-time information.
Processing times are estimates, not guarantees
IRCC cautions that its processing times should not be treated as fixed deadlines or guarantees. The estimates can change depending on factors including application complexity, the number of applications in the inventory, available processing capacity and whether additional documents or checks are required.
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The department says it updates temporary residence processing estimates every week. The next update is expected around September 23.
Canada's immigration department reported that it had processed 1,832,065 applications during the first seven months of 2026, while more than 394,000 applications remained awaiting finalisation as of July 31.
IRCC's official processing-times tool also states that applicants should use the estimates only as a guide because actual processing can take longer or shorter depending on individual circumstances.
