Dear future neighbour,
If you’ve been checking IRCC’s website every week hoping for good news about your work permit application, this update is for you.
On July 2, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its latest processing time figures, and there’s real reason to feel encouraged if you’re applying for a work permit from inside Canada. Processing times dropped by another 15 days, bringing wait times to their shortest point so far this year. Applicants in Nigeria also got a welcome break, with an improvement of about one week.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing across the board, though. While some categories improved, others slowed down. This is a full breakdown of what changed between June 24 and July 2, 2026.
Work Permits: Faster processing for In-Canada and Nigerian applicants
If you applied for your work permit from within Canada, you’re now looking at roughly 129 days, down from 144 days just a week earlier. That’s a solid improvement for anyone anxiously refreshing their application status.
| Applying from | Current (July 2) | Previous (June 24) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 129 days | 144 days |
| India | 9 weeks | 9 weeks |
| Pakistan | 5 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Nigeria | 8 weeks | 9 weeks |
| United States | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Philippines | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
IRCC’s official service standards are 120 days for in-Canada submissions (both initial applications and extensions) and 60 days for applications submitted from outside Canada.
Study Permits: A slight step backward
Unlike work permits, study permit wait times moved in the wrong direction this week. Both in-Canada and India-based applicants saw processing times stretch by a week. No categories saw improvement in this round.
| Applying from | Current (July 2) | Previous (June 24) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 7 weeks | 6 weeks |
| India | 5 weeks | 4 weeks |
| Pakistan | 6 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Nigeria | 5 weeks | 5 weeks |
| United States | 5 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Philippines | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
The service standard here mirrors the work permit category: 120 days for in-Canada submissions and 60 days for those filed abroad.
Visitor Visas: Mixed results depending on where you’re applying from
Visitor visa applicants from Canada, India, and Pakistan enjoyed shorter waits this round, while those applying from Nigeria and the United States saw a small uptick.
| Applying from | Current (July 2) | Previous (June 24) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 38 days | 42 days |
| India | 21 days | 22 days |
| Pakistan | 38 days | 43 days |
| Nigeria | 56 days | 54 days |
| United States | 32 days | 31 days |
| Philippines | 17 days | 17 days |
For context, IRCC’s service standard for visitor visas submitted from outside Canada is 14 days, though there’s no set standard for those applying from within the country.
Super Visas: A big win for Indian applicants, a setback for Americans
This is where the numbers shifted the most. Applicants from India saw their wait times drop by more than two weeks, landing at 50 days. On the flip side, applicants in the United States now face an almost three-week increase, pushing their processing time to 123 days, well above the standard.
| Applying from | Current (July 2) | Previous (June 24) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 50 days | 66 days |
| Pakistan | 102 days | 95 days |
| Nigeria | 32 days | 34 days |
| United States | 123 days | 104 days |
| Philippines | 52 days | 42 days |
The service standard for super visas is 112 days. Worth noting: super visa applications can’t be submitted from within Canada, so this table only reflects overseas applicants.
Why these numbers matter (and why they can change)
It helps to understand what these figures actually represent. IRCC publishes two types of processing estimates: historical estimates, which reflect how long it has typically taken to finalize 80% of past applications, and forward-looking estimates, based on current application volumes and how much capacity the department has right now.
These numbers are meant to guide your expectations, not guarantee an outcome. Your application could be processed faster or slower depending on factors like backlogs, missing documents, or other case-specific issues.
It’s also useful to know the difference between processing times and service standards. Service standards are IRCC’s internal targets, essentially the timeline they aim to hit for 80% of applications under normal conditions. Processing times, on the other hand, reflect what’s actually happening right now. Temporary residence processing times are refreshed weekly, so keeping an eye on updates like this one can help you plan ahead with more confidence.
Let’s Take the Guesswork Out of Your Application
Immigration timelines can shift from one week to the next, and knowing exactly where you stand, or how to strengthen your application before you submit, makes all the difference. Whether you’re applying for a work permit, a postgraduate work permit, a study permit, a visitor visa, a super visa, or you’re navigating Express Entry, provincial nomination, spousal sponsorship, citizenship, or school admissions, we are here to guide you through it with clarity and confidence. Book a consultation today at https://euiacademy.selar.com/60minutes and let’s map out the fastest, most reliable path to Canada for you.