Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its processing-time estimator, revealing lengthening waits for several temporary residence categories. The figures, released on September 16 and analysed by immigration consultancy ImmigToronto on September 18, indicate a one-week increase for work-permit applicants in the United States and matching one-week jumps for study-permit applicants filing from inside Canada and from Nigeria. Super-visa applicants in the United States saw the sharpest deterioration, with estimated waits soaring to 116 days from 66. Although processing-time dashboards provide only indicative averages, they are closely watched by employers, universities and families arranging travel to Canada. IRCC finalised more than 1.83 million applications in the first seven months of 2026 but still had almost 400,000 files in inventory as of July 31. The latest update suggests that the post-summer surge in applications—and ongoing security-screening pressures—are straining capacity. For businesses moving staff under intra-company transfers, the extended U.S. processing window erodes Canada’s competitive edge against quicker destinations such as Mexico or Ireland. Universities recruiting January 2027 intake students may also need to accelerate admissions decisions so learners have sufficient time to secure study permits. Meanwhile, families using the super-visa to bring parents and grandparents for the holiday season must now budget up to four months for approval. Industry groups are urging IRCC to publish more granular data and to re-deploy resources temporarily from quieter categories such as electronic travel authorisations (eTAs). In the interim, counsel recommend submitting applications in ‘decision-ready’ form and, where possible, using premium or priority services at visa application centres. Weekly updates mean the picture could improve as early as September 23, but planners should build current delays into mobility timelines until consistent downward trends emerge.
Source: ImmigToronto
