Beyond the Nigeria headline, IRCC’s October 14 processing-times refresh paints a mixed picture for temporary residence. Work-permit estimates climbed by one week for in-Canada applicants (now 15 weeks), Pakistan (9 weeks) and the Philippines (8 weeks). Study-permit waits rose to 7 weeks for India, 8 weeks for Pakistan and 6 weeks for the Philippines, while Nigeria held steady at 10 weeks. Super-visa processing—the popular multi-year entry option for parents and grandparents—lengthened almost everywhere. The Philippines recorded the steepest hike to 103 days, with India at 77 days and Pakistan at 105 days. Visitor-visa trajectories were more patchy, with India’s estimate improving to 29 days but Canada-filed extensions hitting 12 days and Nigerian files, as noted, reaching 103 days. IRCC attributes the volatility to fluctuating intake volumes, seasonal staffing re-assignments and the time required for security checks. The department again stressed that posted times are estimates, not service guarantees. Employers sponsoring work-permit extensions should plan for up to four months of lead time and use the Interim Work Authorization where available. Students applying from Pakistan or India should factor in the longer study-permit timelines when accepting January 2027 intake offers.
Source: IRCC.com
