Nigerian travellers now face an estimated 103-day wait for a Canadian visitor visa, according to the 20 October update of IRCC’s online processing-time tool. The figure has climbed from roughly 85 days a month ago and stands at more than seven times the department’s 14-day service standard for outside-Canada applications. Work-permit and study-permit timelines for Nigeria remain at 10 weeks each. The prolonged delay affects tourists, family visitors and short-term business travellers and risks denting Canada’s commercial engagement with Africa’s largest economy. Trade missions have already reported cancelled meetings as executives postpone trips until visas are secure. IRCC attributes processing estimates to recent historical performance and warns they are not guarantees; incomplete files and extended security checks can add weeks. Nevertheless, immigration consultants are urging Nigerian clients to apply at least four months before intended travel and to budget for potential follow-up document requests. Airlines and conference organisers are also adjusting. One Toronto-based event firm said it has moved two December tech summits online after half of its expected Nigerian speakers reported visa timelines exceeding event dates. Ottawa has not announced any special measures to address the backlog, but officials note that country-specific queues fluctuate weekly and may ease if additional officers are temporarily reassigned to high-pressure missions.
Source: IRCC.com
