Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its latest application processing times as of September 10, 2025, reflecting recent shifts in timelines for key temporary residence programs, including study permits, work permits, and visitor visas. These figures offer important insights for prospective immigrants, workers, and students planning to come to Canada.
According to Maple News, IRCC’s updated data shows significant changes across several regions. Study permit processing for applicants applying within Canada has improved dramatically—cutting wait times in half from 12 weeks in late July to just 6 weeks in September. However, international processing times show mixed results: India saw an uptick to 4 weeks (from 3), the U.S. increased to 10 weeks (from 7), while Pakistan improved slightly to 9 weeks from 11. Notably, Nigeria experienced a delay, rising to 8 weeks from 5. The current service standard for in-Canada applications remains four months, while it’s two months for applications submitted outside Canada.
Work permit processing times experienced greater volatility. Applicants in Canada now face 190-day processing periods, up from 182 days, well past the 120-day service standard. Meanwhile, those applying from the U.S. saw an improvement from 4 to 3 weeks. However, other countries such as Pakistan and Nigeria saw a dramatic increase in wait times—Pakistan rose to 12 weeks from 5, and Nigeria doubled to 22 weeks from 12. India also saw a modest increase, rising to 8 weeks from 7. The outside-Canada service standard stands at 60 days, or 56 for International Experience Canada (IEC) permits.
Visitor visas saw both improvements and setbacks depending on the applicant’s location. From within Canada, approval times fell to just 13 days—down from 25. U.S.-based applicants saw a slight increase to 24 days, while India experienced a nearly 125% rise from 28 to 63 days. Pakistan’s processing extended to 48 days (up from 36), while Nigeria improved to 31 days from 56. IRCC’s service standard for visitor visas remains at around 30 days, though actual times vary by country.
These ongoing adjustments in processing times reflect the dynamic nature of Canada’s immigration systems, impacted by application volume and IRCC’s operational capacity. With significant changes occurring even within weeks, applicants are urged to consult the latest IRCC timelines before submitting applications.
Maple News continues to monitor IRCC trends to provide timely updates for students, workers, and travellers considering Canada as their next destination.