Maple News reports that on May 20, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its latest processing time estimates for newly submitted temporary residence applications, covering a two-week window from May 6 to May 20. The update shows a mix of gains and slowdowns across streams and regions. Notably, India and Pakistan recorded improvements in several categories, while Nigerian and U.S. applicants faced longer waits. Separately, IRCC noted a substantial reduction in Indian super visa wait times of more than six weeks, a shift outside the standard temporary residence tracks.
Work permits: For applicants inside Canada and those applying from Pakistan, wait times shortened, with Pakistan pulling back by two weeks to about six weeks. Nigeria, however, saw a six-week increase, bringing its processing time to roughly 12 weeks. The United States remained around five weeks, while India stayed at about nine weeks and the Philippines at eight weeks. For context, inside Canada submissions sit at about 206 days, down from 212 days previously.
Service standard for work permits remains: 120 days for submissions made inside Canada (initial and extensions) and 60 days for submissions made outside Canada.
Study permits: Nigeria’s study permit timelines edged up by about one week, while Pakistan’s timelines improved markedly, dropping by roughly a month. India shows about a four-week timeline, with Inside Canada at six weeks, the United States at five weeks, and the Philippines at five weeks. Notably, Pakistan’s current processing time is around seven weeks, down from roughly 11 weeks two weeks earlier.
These movements reflect IRCC’s ongoing efforts to balance demand with capacity across regions. Observers note that faster processing for India and Pakistan may reflect targeted efficiencies or workload shifts, while prolonged timelines for Nigeria and the United States could indicate regional backlogs or higher volumes. Applicants should be aware that actual processing times vary by visa office, specific program rules, and individual case complexity.
For anyone planning to apply, Maple News recommends checking IRCC’s official processing time estimates regularly and building possible delays into travel or relocation timelines.