Canada's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended the processing time for visitor visa applications from Nigeria, raising the timeframe from 68 days to 76 days under an updated schedule published on August 19, 2026. The new timelines take effect on Wednesday, August 26, and cover temporary residence, study permits, work permits, and visitor and super visa applications across multiple countries.
Visitor Visa and Work Permit Updates
For Nigerian applicants seeking a visitor visa, the waiting period has increased by roughly one week. Under the revised schedule, visitor visa processing times by country now stand at: Canada, 12 days; India, 31 days; Pakistan, 75 days; Nigeria, 76 days; United States, 21 days; and the Philippines, 21 days. Applicants outside Canada have a 14-day submission window.
Work permit processing times for Nigerian nationals remain at nine weeks, unchanged from before. Pakistan, however, saw a significant reduction, with its work permit timeframe dropping from 12 weeks to seven weeks. Other work permit timelines include Canada at 117 days, India at nine weeks, the United States at two weeks, and the Philippines at six weeks.
Study Permits and Super Visas
Study permit processing for Nigerian applicants increased by one week to nine weeks. India and the United States are at five weeks each, while Canada, Pakistan, and the Philippines are at seven, seven, and four weeks respectively.
Super visa processing times shifted across several countries. The United States saw the largest increase, with its super visa timeframe rising by two weeks. Current super visa timelines include India at 56 days, Pakistan at 176 days, Nigeria at 53 days, the United States at 138 days, and the Philippines at 107 days. Applicants already inside Canada face a 112-day submission window.
How IRCC Calculates Processing Times
IRCC uses two different measures for tracking how applications move through the system. Processing times are estimates based on how long it previously took to finalise 80% of applications from a given country, as well as the volume of pending applications and available resources. Service standards, by contrast, are performance targets, not estimates. The agency cautions that individual cases may take more or less time depending on the complexity of the application, the size of the current backlog, requests for additional documents, and any other checks required. A shorter timeframe does not guarantee approval, and a longer one does not signal a refusal.
IRCC updates temporary residence processing times weekly and permanent residence and citizenship figures monthly. The agency said it processed 1,566,455 temporary residence applications in the first six months of 2026, with over 401,000 still pending by the end of June. Applicants are advised to check the official IRCC processing-time tool before making travel arrangements, accepting a new job offer, or finalising plans for study in Canada.
Canadian Premier's Stance on Student Visas
Meanwhile, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, reiterated her position that Canada's student visa is a temporary document, not a pathway to permanent settlement. Amid the 'japa' wave, Smith explained that Nigerians and other foreign nationals who travel to Canada to study should plan to return home after completing their education.
