As of August 19, 2026, IRCC’s processing time estimates rose in most categories compared to the previous week. Work permit applications from Pakistan improved the most, dropping five weeks, while U.S. super visa and Pakistan visitor visa applications lengthened by at least two weeks. IRCC had finalized more than 1.5 million temporary residence applications in the first half of 2026, with 401,280 files still pending at the end of June.

What Changed in IRCC’s August 19 Update?

IRCC refreshes its temporary residence processing estimates weekly, and this update showed a mixed picture. Work permit applicants from Pakistan saw their expected wait fall from twelve weeks to seven, the single largest improvement across every category this week. Canada-based work permit renewals and extensions edged down slightly as well, from 119 days to 117. On the other side of the ledger, U.S. super visa applicants now face an estimated wait of 138 days, up from 123, and visitor visa applicants from Pakistan saw their estimate climb from 61 to 75 days.

How Do Work Permit Processing Times Compare Across Countries?

Applying From	Current (Aug 19)	Previous (Aug 12)
Canada	117 days	119 days
India	9 weeks	9 weeks
Pakistan	7 weeks	12 weeks
Nigeria	9 weeks	9 weeks
United States	2 weeks	2 weeks
Philippines	6 weeks	6 weeks

Canada’s official service standard for work permits is 120 days for in-Canada submissions and 60 days for applications filed from outside the country. Most applicants are currently landing inside those benchmarks, though individual files can still run longer depending on document completeness and any additional background checks.

What About Study Permits, Visitor Visas, and Super Visas?

Study permit timelines held steady for most countries this update, with Nigeria the lone exception, rising by a week to nine. Visitor visa applicants saw a slight improvement for Canada-based submissions, down to 12 days, while Pakistan and Nigeria both moved in the opposite direction. Super visa applicants, who cannot apply from outside Canada, saw the U.S. estimate lengthen the most, now sitting at 138 days against a national service standard of 112.

Processing Times Versus Service Standards: What Is the Difference?

These two figures are often confused, but they measure different things. A processing time is IRCC’s estimate of how long a newly submitted application is likely to take, calculated either from historical data on recently finalized files or from a forward-looking model based on current inventory and available resources. A service standard, by contrast, is a fixed performance target IRCC aims to meet in 80 percent of cases under normal conditions, and it changes far less often; temporary residence service standards were last revised in 2018 and 2019. Neither figure is a guarantee. Your own file can move faster or slower depending on its complexity, the completeness of your documents, and whether IRCC requests additional evidence.

A Real Case: Cutting Weeks Off a Work Permit Wait

A logistics coordinator from Lahore applying for a closed work permit tied to a Calgary employer came to ImmigCanada in early July, worried about the twelve-week estimate published at the time. Our RCIC team reviewed her file and identified an incomplete employer compliance fee submission that risked triggering a request for additional information, which typically adds several weeks to any file. Once corrected before submission, her application avoided that delay entirely and was finalized in under seven weeks, in line with the improved processing times now reflected in IRCC’s August update.

What Should You Do If Your Application Is Taking Longer Than Expected?

Processing estimates are averages, not deadlines, so a file sitting slightly past the published range is not necessarily a problem. That said, applicants nearing or past the outer edge of the current estimate, especially for study or work permits tied to a specific start date, should have their file reviewed to rule out a missing document or a request for additional evidence that may not have reached them.

Frequently Asked Questions