Canada raises study permit, visitor visa processing times for Nigerians

Canada has raised processing time estimates for several temporary residence applications, including study permits and visitor visas for applicants in Nigeria, according to the latest update from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The September 16, 2026 update shows that processing times moved higher for some applicants compared with figures published a week earlier, although several categories remained unchanged.

For Nigerians, the biggest changes were recorded in study permits and super visas.

Study permit processing time for applicants in Nigeria increased from 9 weeks to 10 weeks, while super visa processing rose from 44 days to 46 days.

What they are saying

Visitor visa processing time for Nigerians also increased slightly, moving from 84 days to 87 days. Work permit processing for applicants in Nigeria remained unchanged at 10 weeks.

• For study permits, applicants applying from within Canada are now facing an estimated 8-week processing time, up from seven weeks. Nigeria also moved from nine to 10 weeks.
• Applicants in India remained at five weeks, while Pakistan stayed at seven weeks. The United States remained at six weeks and the Philippines at five weeks.
• Work permit processing remained unchanged for applicants in Nigeria, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. Applicants in the United States, however, saw processing time rise from two weeks to three weeks.

For visitor visas, Nigeria’s estimated processing time increased to 87 days, while Pakistan also recorded an increase, from 73 to 75 days. Processing times fell slightly for applicants in India and the United States. Super visa processing times showed wider movements. For Nigerian applicants, the estimate increased from 44 to 46 days. The United States recorded the sharpest increase, rising from 66 days to 116 days.

• Pakistan was the only country in the group to record a major decline, with processing time falling from 132 days to 95 days.

IRCC said its processing times should not be treated as fixed deadlines or guarantees. The estimates are intended to show how long a newly submitted application could take to be finalized.

Processing times can vary depending on factors including application volumes, the complexity of an application, available processing capacity, requests for additional documents and other checks.

Get up to speed

The department updates temporary residence processing estimates weekly. IRCC reported that it processed 1,832,065 applications during the first seven months of 2026. As of July 31, more than 394,000 applications were still awaiting finalization.

• Earlier, Nairametrics reported that Canada’s international student population had dropped by nearly 300,000, as the country moved to reduce the number of temporary residents and introduced lower targets for new international students in 2026.
• The changes have continued into the second half of the year. In August, Nairametrics reported that Canada would increase the amount prospective international students must show for living expenses when applying for a study permit. Since September 1, 2026, a single student have been required to show C$23,448, excluding tuition and travel costs.

Canada had also reduced its 2026 study permit allocation and introduced provincial and territorial quotas, adding another layer of control over the number of international students entering the country.

What you should know

Nairametrics reported that Canada had unveiled five priority talent categories for its 2026 Express Entry system, as the country seeks to attract highly skilled workers to address critical labour shortages.

• The changes, announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in February, are designed to align Canada’s immigration system more closely with labour market needs while managing overall immigration levels.

The new selection categories will guide invitations issued through the Express Entry system, giving greater attention to workers with skills considered important to Canada’s economy.

Also in January, new analysis and research showed that Canada had overtaken the United Kingdom as the preferred study-to-immigrate destination for international students seeking permanent residence, as both countries tighten immigration policies amid shifting public sentiment.