Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its latest processing time estimates, showing varied changes for Indian applicants. While regular visitor visas are seeing faster turnaround, those applying for a Super Visa face a slightly longer wait.
Visitor Visa Processing Improves for Indians
As of IRCC's September 16 update, the estimated processing time for Indian nationals applying for a visitor visa has decreased to 29 days, down from 31 days previously. This represents a modest improvement, though it still exceeds Canada's stated service standard of 14 days for applications submitted from outside the country.
Processing times can differ significantly based on nationality. For comparison, estimates on the same date were 75 days for Pakistan, 87 days for Nigeria, 21 days for the Philippines, and 16 days for the United States.
Super Visa Wait Times Extend
In contrast, the processing estimate for the Super Visa, intended for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, has marginally increased for Indian applicants. The current wait time stands at an estimated 70 days, up from 69 days.
The Super Visa permits eligible parents and grandparents to make extended visits to Canada. Applicants must submit their applications from outside Canada. Other processing times for Super Visas included 116 days for US applicants and 90 days for those in the Philippines, while Pakistan saw a reduction from 132 to 95 days.
Work and Study Permit Timelines Unchanged
For Indian applicants seeking work or study permits, processing estimates have remained consistent. The current wait for a work permit is approximately 10 weeks, while study permits are estimated to take five weeks.
IRCC Manages Substantial Application Workload
These updated figures indicate specific changes within visa categories rather than a broad shift in Canada's temporary residence processing times for Indians. IRCC continues to manage a significant volume of applications, having processed 1.83 million applications during the first seven months of 2026. As of July 31, over 394,000 applications were still awaiting finalization.
IRCC emphasizes that processing times are influenced by several factors, including the volume of applications, staffing levels, processing capacity, the complexity of individual cases, and the efficiency of information verification.
For Indians planning travel or family visits to Canada, the latest update means visitor-visa processing has improved slightly, while those using the Super Visa route should account for a longer estimated wait.