Nigerians planning to study, work or visit Canada will now face longer processing times for some temporary residence applications following the latest update released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The revised processing timelines, published on August 5, 2026, show increased waiting periods for study permits, visitor visas and super visas, while work permit processing remains unchanged.
Study Permit Processing Increases
According to the latest IRCC update, the estimated processing time for study permit applications from Nigeria has increased from six weeks to seven weeks.
The change means prospective international students may need to submit their applications earlier to avoid delays ahead of academic sessions.
Visitor Visa Wait Time Rises
The estimated processing time for Canadian visitor visas for Nigerian applicants also increased from 64 days to 68 days.
Similarly, super visa applications—designed for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents—now have an estimated processing time of 43 days, up from 41 days.
Work Permit Timeline Unchanged
Despite the increases in other categories, the estimated processing time for work permit applications from Nigeria remains seven weeks.
Current estimated processing times for Nigerians are:
- Study Permit: 7 weeks
- Work Permit: 7 weeks
- Visitor Visa: 68 days
- Super Visa: 43 days
Global Processing Times Also Change
The latest IRCC update also reflects changes affecting applicants from other countries.
Work permit applications from Pakistan recorded one of the sharpest increases, rising from 11 weeks to 25 weeks.
Study permit processing for applicants from the Philippines also increased by one week, while super visa processing rose from 73 days to 100 days.
However, super visa applicants from Pakistan saw an improvement, with estimated processing times dropping from 196 days to 185 days.
What Nigerian Applicants Should Know
IRCC noted that processing times are estimates and not guaranteed completion dates.
The department explained that actual processing periods may vary depending on application volume, case complexity, available resources and whether additional information or supporting documents are required.
Canada updates its temporary residence processing times every week, meaning the timelines for Nigerian applicants could change again in the next scheduled update expected around August 12, 2026.
