Canada Raises Visa Processing Times for Nigerians as Study Permit Wait Hits 10 Weeks

Canada has raised its estimated processing times for study permits, visitor visas and super visas for applicants in Nigeria. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published the updated figures on September 16, 2026, showing increases across most temporary residence categories compared with the previous week.

The changes come as IRCC works through a large backlog. The department processed over 1.8 million temporary residence applications in the first seven months of 2026, with 394,000 still pending.

What Changed for Nigerian Applicants

For Nigerians applying from within Nigeria, study permit processing moved from nine weeks to 10 weeks. Visitor visa estimates rose from 84 days to 87 days. Super visa processing climbed from 44 days to 46 days.

Work permit processing was the only major category that held steady, remaining at 10 weeks for applicants in Nigeria.

For study permit applications submitted from inside Canada, the estimate rose from seven weeks to eight weeks.

Mixed Movements in Other Markets

Processing times for study permit applicants in India, Pakistan and the Philippines were unchanged. The United States recorded an increase in work permit processing, from two weeks to three weeks.

Pakistan saw its visitor visa estimate edge up from 73 days to 75 days, while India and the United States posted slight decreases.

The sharpest shift was on super visas. The United States rose from 66 days to 116 days. Pakistan fell considerably, from 132 days to 95 days.

IRCC cautioned that the figures are estimates, not deadlines. Actual timelines depend on application volumes, case complexity, available processing capacity, and whether applicants are asked to submit further documents or information.

Canada Tightens Temporary Migration

The updated numbers land as Canada applies tighter controls on temporary residents, especially international students. The government has cut its target for new international student arrivals and introduced provincial and territorial allocation limits on study permit applications.

Canada has set a 2026 study permit issuance target of 408,000. That figure covers both new entrants and extensions for students already in the country. Officials have described the measures as part of a wider strategy to manage temporary migration and ease pressure on housing and public services.

Separately, IRCC has published its official fee schedule for immigration and citizenship applications, covering every major category from visitor visas to permanent residence and citizenship grants. The fees are in Canadian dollars and apply to all applicants, including Nigerians, regardless of where they apply from. An Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) costs CAD 7.

For Nigerian students and travellers, the longer wait times mean earlier planning and tighter timelines around school resumption and travel dates. With a study permit now estimated at 10 weeks from Nigeria and visitor visas at 87 days, applicants who delay could miss intakes or booked trips. The unchanged work permit timeline offers some relief for those heading to Canada for employment.