Canada Extends Processing Times for Nigerian Study Permits, Visitor Visas
- Authorities in Canada updated their temporary residence processing-time estimates, affecting Nigerian applicants across multiple categories
- Study permit wait times for Nigerians rose from six to seven weeks, while visitor visa processing climbed from 64 to 68 days
- Work permit processing for Nigerians held steady at seven weeks, but the next update is expected around Wednesday, August 12, 2026
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering migration issues and international affairs.
Ottawa, Canada - Nigerians looking to travel or study in Canada will need to plan for longer waiting periods after Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) revised its processing-time estimates on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
Legit.ng reports that the updated figures show that study permit applications from Nigeria now carry an estimated processing time of seven weeks, up from six weeks in the previous week's figures published on July 28. Visitor visa processing also stretched by four days, rising from 64 days to 68 days.
Source: Getty Images
Super visa applicants from Nigeria can expect a wait of 43 days under the new estimates, compared to 41 days previously. Work permit processing remained the same, holding at seven weeks.
Current estimated wait times for Nigerians
The full breakdown of estimated processing times for Nigerian applicants following the August 5 update is:
- Work permit: 7 weeks
- Study permit: 7 weeks
- Visitor visa: 68 days
- Super visa: 43 days
Which countries faced biggest visa delays?
The August 5 revision was not limited to Nigerian applicants. Applicants from Pakistan faced some of the sharpest shifts in the update. Work permit processing for Pakistani nationals jumped from 11 weeks to 25 weeks, an increase of 14 weeks. Super visa processing for the same group, however, dropped from 196 days to 185 days.
Filipino applicants also saw movement in their figures. Study permit processing rose by one week, and super visa wait times increased sharply from 73 days to 100 days.
IRCC publishes these figures as estimates only and does not guarantee that an application will be completed within the stated timeframe. Processing times can vary based on the complexity of an individual case, the overall volume of applications in the queue, staff capacity, and whether immigration officers ask for more information or supporting documents.
The department updates its temporary residence processing times on a weekly basis. The next revision for Nigerian and other applicants is expected around August 12, 2026, at which point the figures could rise or fall again.
Source: Twitter
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UK announces expansion of Global Talent Visa
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United Kingdom (UK) government opened its Global Talent visa to more than 100 research-intensive private companies, allowing them to bring some of the world's most skilled scientists and engineers to work in Britain.
The announcement marks a significant shift in how the visa's endorsed funder pathway operates.
Until now, only universities, research institutes and a limited number of approved research bodies could use this route to sponsor incoming researchers. Commercial businesses can now do the same.
Source: Legit.ng
