IRCC's July 15 update reversed last week's spike — Nigeria work permits dropped from 11 weeks to 6 and in-Canada permits hit their lowest of 2026. Super visas kept climbing.
IRCC refreshed its temporary residence processing times on July 15, 2026, and for work-permit applicants it undid most of last week's damage. Nigeria's work permit estimate fell from 11 weeks to 6 — the single biggest move in this update — and in-Canada work permits dropped to 124 days, their lowest of 2026. Super visas, though, kept sliding: the Philippines added another 16 days.
If you checked a work permit estimate last week and it scared you, check again — for most countries, the number moved back in your favour.
| Applying from | July 15 | July 7 | Change |
|---|
| Canada (in-Canada) | 124 days | 127 days | −3 |
| India | 9 weeks | 9 weeks | — |
| Pakistan | 7 weeks | 6 weeks | +1 week |
| Nigeria | 6 weeks | 11 weeks | −5 weeks |
| United States | 3 weeks | 4 weeks | −1 week |
| Philippines | 6 weeks | 7 weeks | −1 week |
Service standards: 120 days for in-Canada submissions (initial and extensions), 60 days from outside Canada.
Last week we reported Nigeria's work permit estimate jumping from 8 weeks to 11 and called it the end of a month-long improving streak. Seven days later it's at 6 weeks — not just back to where it started, but below the 8-week figure it held on July 2. A 5-week swing in one direction, one week after a 3-week swing in the other, is the clearest sign yet that this line is being driven by IRCC's model, not by anything happening to the queue of real applicants.
Nearly every country improved. The US is down to 3 weeks — the fastest work permit estimate in the table — and Nigeria, at 6 weeks, has narrowed its gap with the US from nearly 3x to 2x. Pakistan was the only country to move backwards, adding a week to reach 7.
The quiet headline is in-Canada. At 124 days, work permits filed from inside Canada are now just 4 days above the 120-day service standard — the closest they've been all year, and three days better than last week. That matters most to anyone extending or changing a permit without leaving the country (more on why below).
| Applying from | July 15 | July 7 | Change |
|---|
| India | 50 days | 52 days | −2 |
| Pakistan | 187 days | 179 days | +8 |
| Nigeria | 36 days | 33 days | +3 |
| United States | 126 days | 123 days | +3 |
| Philippines | 73 days | 57 days | +16 |
Service standard: 112 days. Super visa applications can only be submitted from outside Canada.
While work permits recovered, super visas kept deteriorating. The Philippines added 16 days in a single week — the sharpest move in this update — and Pakistan climbed to 187 days, now a full 75 days past the 112-day service standard. The US sits above the standard too, at 126. Only India improved, and only slightly.
If you're a parent or grandparent applying from Pakistan, plan on roughly six months; from the Philippines, closer to two and a half. Our super visa guide covers the minimum-income and medical-insurance rules that cause most refusals — the parts of this you can actually control.
| Applying from | July 15 | July 7 | Change |
|---|
| Canada | 7 weeks | 7 weeks | — |
| India | 5 weeks | 5 weeks | — |
| Pakistan | 6 weeks | 6 weeks | — |
| Nigeria | 5 weeks | 5 weeks | — |
| United States | 5 weeks | 5 weeks | — |
| Philippines | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | — |
Service standards: 120 days in-Canada, 60 days outside Canada.
Not a single study permit estimate has moved in three weeks. Every outside-Canada figure sits well inside the 60-day standard. With the fall intake bearing down, boring is exactly what you want here — see the study permit guide if you're assembling documents now.
| Applying from | July 15 | July 7 | Change |
|---|
| Canada | 34 days | 36 days | −2 |
| India | 20 days | 20 days | — |
| Pakistan | 39 days | 34 days | +5 |
| Nigeria | 61 days | 59 days | +2 |
| United States | 28 days | 29 days | −1 |
| Philippines | 17 days | 17 days | — |
Service standard: 14 days (outside Canada).
Most countries edged down, but Pakistan added 5 days and Nigeria added 2. At 61 days, Nigeria remains the slowest in the table — more than four times the 14-day service standard. That standard hasn't been revised since 2018–2019, and every outside-Canada country in this table misses it, as they have for years. (There's no published standard for visitor applications filed inside Canada, so the 34-day in-Canada figure isn't measured against the 14-day target.)
If you're applying for a work permit from Nigeria: last week's 11-week estimate is gone. You're back to 6 weeks — better than before the spike. Don't over-correct your plans off a number that clearly moves in large steps.
If you're already in Canada: you're the winner again. In-Canada work permits are at a 2026 low of 124 days, four days from the service standard.
If you're applying for a super visa from the Philippines or Pakistan: the estimate is still rising. Budget roughly two and a half months (Philippines) to six months (Pakistan), and don't book anything against last month's figure.
If you're a student: nothing changed, for the third week running. Proceed on the timeline you already planned.
One thing to keep straight: these are estimates, not commitments. IRCC publishes two kinds — historical (how long it recently took to finish 80% of applications) and forward-looking (based on current inventory and capacity). A 5-week improvement in one week, right after a 3-week jump the week before, is the model recalculating — not proof that real waits are whipsawing by that much. The figure that governs your file is the one showing the day you submit.
Tip
If you're extending or changing a work permit from inside Canada, apply before your current permit expires — even if the 124-day estimate looks long. Filing on time gives you maintained status (formerly "implied status"), which lets you keep working under the same conditions until IRCC decides. Miss the expiry and you lose the right to work while you wait, and you're into restoration — a separate application, a separate fee, and no work authorization in the gap. The processing time is only painful if you're sitting idle through it; maintained status means you're not.
Previous Update (July 7) | PR & Citizenship Times (July 7) | Work Permit Guide | Study Permit Guide | Super Visa Guide
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration advice. Always verify information with official IRCC sources and consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your situation.