IRCC's September 16 update shows work permits up a week for US applicants, study permits up a week for Canada and Nigeria, and super visa waits climbing sharply for the US and Philippines.
IRCC published its temporary residence processing update on September 16, 2026, comparing new estimates against the prior September 9 figures — and the trend has reversed from earlier in the month. Wait times rose in nearly every category this cycle. The sharpest moves: work permits climbed a full week for US applicants after holding steady for over a month, study permits from Canada and Nigeria both stretched a week longer, and super visa waits for the United States jumped by more than seven weeks.
| Applying from | September 16 | September 9 | Change |
|---|
| Canada (in-Canada) | 109 days | 110 days | −1 day |
| India | 10 weeks | 10 weeks | No change |
| Pakistan | 8 weeks | 8 weeks | No change |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks | 10 weeks | No change |
| United States | 3 weeks | 2 weeks | +1 week |
| Philippines | 7 weeks | 7 weeks | No change |
The in-Canada figure kept inching down, continuing its slow 2026 decline. But US applicants saw their wait jump 50% in a single week — from 2 to 3 weeks — after that number had held flat for more than a month. Every other country on this list stayed exactly where it was.
Service standard: 120 days for in-Canada submissions (initial and extensions); 60 days for outside-Canada submissions.
| Applying from | September 16 | September 9 | Change |
|---|
| Canada | 8 weeks | 7 weeks | +1 week |
| India | 5 weeks | 5 weeks | No change |
| Pakistan | 7 weeks | 7 weeks | No change |
| Nigeria | 10 weeks | 9 weeks | +1 week |
| United States | 6 weeks | 6 weeks | No change |
| Philippines | 5 weeks | 5 weeks | No change |
In-Canada study permit applicants are now facing an 8-week estimate, their slowest reading in at least a month. Nigeria's climb to 10 weeks continues a rougher stretch for that country across both work and study permits this update.
Service standard: 120 days for in-Canada submissions (initial and extensions); 60 days for outside-Canada submissions.
| Applying from | September 16 | September 9 | Change |
|---|
| Canada | 11 days | 11 days | No change |
| India | 29 days | 31 days | −2 days |
| Pakistan | 75 days | 73 days | +2 days |
| Nigeria | 87 days | 84 days | +3 days |
| United States | 16 days | 18 days | −2 days |
| Philippines | 21 days | 19 days | +2 days |
Nothing here moved by more than 3 days in either direction. Nigeria's visitor visa wait, at 87 days, is now the longest of any country tracked in this update across all four categories.
Service standard: 14 days for outside-Canada submissions (no standard applies in-Canada).
| Applying from | September 16 | September 9 | Change |
|---|
| India | 70 days | 69 days | +1 day |
| Pakistan | 95 days | 132 days | −37 days |
| Nigeria | 46 days | 44 days | +2 days |
| United States | 116 days | 66 days | +50 days |
| Philippines | 90 days | 64 days | +26 days |
This is the most volatile release of the four categories by a wide margin. US super visa applicants saw their estimated wait nearly double, climbing 50 days to 116 — the largest single move anywhere in this update. The Philippines wasn't far behind, up 26 days. Pakistan moved the opposite direction, dropping 37 days to 95. Super visa applications can only be submitted from outside Canada, so these swings hit prospective visitors, not people already in the queue.
Service standard: 112 days.
If you're applying for a super visa from the United States or Philippines: build the longer estimate into your planning. A jump of this size in one week suggests IRCC's current inventory or capacity shifted meaningfully for these countries — don't assume next update reverses it. See our Super Visa guide for what to expect during the wait.
If you're applying for a work permit from the United States: the wait is still short in absolute terms at 3 weeks, but the direction matters — this is the first increase after more than a month of stability. If your travel plans are flexible, applying sooner rather than later reduces the risk of catching a further increase.
If you're a study permit applicant in Canada or from Nigeria: both categories are now at their slowest point in this comparison window. Submit complete documentation the first time — with waits already trending longer, requests for additional information will add real delay on top of an already-stretched estimate.
If you're a super visa applicant from Pakistan: this is genuinely good news — a 37-day improvement on top of a volatile few months for this country's estimate. If you've been holding off, this is a reasonable window to apply.
Tip
Super visa estimates have now swung by 25+ days in multiple directions across the last few updates for the US, Philippines, and Pakistan. These aren't stable trends yet — treat any single week's number as a snapshot, not a forecast, and check the estimate again close to when you actually plan to submit.
IRCC's next temporary residence processing update is expected on or around September 23, 2026. Processing times are estimates, not guarantees — they reflect either historical completion data or current inventory and capacity, and actual results vary by application complexity and requests for more information.
IRCC September 3 PR & Citizenship Processing Times | 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.