- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada published updated October 2026 processing times across all major visa and permit categories
- Work permit processing from inside Canada now stands at 14 weeks, while Nigerian visitor visa timelines crossed 100 days for the first time since January 2026
- Permanent residence queues showed mixed movement, with some streams shrinking and the Federal Skilled Worker Programme adding 4,500 applicants
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released its October 2026 processing time data covering permanent residence, citizenship, family sponsorship, refugee, and temporary residence categories, with the updates published on October 9 for monthly estimates and October 7 for weekly historical figures.
The new figures show a varied picture for Kenyan and other international applicants, with improvements recorded in some streams and growing pressure in others.
Work and Study Permit Changes
The most notable shift in temporary residence involves work permits. Initial work permit applications filed from inside Canada now carry a 14-week processing estimate, roughly equivalent to 98 days.
The work permit extension queue stands at approximately 208,900 applicants awaiting a decision, with a 13-week processing estimate attached.
For applicants outside Canada, the United States recorded the sharpest rise, climbing from two weeks to six weeks.
India added one week to reach 11 weeks, the highest figure for Indian applicants in this category during 2026.
Nigeria held steady at 10 weeks, while Pakistan and the Philippines remained at eight and seven weeks respectively.
Study permit processing from outside Canada also edged upward. India added one week to reach six weeks, and Nigeria added one week to reach 10 weeks, the longest timeline among the five tracked countries in this category.
The inland study permit climbed one week to eight weeks, reversing the improvement seen in September, while the study permit extension carries a 9-week estimate with around 29,000 applicants in the queue.
Visitor Visa and Permanent Residence Updates
Visitor visa processing for Nigerian applicants rose by 16 days to reach 100 days, crossing the triple-digit mark for the first time since January 2026. India edged down by one day to 30 days, the United States held at 18 days, Pakistan declined by two days to 71 days, and the Philippines rose by six days to 25 days.
Visitor record extensions from inside Canada fell sharply by 33 days to 370 days, the steepest single-update decline in this category during 2026, though the figure remains well above the 161-day level seen at the start of the year.
On the permanent residence side, the Canadian Experience Class processing time held at six months while its queue contracted by 5,000 applicants to approximately 53,900.
The Non-Express Entry Provincial Nominee Programme queue also shed 5,000 applicants, falling below 100,000 for the first time since early 2026 to approximately 96,500
By contrast, the Federal Skilled Worker Programme queue grew by 4,500 applicants to approximately 58,300, even as its processing time remained at seven months.
Family sponsorship timelines held flat across all six sub-categories in October, with the parents' and grandparents' queue outside Quebec contracting by a further 1,900 applicants to approximately 35,600, extending a six-month run of consecutive declines in that stream.
The citizenship certificate category added one month to reach 34 months, continuing its rise from 10 months in March 2026, though its queue fell by 5,300 applicants to approximately 130,700.
IRCC updates temporary residence processing times weekly and permanent residence, citizenship, and family sponsorship figures monthly.
The next update is expected in November 2026, and applicants are advised to consult the official IRCC processing time tool and seek guidance from a regulated immigration professional for their specific circumstances.
Source: TUKO.co.ke