Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released its weekly processing-time dashboard on 24 February 2026, bringing encouraging news for Indian applicants. Visitor-visa (Temporary Resident Visa) wait times from India have fallen to 71 days, down from 78 days the previous week and from peaks of 99-plus days in early January. Work-permit processing for Indian applicants lodged outside Canada remains steady at eight weeks, while study-permit times hold at four weeks—well inside IRCC’s 60-day service benchmark. The update also reminds applicants that, for biometric appointments booked on or after 24 February, the Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL) must be uploaded to VFS Global’s new Appointment Management System at the time of booking, replacing the older webform request process. The incremental gains suggest that IRCC’s overtime surge teams and AI-enabled triage pilots are finally chipping away at pandemic-era backlogs. For Indian corporates sending staff on short business trips, the improved timelines reduce uncertainty that previously forced many to apply six months ahead or route meetings through the US or UAE. Education consultants are optimistic that steady four-week study-permit processing will help Canadian universities regain market share lost to Australia after January’s fee hikes. However, mobility managers should monitor potential disruptions: IRCC warns that a Canada Post labour dispute could extend document-transit times, and that inland work-permit extensions still exceed service standards (nine weeks). Action points for employers include revising Canada-bound travel policies to reflect the shorter lead-time, ensuring employees secure BILs promptly, and budgeting for VFS premium slots during peak intake months (May and August).
Source: Liberty Immigration (Canada)
