Canada makes Indians wait longest for visitor visas, 99 days; it's 59 for Pakistanis

Indian nationals applying for visitor visas to Canada are now facing an average processing time of 99 days, the longest among major source countries, according to Ontario-based news website Immigration News Canada, citing data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Applicants applying for a Super Visa, primarily intended for parents and grandparents of Canadian permanent residents, are experiencing an average processing time of 169 days.

This surge in delays, according to IRCC's latest update in November, highlights a growing bottleneck in Canada’s temporary resident visa system amid record application volumes.

For visitor visa applications submitted from outside Canada, applicants from India now face a processing time of 99 days—an increase of 13 days compared to the previous measurement period.

In contrast, applicants from the United States average 36 days, Nigeria 27 days, Pakistan 59 days, and the Philippines 21 days.

A Canadian visitor visa allows citizens from countries that require a visa to enter Canada for tourism, visiting family or friends, or other short-term stays.

However, broader immigration pathways reveal deeper queues: over 290,700 individuals are awaiting citizenship grants, with processing times unchanged at 13 months, according to the report.

SUPER VISA PROCESSING TIME FOR INDIANS HIT 169 DAYS

Applications for Super Visas from India typically take 169 days to process, according to the report. A Super Visa is a special type of Canadian visa designed for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Observers point to several contributing factors: high volumes of applications, country-specific screening and background checks, resource constraints within processing centres, and added complexity when applications originate from high-demand countries such as India.

Study permit processing has improved to four weeks (down one week), offering a brighter path for students, while work permits remain steady at 10 weeks.

INDIAN STUDENTS FACED HIGH VISA REJECTION RATE IN AUGUST: REPORT

The report comes days after figures from Canada’s immigration department showed that about 74% of Indian applicants were denied study permits in August, compared to 32% in August 2023.

In contrast, the overall rejection rate across all countries stood at about 40% in both years, while around 24% of Chinese applicants faced rejections in August this year.

Recent reports also suggest that the Canadian government is considering granting new powers to its immigration department to cancel temporary visas collectively amid rising fraud and asylum claims. This move is aimed particularly at applicants from India and Bangladesh, CBC News reported. Temporary visas are currently being issued to students and professionals.

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