As 2023 progresses, the ApplyBoard team has noticed an encouraging trend impacting Canadian study permit processing times for international students. Compared to 2021 and 2022, the average amount of time to receive a study permit1 has dropped considerably. If you’re planning to study abroad in Canada, this is great news!
However, it’s still important to leave enough time to apply for your study permit. Currently, the average processing time is 6 weeks. That might sound like a long time, but considering that in 2021, the average processing time was 11.4 weeks, it’s a definite improvement.
Read on to learn more about this study permit trend, and how it’s affecting applications. Plus, we’ll cover what processing time you can expect when applying from specific countries, from Bangladesh to South Korea.
One of the most important things you can do when submitting your Canadian study permit application is ensure you’ve included all the right documents. Plus, make sure they’re in the right format and language. Follow our guide of things to do (and not do) when applying for your Canadian study permit, and you’ll be off to a great start!
How Does Canada Calculate Study Permit Processing Times?
First, let’s talk about how these numbers are calculated. According to the Government of Canada, Canadian study permit processing times are assessed on a historical basis. This means the timing is based on how long it took 80% of applications to be processed in the past.
When Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives your application, your timeframe starts. So, if you applied online or in person, that means the clock starts when your application’s submitted. If you applied by mail, your time begins when your application arrives in the IRCC mailroom.
Individual processing times vary depending on a few different factors. These can include:
- How easy it is to verify your information
- What country you’re applying from, and how well its systems and offices communicate with Canadian visa authorities
- The number of applications IRCC is receiving at the same time
- How quickly you respond to follow-up questions from IRCC
From planning ahead to demonstrating proof of funds, these four actions can speed up your Canadian study permit processing time.
Global Study Permit Trends
Let’s take a closer look at worldwide patterns. To determine trends, ApplyBoard tracks IRCC study permit data for students applying from over 200 countries. Over the past year, even while this average changed monthly, it stayed lower than where it was a year earlier. This process’ improved speed continues a trend our ApplyInsights team reported on first in September 2021, where study permit processing times were starting to drop after climbing to 14-week averages in 2020. Processing times peaked in October 2022 at 13 weeks (versus 15 weeks in 2021), and dropped to 6 weeks in May 2023. Conversely, last May, the average wait time was 11 weeks!
These shorter application timelines are paying off. As Canada’s processes become more streamlined and IRCC clears its backlog of visa applicants, more international students have been empowered to pursue their academic goals than ever before. Over 807,000 students held a Canadian study permit last year, exceeding the previous record set in 2019. Considering 2023’s shorter turnaround times, it’s likely we’ll set a new record this year.
In 2021, our ApplyInsights team shared that average study permit processing times were starting to converge across countries, as government offices reopened and travel restrictions eased. While outliers exist, this trend has continued through 2022.
Canadian Study Permit Trends in Select Student Markets
Now that we’ve looked at the trend worldwide, let’s see what trends for specific countries looked like over that same timeframe (June 2022 to May 2023).
As mentioned above, depending on factors varying from overall application volume to how easy it is to communicate with your home country’s government agencies, your visa processing time might beat the average, or take a little longer. However, the news is good: most processing times are getting shorter.
An inspiring improvement is that Nigerian students applying to study in Canada in June 2023 can expect their student visa to take an average of 7.5 weeks2. This is much faster than a patience-testing 36 weeks in September 2022—meaning the turnaround time has become almost five times faster.
Once your permit is approved, it’s time to plan your journey to Canada! Our Arrival Guide for International Students outlines key things you’ll need to prepare.
What’s Next?
Efficient study permit processing helps Canada position itself as a top study abroad destination. Seeing average Canadian study permit processing times become faster than they’ve been over the past two years is incredibly encouraging. Still, everyone plays a role in making study abroad dreams happen.
Are you part of an academic institution?
- Use a document verification platform like ApplyProof to ensure student application letters and documents are validated quickly and securely.
Are you a study abroad advisor?
- Ensure all necessary supporting documents are ready (and translated, if required) with the study permit application at the time of submission.
- Refer to current study permit processing times to understand how long processing might take.
- Watch for email communication from IRCC, who may have additional requests.
Ready for more? Find more international student news on our blog, or use the ApplyBoard Platform to find the perfect study abroad program for your own journey.
FOOTNOTES:
1. The terms “student visa” and “study permit” are often used interchangeably for Canadian international students. Rather than student visas, Canada provides accepted international students with study permits, which allow those students to enroll in classes at Canadian institutions. When a student is accepted for a study permit, they are also usually provided with a visitor visa, which allows that student to enter Canada for their studies. Statistics used in this article are for new study permits only. All data courtesy of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), except where noted otherwise.
2. Processing times for students from each source country are calculated by the IRCC on an eight-week rolling basis. Each week, the presented processing time accounts for the average number of calendar days from student submission to IRCC decision rendered on 80% of all applications that received a decision from the IRCC in the previous eight-week period. Each month, weekly averages are averaged to obtain monthly averages.
