Study permit · applying from South Africa
Canada study permit processing time from South Africa
A study permit lets you study at a school, college or university in Canada, usually for a program longer than six months.
Current processing time
19 weeks
about 4½ months
IRCC figure, update of October 21, 2026. Check IRCC's tool
If you apply today
If IRCC keeps this pace, 8 in 10 applications sent today would be decided by about March 2027.
In plain English
- 8 in 10 study permit applications from South Africa were decided within 19 weeks, counted from the day IRCC had a complete application.
- Waits are getting longer. The figure was 16 weeks in July.
- The wait from South Africa is longer than in 99% of the other 91 countries IRCC lists. The typical (middle) country's figure is 6 weeks.
- Since 2018, the figure has ranged from 10 weeks (September 2018) to 26 weeks (May 2024).
Is it getting faster or slower?
IRCC's figure for study permit applications from South Africa at each update.
In weeks. Each point is an IRCC update. Lower means a shorter wait.
Every published figure
| IRCC update | Figure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| October 14, 2026 | 19 weeks | +1 week |
| October 7, 2026 | 18 weeks | +2 weeks |
| September 22, 2026 | 16 weeks | +2 weeks |
| August 19, 2026 | 14 weeks | −2 weeks |
| July 22, 2026 | 16 weeks | +1 week |
| July 7, 2026 | 15 weeks | −9 weeks |
| March 12, 2025 | 24 weeks | −2 weeks |
| May 28, 2024 | 26 weeks | +15 weeks |
| October 24, 2023 | 11 weeks | −2 weeks |
| August 30, 2022 | 13 weeks | +1 week |
| August 23, 2022 | 12 weeks | −1 week |
| July 12, 2022 | 13 weeks | −2 weeks |
| June 28, 2022 | 15 weeks | +2 weeks |
| June 21, 2022 | 13 weeks | +1 week |
| May 11, 2022 | 12 weeks | −1 week |
| March 1, 2022 | 13 weeks | +1 week |
| February 1, 2022 | 12 weeks | −1 week |
| January 25, 2022 | 13 weeks | −1 week |
| January 18, 2022 | 14 weeks | +2 weeks |
| February 2, 2021 | 12 weeks | +2 weeks |
| September 4, 2018 | 10 weeks | first figure |
How South Africa compares
Shorter bars mean shorter waits. The typical country is the middle of all 92 countries with a figure.
What does this number mean?
It looks back, not forward
IRCC's figure is how long it took to decide 8 in 10 of the applications of this kind that it finished recently. The other 2 in 10 took longer.
The clock starts with a complete application
It counts from the day IRCC had a complete application to the day it made a decision.
It changes often
IRCC revises the figure regularly, usually every week. A single application can be faster or slower.
Common questions
How long does a study permit application from South Africa take?
IRCC's latest figure, from October 21, 2026, is 19 weeks (about 4½ months). That means 8 in 10 recent study permit applications from South Africa were decided within that time. Some were faster and some took longer.
Is the wait from South Africa getting shorter?
Waits are getting longer. The figure was 16 weeks in July.
How does South Africa compare with other countries?
The wait from South Africa is longer than in 99% of the other 91 countries IRCC lists. The typical (middle) country's figure is 6 weeks. The shortest right now is Denmark (2 weeks) and the longest is Iran (21 weeks).
Is this an official government website?
No. Canada Visa Wait is an independent site and is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. The figures are IRCC's own. Before you rely on a date, check IRCC's official processing-times tool.