Work permit · applying from United States of America
Canada work permit processing time from United States of America
A work permit lets you work in Canada. This figure is for work permits applied for from outside Canada.
Current processing time
6 weeks
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 December 5, 2026.
In plain English
- 8 in 10 work permit applications from United States of America were decided within 6 weeks, counted from the day IRCC had a complete application.
- Waits are getting longer. The figure was 3 weeks in July.
- The wait from United States of America is shorter than in 58% of the other 60 countries IRCC lists. The typical (middle) country's figure is 7 weeks.
- Since 2018, the figure has ranged from 2 weeks (September 2018) to 81 weeks (March 2025).
Is it getting faster or slower?
IRCC's figure for work permit applications from United States of America at each update.
In weeks. Each point is an IRCC update. Lower means a shorter wait.
Every published figure
| IRCC update | Figure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2026 | 6 weeks | +2 weeks |
| September 22, 2026 | 4 weeks | +2 weeks |
| August 19, 2026 | 2 weeks | −1 week |
| July 22, 2026 | 3 weeks | −1 week |
| July 7, 2026 | 4 weeks | −77 weeks |
| March 12, 2025 | 81 weeks | +73 weeks |
| October 31, 2023 | 8 weeks | +1 week |
| October 24, 2023 | 7 weeks | −9 weeks |
| September 6, 2022 | 16 weeks | +3 weeks |
| August 30, 2022 | 13 weeks | +1 week |
| August 9, 2022 | 12 weeks | +1 week |
| July 12, 2022 | 11 weeks | +1 week |
| June 8, 2022 | 10 weeks | +1 week |
| May 11, 2022 | 9 weeks | +1 week |
| January 18, 2022 | 8 weeks | −2 weeks |
| February 2, 2021 | 10 weeks | +8 weeks |
| September 4, 2018 | 2 weeks | first figure |
How United States of America compares
Shorter bars mean shorter waits. The typical country is the middle of all 61 countries with a figure.
Other applications from United States of America
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 work permit application from United States of America take?
IRCC's latest figure, from October 21, 2026, is 6 weeks. That means 8 in 10 recent work permit applications from United States of America were decided within that time. Some were faster and some took longer.
Is the wait from United States of America getting shorter?
Waits are getting longer. The figure was 3 weeks in July.
How does United States of America compare with other countries?
The wait from United States of America is shorter than in 58% of the other 60 countries IRCC lists. The typical (middle) country's figure is 7 weeks. The shortest right now is Guatemala (1 week) and the longest is Iran (57 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.