Canada Visa Processing Time for Australians
Canada is one of the most popular destinations for travellers to visit, but it can take a long time to process visa applications dependent on visa type.
Total Law are immigration specialists and work with Aussie travellers and expats daily to help them navigate the complexities of Canadian immigration. Call our team today on +1 844 290 6312 or contact us online, to talk through your situation.
Canadian Visas: Processing Times Overview
Once a visa application has been submitted to Canadian authorities, it is rarely granted the same day.
Instead, applicants must wait for each application to be vetted on its merits and judged as to whether or not:
- The visa application is accepted
- The visa application is returned pending more or new information
- The visa application is refused
The processing time of a visa or work permit application is the time from which authorities receive it to the time at which they make a decision on it.
If made online or in-person at a Visa Application Centre, the processing period begins when the application is submitted. If made by post, the processing period begins when the application is received at their end.
Visa processing times vary, depending on:
- The type of application being submitted
- How much information is supplied and how accurate it is
- How easily the information supplied can be verified
- How long it takes the applicant to respond to any requests for further information
- The existing backlog of applications being processed
Processing Times for Applications outside Canada
The time it takes to process applications is dependent on the visa, work permit, student permit or travel permission type being applied for – as each is judged individually and has individual eligibility criteria and requirements.
Generally speaking and in the case of uncomplicated circumstances, Australians can expect the processing time for their visa, permit or travel permission application to take:
- Australian Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) – processing times up to 1-3 days
- Canada Visitor Visa – processing times up to 24 days
- Canada Temporary Study Permit – processing times up to 8 weeks
- Canada Temporary Work Permit – processing times up to 21 weeks (‘essential’ occupations are prioritised)
- Canada Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) – processing times up to 285 days
- Canada Skilled Worker Visa – processing times up to 5 months
- Canada Start-Up Visa – processing times up to 40 months
- First Canada Permanent Residence Card – processing times up to 26 days
- Renewal of Canada Permanent Residence Card – processing times up to 69 days
- Canada Spouse or Partner Visa (outside Quebec) – processing times up to 10 months
- Canada Spouse or Partner Visa (in Quebec) – processing times up to 35 months
- Canada Parent or Grandparent Visa (outside Quebec) – processing times up to 24 months
- Canada Parent or Grandparent Visa (in Quebec) – processing times up to 48 months
The Canadian government does not report on processing times for visas for child (dependent, adoptive or otherwise) sponsorship.
It should be noted that the time it takes to process applications for travel and residence is dependent on a huge variety of factors. To understand more, speak to an expert on +1 844 290 6312 and uncover the expertise of a specialist immigration solicitor.
Interview Wait Time
When applying for a Visitor Visa, Student Permit, Work Permit or many other travel permission types, Australian applicants will be asked to attend an appointment at a Visa Application Centre.
These appointments, whether for a full visa interview or just to supply biometric information (usually a photograph and fingerprints), must be booked in advance.
In Australia, Canadian visa application centres are managed by a third party company called VFS Global. They operate three visa application centres in the country:
- Melbourne – Suite 6, Level 2, 190 Queen Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000
- Perth – Level 4, 220 St. George’s Terrace, Perth 6000 – WA
- Sydney – Level 18, Australia Square, 264 George Street, Sydney 2000, NSW
Applicants may visit whichever centre is most appropriate for them, providing they have made an advance appointment.
All VFS Global visa application centres are open Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00.
In most cases, an appointment at a visa application centre can be booked within a couple of weeks online. However, availability is due to seasonal demand and staffing levels.
The wait for an appointment at a visa application centre is not considered part of the processing time for an application. Instead, the processing time begins once the appointment has been attended by the applicant.
Applicants are advised to be as flexible as possible in their schedule to avoid delay in securing an appointment at a visa application centre.
If you can’t get an appointment as soon as you need, seek legal advice from Total Law on +1 844 290 6312.
How Can Total Law Help?
Total Law help travellers from countries all around the world to visit, live, work and study elsewhere globally. We support applicants through the application and appeals processes, helping them navigate the complexities of immigration law through transparency and jargon-free communication.
Call our team today on +1 844 290 6312 or fill out the online contact form to discuss your plans for a visa, work permit, student permit or travel permission for Canada, and let’s start putting together your application for a new life.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Visa applications can be filed online or at an Australian visa application centre. However, applications for Canadian citizenship must be made by long-term legal residents and so the applicant must already be in Canada.
In most cases, copies of supporting documents to demonstrate the eligibility for a visa or travel permit are submitted online with the application. However, if you are required to attend a visa application centre, you should take originals and copies with you there also.
There are some instances within which there may be grounds to expedite the processing of your Canadian visa or travel permit. Seek the services of Total Law on +1 844 290 6312 to learn more.
Most commonly, visa and permit applications are delayed due to a lack of supporting documents or the misfiling of a complete application (i.e. it is not whole or accurate). In order to avoid such delays it is recommended that the services of a specialist immigration lawyer are sought – such as Total Law on +1 844 290 6312.
No. The amount of time it takes Canadian immigration authorities to process applications is dependent on their ability to vet applications, and this takes more time for some countries than others.
In most cases, you cannot check the status of an individual application. However, there may be grounds to request updates. Call +1 844 290 6312 to speak to a Total Law specialist and see if this applies to your application.
Current processing times for visa and permit applications can be accessed online through the Canada Government website and are usually updated monthly.
