In late September 2026 Canada’s immigration department updated its processing‑times webpage to provide personalised wait‑time estimates for two groups of work‑permit applicants.

The new estimates apply to applicants extending an existing permit from within Canada and to international‑student graduates seeking their first post‑graduation work permit (PGWP).

The tool calculates an estimated remaining wait in weeks based on the applicant’s submission date and the number of applications ahead in the queue.

As of 26 September 2026, roughly 202,900 work‑permit applications were still pending a decision.

Previously the page offered a single generic estimate for “Work permit in Canada”; that option now remains only for first‑time, in‑Canada applicants who are not applying for a PGWP.

Applicants can now select “Work permit extension in Canada” under the “Temporary residence” menu to view a specific estimate, while those who have not yet applied can still see a general wait‑time projection.

Kenyan workers already in Canada should be aware of “maintained status”: submitting an extension before the current permit expires allows them to keep working under existing conditions until a decision is made, even if the permit lapses in the meantime.

A temporary measure introduced on 9 June 2026, running until 31 December 2026, lets provincially‑nominated Kenyan applicants for the base Provincial Nominee Program apply for a bridging open work permit earlier, without waiting for formal acknowledgement of their permanent‑residence application.

For Kenyan graduates of Canadian institutions, the PGWP continues to be a key route to permanent residence, offering up to three years of work rights depending on the length of the study program.

IRCC also reminded all foreign workers, including Kenyans, to follow permit conditions, apply for extensions at least 30 days before expiry, and report any employer, job or location changes.

The department warned of immigration scams targeting workers with false offers of jobs, permits or permanent residence in exchange for money or personal data.

Canada plans to admit up to 230,000 temporary foreign workers in 2026, split between the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (60,000) and the International Mobility Program (170,000), keeping competition for positions high.