VisabuddiesVB
ExploreGuidesQuestionsHow it works
Sign inStart selling
GuidesCanadaStudy Permit

SDS study permit taking 40+ days from Pakistan: is that normal?

Canada • Study Permit • study 0 views
By VisaBuddies Communityvia community — compiled from public visa forums

Step-by-Step

A member's SDS application from Pakistan had been sitting in the 'eligibility' stage for over 40 days with no progress, despite biometrics, medical, and background checks all being completed on time.

What the thread suggested:
  1. Check the current official processing time posted on the IRCC website before assuming something is wrong. 40 days isn't inherently abnormal for SDS — but if IRCC's own published times show something much shorter (e.g., 20 days), that's a signal your file may be taking longer than average.

  2. Real signal to worry: applicants who applied after you and already received their visa. The clearest indicator that something may be off with your file isn't the raw number of days elapsed — it's seeing people who submitted later than you already getting decisions. Until that happens, delays alone aren't necessarily cause for concern.


Takeaway: compare your wait against IRCC's current published processing time for your category and country, and watch for later applicants getting decided before you — rather than treating any specific day count as automatically abnormal.

Dos, Don'ts & Tips

  • Tip: Compare your wait time against IRCC's currently published processing time for your specific category/country, not a fixed number.
  • Do: Watch for applicants who applied after you receiving decisions first — that's a stronger signal of an issue than elapsed time alone.

Have a question about this? Join the discussion.

View Thread

Related Guides

immigration

Study permit and studies end almost simultaneously: why you likely still need a study permit extension before applying for PGWP

immigration

CRS too low at 33 despite IELTS 8777? Study route vs learning French — how families weighed it

immigration

When can you start your spousal open work permit application relative to your spouse's landing?

immigration

Lost access to an old application account? Order your case notes to recover what you submitted

immigration

Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) refused for insufficient common-law proof — how to strengthen a reapplication