# Canada Work Permit Approval Rate 2026: Global IRCC Data for Indians > IRCC reported an 82% approval rate for work permit applications in early 2026, against 54% for visitor visas and 38% for study permits. What that global figure means for an applicant in India. _Published: 2026-10-31 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1083_ ## TL;DR IRCC's April 2026 committee notes report an 82% approval rate for work permit applications from all nationalities in 2026 up to 28 February, higher than visitor visas (54%) and study permits (38%) over the same period. IRCC gives no India-only rate. From India, a work permit costs CAN$155 plus CAN$85 biometrics and takes about 11 weeks. ## Key takeaways - IRCC: 82% approval rate for work permit applications, all nationalities, calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026. - Same period: 54% for visitor visas and 38% for study permits. - No official India-specific work permit approval or refusal rate for 2025-2026 was found in IRCC's published data. - Work permit fee CAN$155.00 plus CAN$85.00 biometrics; processing from India 11 weeks (IRCC data, last updated October 14, 2026). - Most employer-specific permits need a positive LMIA, and the employer must not be on IRCC's non-compliant list. **According to IRCC's notes for a parliamentary committee (April 30, 2026), the approval rate for work permit applications from all nationalities was 82% in calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026. The notes give all-nationality rates only, so treat 82% as a global two-month benchmark, not a forecast for Indian applicants.** ## Article Figures are as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15: IRCC's committee notes, fee list and processing-times data. For work permit routes, fees and Visa Application Centres in India, see our Canada visa guide for Indians. ### What exactly does IRCC's 82% cover? It comes from a note prepared by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the parliamentary committee SECU, dated April 30, 2026, on the management of expired and cancelled visas. The figure is the approval rate for work permit applications from all nationalities. - Period: calendar year 2026 to February 28, 2026, roughly the first two months of the year. - Who: applicants of every nationality, not Indians alone. - What: work permit applications. The note, as captured in our dataset, does not split employer-specific and open work permits. A two-month window is a snapshot. It tells you how IRCC decided work permit files early in 2026. It does not tell you how your file will be assessed. ### How does the work permit rate compare with other IRCC decisions? Category (all nationalities)FigurePeriodWork permit approval rate82%2026 to February 28, 2026Visitor visa approval rate54%2026 to February 28, 2026Study permit approval rate38%2026 to February 28, 2026Visitor visa (TRV) refusal rate51%2025 (54% in 2024, 39% in 2023)Refusal rate, new study permit applications59%January-December 2025 (52% in 2024)Work permits stand out. In the same two months, IRCC approved a far higher share of work permit applications than visitor visas or study permits. Over 2025, refusal rates for visitor visas and new study permits were both above half. IRCC's note reports these rates without explaining the gap between categories, so read each figure on its own. Each also covers every nationality, which matters when you compare it with your situation in India. ### Is there an India-specific work permit approval rate? No official one. No India-specific approval or refusal rate for work permits, visitor visas or study permits for 2025-2026 appears in the IRCC material checked for this article. The committee notes give all-nationality rates only. Be careful with India-only percentages quoted elsewhere. Unless they cite an IRCC dataset you can open, treat them as unverified. ### What does IRCC check before approving an employer-specific permit? IRCC says most applicants get an employer-specific (closed) permit tied to one employer. IRCC's requirements are where an application succeeds or fails. - A real job offer from an employer that is not on IRCC's list of non-compliant employers. - An LMIA, unless exempt. Most jobs need a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, and your employer must give you the LMIA letter and Annex A. - Enough money to support yourself and your family during the stay and to return home. IRCC points to low income cut-offs as a general reference. - Intent to leave Canada before the permit expires. - A complete application with every required document. Open work permits, which need no job offer, are only for applicants who qualify under specific programmes. ### How long does a work permit take from India, and what does it cost? ItemAmount or timeWork permit fee, per personCAN$155.00Open work permit holder feeCAN$100.00Biometrics, per individualCAN$85.00Biometrics, family of 2 or moreCAN$170.00Processing, outside Canada, applications from India11 weeks (IRCC data, last updated October 14, 2026)IRCC told a parliamentary committee in April 2026 that posted processing times are backward-looking and do not reflect actual processing times. Use 11 weeks as a guide, not a deadline. IRCC publishes fees in CAD only. Biometrics are given at one of 10 VFS-run Visa Application Centres in India. VFS charges extra only for optional services, such as one-way passport courier at INR 858 or two-way courier at INR 1,716. VFS has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026, with amounts not yet published on 15 October 2026. ### What are the steps from India once you have a job offer? - Collect the employer's documents: the job offer and, unless the job is LMIA-exempt, the LMIA letter and Annex A. - Apply online to IRCC from India and pay the CAN$155.00 work permit fee and the CAN$85.00 biometrics fee. - Wait for IRCC's biometric instruction letter, then book a free biometrics appointment at a VFS-run Visa Application Centre, uploading that letter. - Give your fingerprints and photo at the centre. The biometrics fee covers this and one transfer of your documents between IRCC and that centre. - If IRCC asks for your passport, submit it at a centre by prior appointment. Collect the decision envelope at the centre (walk-in, Monday to Friday, 9:00-17:00) or pay for courier return. If you give biometrics at one centre and submit documents at another, VFS charges a package transmission fee of INR 604. ### What weakens a work permit application? - An employer on IRCC's non-compliant list. - A missing LMIA letter or Annex A when the job is not LMIA-exempt. - Thin proof of funds for you and accompanying family. - No clear sign that you will leave when the permit ends. - Missing documents from the IRCC checklist. - Booking biometrics without the right paperwork: since February 24, 2026, VFS India appointments require uploading the IRCC Biometric Instruction Letter. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for visa files, including Canadian visitor visas for family who want to visit you later. Packages run from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us. ### Frequently asked questions #### Where do Indians give biometrics for a Canada work permit? At a VFS-run Visa Application Centre after IRCC sends the biometric instruction letter. IRCC lists ten in India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. Booking the biometrics appointment is free. #### Can I get an open work permit for Canada from India? Only if you qualify under a specific programme. IRCC says most applicants get an employer-specific work permit, and open work permits, which need no job offer, are limited to eligible applicants. #### Is the Canada work permit fee charged in rupees? No. IRCC publishes the CAN$155.00 work permit fee and CAN$85.00 biometrics fee in Canadian dollars only, with no official INR amount. Only optional VFS services, such as courier, are priced in INR. #### Did more visitor visas get refused than approved in 2025? IRCC's committee note puts the global visitor visa (TRV) refusal rate at 51% in 2025, after 54% in 2024 and 39% in 2023. Those figures cover all nationalities. ## FAQ ### Where do Indians give biometrics for a Canada work permit? At a VFS-run Visa Application Centre after IRCC sends the biometric instruction letter. IRCC lists ten in India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. Booking the biometrics appointment is free. ### Can I get an open work permit for Canada from India? Only if you qualify under a specific programme. IRCC says most applicants get an employer-specific work permit, and open work permits, which need no job offer, are limited to eligible applicants. ### Is the Canada work permit fee charged in rupees? No. IRCC publishes the CAN$155.00 work permit fee and CAN$85.00 biometrics fee in Canadian dollars only, with no official INR amount. Only optional VFS services, such as courier, are priced in INR. ### Did more visitor visas get refused than approved in 2025? IRCC's committee note puts the global visitor visa (TRV) refusal rate at 51% in 2025, after 54% in 2024 and 39% in 2023. Those figures cover all nationalities. ## Sources 1. [IRCC - SECU committee note: Management of Expired and Cancelled Visas (April 30, 2026)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/secu-apr-30-2026/management-expired-cancelled-visas.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) 2. [IRCC - SECU committee note: International Students (April 30, 2026)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/secu-apr-30-2026/international-students.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) 3. [IRCC - Employer-specific work permits](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/employer-specific.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)