Canada Work Visa Status Tracking for Indian Applicants

There is no single tracking number that covers the whole journey. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) decides the application, and VFS Global, the Government of Canada's exclusive service provider for Visa Application Centres in India, handles biometrics and passports. Everything below is as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For all Canadian visa types and fees, see our Canada visa guide for Indians.

What are the stages of a Canada work permit application from India?

Two fee details are worth knowing before stage 1. Families applying at the same time pay a maximum of CAN$170 for biometrics. IRCC's fee list also includes a CAN$100 open work permit holder fee, relevant only to applicants who qualify for an open permit under specific programs; most Indians hired from abroad get an employer-specific permit tied to one employer.

Where do you check your status after applying?

Start with the IRCC Portal account you applied through. That is where you received your personalised document checklist, and it is where IRCC's letters, beginning with the biometrics instruction letter, reach you. Check it regularly rather than waiting for an email prompt, because IRCC says applications that need more information take longer.

VFS Global does not decide anything. Its role is the physical side: recording biometrics, receiving your passport when IRCC asks for it, and returning it. VFS also sells an optional SMS service (INR 179). For IRCC's own handling of your file, your IRCC account is the place to look.

How do you book biometrics with the instruction letter?

VFS India moved biometrics booking to its Appointment Management System from 21 February 2026, and appointments from 24 February 2026 require you to upload the IRCC Biometric Instruction Letter. Booking the appointment is free; the CAN$85 biometrics fee you paid to IRCC covers collecting your fingerprints and photo and moving documents between the visa office and that VAC.

The ten VACs are in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. If you give biometrics at one centre and later submit documents at another, VFS charges package transmission of INR 604 per package.

How long should a work permit from India take?

IRCC's processing-times data shows 11 weeks for work permits applied for from outside Canada by applicants in India, last updated October 14, 2026. Treat that figure with care. IRCC told a parliamentary committee in April 2026 that posted times are backward-looking and do not reflect actual processing times, and applications that need more information take longer.

For context, IRCC reported an 82% approval rate for work permit applications from all nationalities in calendar year 2026 up to February 28, 2026. It publishes no India-only work permit figure, and no rate predicts the outcome of your own file.

How does your passport get the visa and come back?

India is on IRCC's list of visa-required countries, so Indian citizens need a valid visa in their passport before travelling to Canada. When IRCC asks for your passport, book a submission appointment at a VAC; passport submission is not walk-in. After a decision, you can collect the envelope at the VAC as a walk-in, Monday to Friday 9:00-17:00, or have it returned by courier.

Optional VFS charges, effective 1 May 2026 and paid in INR by cash or UPI, are non-refundable:

• One-way courier for passport return: INR 858
• Two-way courier: INR 1,716
• Package transmission between VACs: INR 604
• Premium Lounge: INR 4,767
• SMS updates: INR 179

VFS has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026, but the amounts were not published as of 15 October 2026. Check the VFS Canada India service charges page before you pay.

What slows down a work permit decision?

• Missing LMIA documents. Unless your job is LMIA-exempt, you need the LMIA letter and Annex A from your employer's positive LMIA.
• An ineligible employer. The job offer must come from an employer not on IRCC's list of non-compliant employers.
• Thin proof of funds. You must show enough money to support yourself and your family during the stay and to return home.
• Weak evidence that you will leave. IRCC asks you to show you will leave Canada before the work permit expires and to include all required documents.
• Unanswered requests. Any request for more information extends the wait.

If family members plan to visit you in Canada later on a visitor visa, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters for their files, from INR 1,000 to INR 3,000. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or reach us on our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Does VFS Global decide my Canada work permit?

No. IRCC decides it, and applications from India are handled by the visa office in New Delhi. VFS Global runs the Visa Application Centres that record biometrics and handle passports.

Is there a separate VFS fee for giving biometrics for Canada?

No. The CAN$85 biometrics fee paid online to IRCC covers fingerprints, the photo and one package transmission between IRCC and that VAC. Booking the biometrics appointment is free; optional services such as courier are extra.

Can I travel to Canada as soon as my work permit is approved?

Not until a visa has been placed in your passport. India is on IRCC's visa-required list, so you submit your passport at a VAC by appointment and travel only after it comes back with the visa.

Will VFS Canada charges change soon?

Yes. VFS India has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026, but the amounts were not published as of 15 October 2026. The current one-way courier charge is INR 858.