IRCC Makes Steady Progress in Reducing Canada’s Immigration Backlog

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been steadily clearing its immigration backlog, showing noticeable improvements over the past few months.

IRCC Backlog Drops by Nearly 8% in One Month

As of February 28, 2025, IRCC reported 821,200 applications in the backlog. Just a month earlier, the number was 892,100—a reduction of 7.95%.

This marks the third straight month that the backlog has stayed below one million, indicating consistent progress in how applications are being processed.

Here’s a quick look at how the backlog has changed in the last six months:

In total, IRCC had 2,029,400 applications in its inventory at the end of February. Of these, 1,208,200 applications were processed within the expected service standards.

What Does “Backlog” Mean?

An application is considered part of the IRCC backlog if it is not processed within the expected timeline. These timelines—known as service standards—vary by application type. For example:

• Express Entry: 6 months
• Family sponsorship: 12 months

If processing takes longer than these timelines, the application is added to the backlog.

IRCC aims to process 80% of all applications within service standards. The remaining 20% usually involve more complex cases.

Current Immigration Backlog by Program

Permanent Residence Applications

• Total: 842,600
• Processed within service standards: 478,600 (57%)
• Backlog: 364,000
  
  

Breakdown:

• Express Entry backlog: 25% (above the 20% target)
• PNP (via Express Entry) backlog: 36% (up from 30% last month)
• Family Sponsorship backlog: 14% (down from 15%)
  
  

Temporary Residence Applications

Includes work permits, study permits, and visitor visas.

• Total: 947,200
• Processed within service standards: 532,700 (56%)
• Backlog: 414,500
  
  

Breakdown:

• Visitor Visas: 65% in backlog (target: 50%)
• Study Permits: 45% in backlog (target: 24%)
• Work Permits: 34% in backlog (lowest since July 2023)
  
  

Citizenship Applications

• Total: 239,600
• Processed within standards: 196,900 (82%)
• Backlog: 18% (within target range)
  
  

What’s Helping IRCC Reduce the Backlog?

IRCC has introduced several measures to improve processing efficiency:

·       Technology Improvements:
IRCC has adopted advanced analytics and automation tools to speed up decision-making, sort applications, and flag complex cases for officer review.

·       Application Caps:
Caps on certain programs—like study permits—help IRCC manage the number of incoming applications.

·       Lower Immigration Targets:
The 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, released in October 2024, aims to reduce the number of new permanent residents, giving IRCC more space to clear pending applications.