Streamlining Immigration Processes

IRCC reduces backlog, accelerates processing

Canada Immigration Backlog Drops as IRCC Accelerates Processing Efforts

In a significant development for Canada's immigration system, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has successfully reduced its backlog of immigration applications, bringing the total below 830,000 as of March 2025. This achievement comes as a result of the department's concerted efforts to speed up the processing of applications, maintaining the backlog under one million for the third consecutive month. Recent data reveals a notable monthly decline of 7.95 percent from January's figures.

Understanding the Backlog

The IRCC categorizes an application as part of the backlog if it surpasses the department’s established service standards. For instance, Express Entry applications should be processed within six months, while family sponsorship applications have a 12-month processing window. The IRCC aims to process 80 percent of applications within these timelines, leaving the remaining 20 percent to potentially face delays due to complexity.

A Closer Look at the Numbers

As of the end of February, total immigration applications stood at 2,029,400, with 1,208,200 processed within the designated service standards. This progress is part of a consistent trend observed since September 2024, which saw a gradual decline in backlog numbers month over month.

Permanent Resident Applications

The inventory for permanent residence applications was recorded at 842,600 by the end of February, encompassing streams like Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP), and family sponsorships. Of these, 57 percent were processed on time, while 364,000 applications were still in the backlog. Notably, 25 percent of Express Entry applications exceeded service standards, surpassing the target backlog threshold of 20 percent.

The backlog within the Express Entry-aligned PNP stream increased to 36 percent, up from 30 percent in January, whereas the family sponsorship backlog saw a slight decrease to 14 percent.

Temporary Resident Applications

Temporary residence applications experienced a backlog of 414,500 from a total of 947,200 applications, with only 56 percent processed within the timelines. Visitor visa applications were particularly backlogged, with 65 percent exceeding service standards, against an internal target of 50 percent. Study permits also faced delays, with 45 percent in backlog, compared to a projected 24 percent. Conversely, work permits showed improvement, with a backlog rate of 34 percent, the lowest since July 2023.

Citizenship Applications

Citizenship applications remain the least affected category, with an 18 percent backlog out of 239,600 applications, comfortably below the IRCC's target of 20 percent.

Strategic Measures to Address the Backlog

The IRCC has implemented several strategic measures to manage and reduce the backlog, particularly in response to challenges posed by the pandemic. The use of automation and analytics has been pivotal, streamlining the processing of straightforward applications and assisting officers with decision-making summaries. Over 80 percent of visitor visa applications now benefit from automation.

Furthermore, the department introduced a cap on new international study permits in 2024, reducing intake by approximately 35 percent compared to the previous year, with approved permits limited to 360,000. The Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027 sets stable targets, projecting the admission of 485,000 permanent residents in 2025, rising to 500,000 in both 2026 and 2027. This stability is intended to enhance inventory management and improve predictability.

As IRCC continues its efforts to optimize processing times and reduce backlogs, these measures reflect a comprehensive approach to managing the complexities of Canada's immigration system, ensuring timely and efficient processing of applications.