Canada immigration backlog at 1 million, permanent residency leads delays

Canada's immigration backlog has surged to 959,000 cases, with delays now affecting nearly half of all applications under processing

Applied for Canada immigration? You may be waiting much longer than expected. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reported that nearly 959,000 applications are now stuck in backlog as of August 31, 2025.

 

The figure represents an increase of 57,150 in just one month, according to the department’s September 23 release. The overall inventory of applications dipped slightly from July’s 2.23 million to 2.19 million, but the proportion delayed rose to 43.6 per cent, up from 40.5 per cent in July. In June, the backlog stood at 842,800.

 

"Nearly 44 per cent of all files are delayed - impacting families, workers & employers," Ravi Jain, a Toronto-based immigration attorney, said in a post on X.

 

Canada’s economy leans heavily on newcomers, with immigrants making up 23 per cent of the population and nearly 29 per cent of the workforce. Processing delays are already being felt across industries, from technology start-ups to healthcare providers.

 

Canada Citizenship applications

 

Canda Citizenship cases remain relatively steady compared with other streams.

 

Total inventory on August 31: 259,500

Backlogged: 51,200 (19.7 per cent)

Within standard: 208,300 (80.3 per cent)

 

Between April and August, IRCC granted 103,880 citizenships. The backlog rose modestly by 2,400 cases from July and by 3,800 since June. Adult grants dominate, while cases for minors continue to move faster, often within 8 to 10 months.

 

Ontario holds around 40 per cent of pending citizenship files, which can mean longer waits in the province. 

 

Canada Permanent residency applications

 

Canda Permanent residency (PR) remains the main driver of the backlog.

 

Total inventory: 901,800

Backlogged: 470,300 (52.1 per cent)

Within standard: 431,500 (47.9 per cent)

 

From January to August, IRCC made 298,500 PR decisions and admitted 276,900 new residents toward the 2025 target of 395,000.

 

Backlogs rose by 26,800 in August compared with July, and by 54,500 since June. Economic streams such as Express Entry account for around 280,000 of these, with median waits of six to eight months. Family sponsorships, including spousal cases, have about 90,000 pending, often taking 18 months or more due to verification processes. 

 

Canada Temporary residency applications

 

Temporary residency, covering study, work and visitor permits of Canada also shows mounting delays.

 

Total inventory: 1,038,100

Backlogged: 437,300 (42.1 per cent)

Within standard: 600,750 (57.9 per cent)

 

The overall inventory dropped by 41,200 from July, yet the backlog grew by 27,900 in the same period. Compared with June, backlogs have increased by 57,700.

 

Study permits face particular strain, with around 200,000 delayed as the government enforces a 2025 cap of 360,000. Work permits also lag, with about 300,000 pending. Processing times can stretch to six months, especially for applications tied to Labour Market Impact Assessments.

 

Three-month trend

 

Between June and August, the total inventory grew by just under 10,000, but the backlog swelled by more than 116,000. Within-standard cases slipped from 61.5 per cent in June to 56.4 per cent in August, a fall of nearly eight per cent in two months.