Canada immigration backlog drops below 830,000 as IRCC speeds up processing

March 2025 is the third consecutive month the backlog has stayed below 1 million, according to IRCC data

The backlog of immigration applications at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continues to shrink, with the department processing more files within its set service standards. In March, 2025, the backlog stands at 821,200 — down from 892,100 in January. That’s a monthly drop of 7.95 per cent. It also marks the third month in a row that the backlog has remained under the 1 million mark, according to IRCC data.

 

Total applications across all immigration categories reached 2,029,400 at the end of February. Of those, 1,208,200 were processed within service standards, which vary by programme.

 

What is counted as a backlog?

 

 

IRCC considers an application to be part of the backlog if it takes longer than the department’s service standard. For instance:

 

Express Entry applications are expected to be processed within six months  

Family sponsorship applications are expected within 12 months  

 

If processing time exceeds these, the application joins the backlog.

 

IRCC says its target is to process 80 per cent of applications within these timelines, with the remaining 20 per cent taking longer due to complexity.

 

Backlog over the past six months

 

The backlog has been falling since September 2024. Here's a month-by-month look:

 

September, 2024: 1,097,000 applications (+1.73 per cent)  

October, 2024: 1,056,100 (-3.73 per cent)  

November, 2024: 1,006,500 (-4.70 per cent)  

December, 2024: 942,300 (-6.38 per cent)  

January, 2025: 892,100 (-5.33 per cent)  

February, 2025: 821,200 (-7.95 per cent)  

 

Permanent resident applications

 

There were 842,600 permanent residence applications in the inventory at the end of February, including Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Programme (PNP), and family sponsorship streams.

 

Of these:

 

478,600 (57 per cent) were within service standards  

364,000 were in the backlog  

 

While IRCC does not give exact numbers per stream, 25 per cent of Express Entry applications were in the backlog—above the 20 per cent threshold.

 

Backlog in the Express Entry-aligned PNP stream rose to 36 per cent in February, up from 30 per cent in January. In contrast, the family sponsorship backlog dropped slightly to 14 per cent from 15 per cent the month before.

 

Temporary resident applications

 

Temporary residence programmes had a backlog of 414,500 out of 947,200 total applications. Only 56 per cent were processed on time.

 

< 65 per cent of visitor visa applications were backlogged. IRCC's internal target is 50 per cent  

< 45 per cent of study permit applications were delayed, while the projected backlog is 24 per cent  

< Work permit applications had the lowest backlog rate at 34 per cent—the lowest since July 2023  

 

Citizenship applications

 

Citizenship continues to be the least affected category. Out of 239,600 total applications, 196,900 were within service standards.

 

This leaves an 18 per cent backlog—still below the department’s 20 per cent target.

 

How is IRCC tackling the backlog?

 

IRCC has introduced several measures to control growing inventories, particularly after the pandemic years.

 

Automation and analytics: In a November 2024 update, IRCC said it was using digital tools to speed up processing. “These tools help identify straightforward applications and support officers with summaries for decision-making,” the department noted. Over 80 per cent of visitor visa applications now use automation.  

 

Application caps: A cap on new international study permits in 2024 has reduced intake by around 35 per cent compared to 2023. Approved permits have been limited to 360,000.  

 

Stable immigration targets: According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2025–27, Canada will hold steady at 485,000 permanent residents in 2025, and 500,000 in both 2026 and 2027. “This stability allows us to better manage inventories and improve predictability,” IRCC said.