Continued Backlog Reduction at IRCC in 2025
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made significant progress in reducing its immigration application backlog. For the second consecutive month, IRCC has reported that the total number of pending applications has dropped below one million. As of January 31, 2025, the total number of applications in the IRCC backlog decreased to 892,100, representing a 5.33% drop from 942,300 applications in December 2024.
Progress in the Backlog
IRCC has made notable strides in managing and processing immigration applications. Here’s a look at the immigration backlog over the past six months:
- August 31, 2024: 1,078,300 applications
- September 30, 2024: 1,097,000 applications
- October 31, 2024: 1,056,100 applications
- November 30, 2024: 1,006,500 applications
- December 31, 2024: 942,300 applications
- January 31, 2025: 892,100 applications
The total number of applications in IRCC’s inventory also declined—from 2,119,900 on December 31, 2024, to 2,076,600 on January 31, 2025. Additionally, the number of processed applications increased slightly to 1,184,500 by the end of January, compared to 1,177,600 at the end of December.
What is the Immigration Backlog?
The backlog refers to applications that are processed outside of IRCC’s service standards. These standards define the expected processing time for different types of immigration applications. For example:
- Express Entry applications should be processed within 6 months.
- Family sponsorship applications should be processed within 12 months.
Any application that takes longer than these timelines is considered part of the backlog.
Current Breakdown of the Immigration Backlog
Permanent Residence Applications
As of January 31, 2025, there were 839,900 permanent residence applications in IRCC’s system, including:
- Express Entry
- PNP applications through Express Entry
- Family sponsorship programs
Of these, 483,500 applications (58%) were processed within service standards, while 356,400 applications remained in the backlog.
- Express Entry Backlog: Only 20% of Express Entry applications are considered backlog, in line with IRCC’s target to process 80% of applications within 6 months.
- PNP Backlog: The backlog for PNP applications via Express Entry increased to 30% in January 2025, up from 25% in December.
- Family Sponsorship Backlog: Remains stable at 15%, consistent with expectations.
Temporary Residence Applications
These include work permits, study permits, and visitor visas. As of January 31, 2025, only 51% of the 998,100 applications were processed within service standards.
- Visitor Visas: 71% of applications are in the backlog—higher than the forecasted 62%.
- Study Permits: Backlog increased to 45%, up from 43% in December.
- Work Permits: Backlog significantly dropped to 42%, down from 57% in December 2024.
Citizenship Applications
The backlog for citizenship applications remains low. Of the 238,600 applications under process as of January 31, 2025:
- 82% were processed within service standards
- Only 18% remained in the backlog
How Is IRCC Reducing the Backlog?
To address the backlog, IRCC introduced several measures under the 2025–2027 Immigration Levels Plan, including:
- Capping the number of study permit applications in 2025
- Limiting permanent residence intake through the Agri-Food Pilot
Additionally, in January 2025, IRCC announced plans to reduce its workforce by 3,300 jobs over the next three years. While this has raised concerns about potential delays, IRCC has stated the move is part of a broader effort to manage application inventory more effectively.
Conclusion
IRCC’s efforts to reduce its immigration backlog in 2025 have shown positive results, with a clear trend toward faster processing and a more efficient system. While some challenges remain, the overall outlook suggests steady improvement. Applicants should stay informed about current processing timelines and prepare accordingly.
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