Canada’s immigration system faced mounting delays in October 2025, with pending applications rising beyond the one-million mark.
Canada’s immigration backlog has climbed past one million applications. The latest figures show growing pressure across several programs. Express Entry cases saw the sharpest monthly increase. The backlog rate for this stream rose by 29 percent from September.
The immigration department released the October figures on December 16, 2025. By the end of October, total applications reached 2,182,200. Of these, 1,175,500 met service time goals. The remaining files added to the growing backlog.
Officials consider a file backlogged once it exceeds set processing timelines. These timelines differ by application type. A steady rise through summer led to October’s highest count this year.
Early 2025 brought steady improvements. Backlog numbers fell from January through April. May reversed that trend. Each month since then showed consistent growth. October marked the first time the backlog crossed one million this year.
September ended with just under one million delayed files. October added another 10,000 cases. While growth slowed, pressure remained high across key programs.
Permanent residence files continued to pile up. By October 31, inventories reached 928,800 applications. This figure rose by 15,000 from September.
Only 46 percent met service standards. That left over 501,000 permanent residence files delayed. Express Entry cases drove much of this growth.
The backlog share for Express Entry climbed to 27 percent. Officials had expected 20 percent. September showed only 21 percent delayed. Provincial nominee files linked to Express Entry also worsened. Their backlog rate rose to 51 percent. This marked the highest level since April 2022.
Family sponsorship cases showed steadier results. Twenty percent exceeded timelines. This figure matched government targets.
Between January and October, officials finalized 377,100 permanent residence decisions. Canada welcomed 343,400 new permanent residents during that time.
Temporary residence applications showed some improvement. Total inventories dropped to 999,100 by October’s end. September had recorded over one million.
Still, delays remained high. Only 55 percent met service goals. Over 450,000 files stayed backlogged.
Work permit delays rose slightly. Half of all files exceeded timelines. Officials had aimed for far fewer delays. Study permits brought a rare positive sign. Their backlog fell for the first time since July. Still, delays exceeded expected levels.
Visitor visa delays stayed unchanged. Fifty-seven percent exceeded timelines. This matched official projections.
From January through October, officials finalized over one million work permits. They also completed more than 500,000 study permits.
Citizenship applications also added strain. By October 31, inventories reached 254,300 files. About 78 percent met processing targets.
Roughly 54,800 citizenship cases exceeded timelines. This marked the fourth straight monthly increase. Each month added one percent more delays.
Between April and October, Canada welcomed 156,500 new citizens.
Service standards guide expected processing times. Most Express Entry cases target six months. Family sponsorship cases target twelve months.
Officials aim to finish 80 percent within these timelines. Complex files often need extra time. These cases usually account for remaining delays.
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