Canada Cuts Down More of Its Immigration Application Backlog

Canada’s immigration department has shared new data showing the immigration application backlog keeps shrinking. By April 30, 2025, the backlog stood at 760,200 applications. That’s down from 779,900 in March—a drop of 2.53%.

This marks the fifth straight month with fewer than 1 million backlogged applications. It’s also the lowest number seen in the last six months.

Monthly Backlog Trend
Here’s how the backlog changed month by month:

• November 2024: 1,006,500
  
• December 2024: 942,300
  
• January 2025: 891,100
  
• February 2025: 821,200
  
• March 2025: 779,900
  
• April 2025: 760,200
  

Even though the backlog shrank, the total application inventory grew. It reached 2,041,800 by the end of April. That’s 65,100 more applications than March’s 1,976,700.

What Counts as a Backlog?
The immigration department tries to process 80% of applications on time. If an application isn’t finished within the expected time, it goes into the backlog.

For example, Express Entry should take six months or less. Family sponsorships should be done in 12 months. Anything longer than that is considered delayed.

Permanent Residency Applications
As of April, there were 880,800 permanent residence applications in the system. These include Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and family sponsorships.

Out of those, 489,800 were processed on time. The rest—391,000—were backlogged.

Here’s how it breaks down:

• Express Entry backlog: 22% (above the 20% goal)
  
• PNP backlog: 49% (goal was 35%)
  
• Family sponsorship backlog: 14% (goal was 15%)
  

Compared to March, the family sponsorship backlog stayed nearly the same, while Express Entry and PNP backlogs were higher than targets.

Temporary Residency Applications
There were 918,500 temporary residency applications waiting. These include work permits, study permits, and visitor visas.

Of these, 594,200 were processed on time. That means 324,300 were still in the backlog.

• Work permits: 36% backlog (down from 42%)
  
• Study permits: 30% backlog (down from 37%)
  
• Visitor visas: 54% backlog (down 4% from March)
  

Even though there’s improvement, these numbers still miss the government’s backlog goals.

Citizenship Application Backlog Low
Citizenship grant applications continue to see fewer delays. By the end of April, there were 242,500 applications.

81% were processed on time, while only 44,900 were backlogged. In March, the backlog was at 43,600.

Why the Backlog Is Shrinking
Canada’s immigration department says several factors are helping them move faster.

First, they now use smart technology and automation to sort files and spot complex cases. This helps officers focus more on decisions.

Second, limits on new applications—like the 2025 cap for study permits and the Home Care Worker Pilot—keep the numbers manageable.

Lastly, the government’s plan for 2025–2027 includes lower targets for permanent residency. That’s helping reduce pressure on the system.