IRCC Backlog Grows Again As Study Permit Applications Surge In Volume

Canada’s immigration backlog hit a new high at the end of August. The number of delayed applications at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reached 958,850 as of August 31, marking a steady rise for the third straight month.

In July, the backlog stood at 901,700. That’s a jump of over 57,000 applications in just one month. Compared to March, when the number was 779,900, the increase has been consistent.

Permanent Residence Applications Affected
The total number of permanent residence (PR) applications was 901,800 by August’s end. Out of these, 431,500 were being processed on time. This means 470,300 applications were part of the backlog.

That’s up from 443,500 in July. Some immigration streams are facing longer delays than others.

• Express Entry backlog sits at 20%, slightly better than 21% in July.
  
• Express Entry-linked PNP applications remain stuck at 49%—no change since July.
  
• Family sponsorship delays grew from 15% to 17%, now at a two-year high.
  

Temporary Resident Applications See Mixed Trends
There are now over 1 million applications for temporary residence, with 1,038,100 total as of August 31. Only 600,750 were processed within standard timelines, down from 62% in July to 58% in August.

This leaves 437,350 applications in the backlog.

Here’s how the backlog looks across the temporary residence categories:

• Work permits: Slight improvement from 46% to 45% backlog
  
• Study permits: Worsened from 23% to 32% backlog
  
• Visitor visas: Rose from 56% to 60% backlog
  

Study permits saw the sharpest increase in delays, adding pressure for students planning to study in Canada.

Citizenship Applications Holding Steady
On a slightly positive note, citizenship grants remain close to targets. As of August 31, 20% of citizenship applications were delayed. That’s just one percent higher than in July. IRCC considers this within acceptable levels.

What Counts as Backlog?
IRCC defines an application as part of the backlog if it takes longer than the official service standard. For example:

• Express Entry: Processed within 6 months
  
• Family sponsorship: Processed within 12 months
  

If the application takes longer than this, it’s marked as part of the backlog.

IRCC aims to process 80% of all applications within the service standard. Complex cases may still take longer.

Backlog Summary
As of August 31, 2,199,400 total applications were in IRCC’s system. Of these, 1,240,550 were being processed on time. That leaves 958,850 in the backlog.

The growing delays are affecting many applicants—especially those applying for study permits, visitor visas, and family sponsorship.