Canada Immigration Backlog Rises Again Despite Faster Study Permits

By June 30, 2025, there were 842,800 immigration applications stuck in the backlog. That’s a jump from 802,000 at the end of May. The increase is 5.02%, even though some application types are now being processed faster.

Backlog Over the Last Six Months
Here’s how the backlog has changed recently:

• January: 891,100
  
• February: 821,200
  
• March: 779,900
  
• April: 760,200
  
• May: 802,000
  
• June: 842,800
  

As of June 30, IRCC had 2,189,500 total applications in its system. Out of these, 1,346,700 were processed on time. The rest are still waiting.

What Counts as a Backlog?
An application enters the backlog when it isn’t completed within the promised time. For example, Express Entry should be done in 6 months. Family sponsorship should take 12 months. Anything beyond that is backlog.

IRCC tries to finish 80% of applications within the standard timeframe. But complex cases often take longer because they need more documents or checks.

Permanent Residency Applications
There are 896,100 applications in the PR category. These include Express Entry, PNP, and family sponsorship. Out of these, 480,300 (54%) were handled on time. The remaining 415,800 are part of the backlog, up from 402,400 in May.

About 20% of Express Entry files are now backlog cases, up from 18% in May. PNP backlog is high too. It was 49% in May and dropped only slightly to 48% in June.

The family sponsorship backlog is at 14%, which is better than the 15% goal. That’s a good sign for those applying through this route.

Temporary Residency Applications
Temporary resident applications include work permits, study permits, and visitor visas. By the end of June, there were 1,040,700 such applications. IRCC managed to process 661,100 (64%) on time. But 379,600 remain in the backlog.

Work permits had a backlog of 40% in June, up from 38% in May. Study permit backlogs dropped sharply, falling from 45% in February to just 18% in June. This is the first time in a year it has gone below the target of 20%.

Visitor visa backlogs also dropped, but only slightly—from 54% in May to 53% in June.

Citizenship Applications
The backlog for citizenship grants held steady at 19%. That’s within the target range, and it hasn’t changed since May.

What IRCC Is Doing About It
IRCC is using advanced tools like automation and data analytics. These help officers sort applications, flag complicated ones, and speed up the review process. These tools aim to reduce waiting times and cut down the growing backlog.