IRCC Backlog Grows Again In July, Now Near 902,000 Applications

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) saw its backlog rise again in July. As of July 31, the department had 901,700 applications waiting beyond standard processing times. This is the third straight month the backlog has grown.

The overall number of applications across all IRCC categories stood at 2,226,600. Of these, 1,324,900 were still within service standards, while the rest fell into the backlog.

Six-Month Trend Shows Growth

The backlog has climbed sharply since spring. In February, it sat at 821,200 applications. By March, it dropped to 779,900, and then to 760,200 in April. However, the decline stopped. May saw the backlog grow to 802,000, June to 842,800, and July reached 901,700.

This represents a 6.98% increase from June to July alone.

Permanent Residence Applications

Permanent residence (PR) immigration programs account for 892,400 applications in IRCC’s inventory. These include Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) streams, and family sponsorship cases.

Of these, 448,900 were processed within service standards, leaving 443,500 in the backlog. That figure is up from June’s 415,800.

IRCC data shows 21% of Express Entry applications are now delayed, up from 20% the previous month. For PNP streams linked to Express Entry, the backlog has risen from 25% last December to 49% in July.

Family sponsorship also shows slight growth in delays. As of June, 15% of applications were in the backlog, compared to 14% in May.

Temporary Residence Applications

Temporary residence makes up the largest share of IRCC’s work. By July’s end, there were 1,079,300 applications in this category, which includes work permits, study permits, and visitor visas.

Of these, 669,900 (62%) were still within service standards, while 409,400 formed the backlog. In June, 64% of applications were on time, showing a decline in performance.

Work permits show the sharpest jump in delays. In June, 40% were backlogged. By July, this had grown to 46%. Study permits also rose, from 18% in June to 23% in July. Visitor visas faced the steepest challenge, climbing from 53% in June to 56% in July.

Citizenship Applications Steady

Unlike other categories, citizenship grants remain stable. Nineteen percent of these applications sit in the backlog, unchanged since June.

Service Standards and Processing Goals

IRCC counts an application as part of the backlog if it exceeds published service standards. For example, Express Entry aims for six months, while family sponsorship takes 12 months.

The department’s goal is to process 80% of applications within these timelines. More complex cases needing extra documents often take longer.