IRCC saw its pile of delayed applications climb to 996,700 by September 30, the largest total in nearly a year.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) faced a sharp rise in pending files by the end of September. The department recorded 996,700 delayed applications, its highest count since late 2024. The jump marked another month of rising pressure on the system.
Study permit applications rose the fastest. They climbed 10% in one month, the biggest increase of the year.
IRCC held 2,200,100 total applications on September 30. Officers finished 1,203,400 files within the department’s timelines. The rest remained under review beyond the expected time limits.
The backlog moved up and down through 2025. It started lower early in the year, then rose sharply through summer. September’s backlog came after steady increases:
The backlog grew 3.95% between August and September.
IRCC held 913,800 permanent residence files at the end of September. These included Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and family sponsorship cases.
Officers handled 431,400 of these within the expected timelines. Another 482,400 files fell into delay. This number rose from 470,300 the month before.
The department reported that 21% of Express Entry files faced delays, up slightly from 20% in August.
The PNP backlog sat at 47%, its lowest level since March.
Family sponsorship delays rose again. The backlog reached 19%, the highest level since mid-2023.
Temporary residence files reached 1,028,500 in September. Officers processed 567,400 of them on time, leaving 461,100 in delay.
Work permit delays increased from 45% to 48%. This number sat far above the planned target of 28%.
Study permit delays rose even faster. The backlog reached 42%, compared with 32% the month before. This was the highest level since February.
Visitor visa delays eased slightly. The percentage dropped from 60% to 57%, but still sat above the planned target of 53%.
IRCC held 257,800 citizenship files at the end of September. Officers processed 204,600 of them within the set timelines.
Another 53,200 applications entered delay. This made up 21% of all pending files, a small rise from the 20% recorded a month earlier.
A file moves into the backlog when it passes IRCC’s expected processing time. These timelines act as benchmarks for normal cases.
For example, IRCC aims to finish most Express Entry files in six months. It aims to finish sponsorship cases in 12 months. Files that take longer enter the backlog.
IRCC aims to complete 80% of cases on time. The remaining files often need more documents or extra review.
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