Canada Immigration Backlog Increases After Months Of Steady Decline

According to the latest data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of pending applications (backlogs) increased again at the end of May 2025 – the first time after several months of continuous decline.

Overall immigration status at IRCC

As of May 31, 2025, IRCC recorded:

• 802,000 cases are in backlog.
• Meanwhile, at the end of April 2025, this number was 760,200 applications.
• Thus, the number of backlog records increased by 5.5% in just one month – marking the first increase since October 2024.

Below is a table of statistics on the backlog of cases in the last 6 months:

Date	Backlog of documents	Change from last month
12/2024	942.300	-6,38%
01/2025	891.100	-5,33%
02/2025	821.200	-7,95%
03/2025	779.900	-5,03%
04/2025	760.200	-2,53%
05/2025	802.000	+5,5%

The total number of applications in the entire IRCC system is currently 2,117,800, of which 1,315,800 are being processed within service standards.

What is a backlog?

Backlogs are applications that are not processed within the standard timeframes published by IRCC.

Example:

• Express Entry Profile: standard time is 6 months.
• Family sponsorship application: standard time is 12 months.

If the application is not processed by this deadline, it will be placed in the backlog. IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within the standard time limit, but complex applications that require additional documentation are at risk of being delayed.

Permanent Resident (PR) Application Status

As of April 30, 2025, the number of permanent resident applications outstanding in the system is:

• 897,900 records, including:
  • Express Entry
  • Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
  • Family Sponsorship

Including

• 495,500 applications (55%) were processed on time.
• 402,400 records fell into the backlog.
• Compared to last month, there were 11,400 new cases.

Main programs:

• Express Entry: 18% of applications backlogged.
• PNP via Express Entry: backlog increased sharply in the past 6 months, from 24% (11/2024) to 49% (4/2025) and remained at 49% in May.
• Family sponsorship: backlog currently stands at 14%, below IRCC's internal target of 15%.

Temporary Residence (TR) Documents: Work Permit, Study Permit and Tourist Visa

As of end of May 2025:

• IRCC is processing 973,300 temporary resident applications.
• Including
  • 620,000 applications (64%) on time
  • 353,300 backlog cases

Detailed status:

• Work permit: 38% of applications backlogged (far exceeding target of 23%).
• Study permit: backlog down to 23%, down from 30% in April.
• Visitor visa: backlog remains at 54%, unchanged from last month.

Canadian Citizenship Application

The status of the citizenship application backlog is quite stable:

• May 2025: 19% of files are backlogged – same as April 2025.
• This is within IRCC's target level.

What is IRCC doing to reduce the backlog?

To improve processing efficiency, IRCC has implemented a number of automated technologies and advanced data analytics since late 2024, including:

• Classify records
• Identify complex cases
• Quick summary for reviewers

In addition, the latest Immigration Levels Plan also announced that the PR quota will be reduced next year, in order to focus on processing the remaining backlog of applications.

Conclusion

IRCC’s backlog is showing signs of returning after a long period of improvement. This could impact wait times for many groups of applicants, particularly:

• International workers
• International students
• Family reunification applicant

If you are or are about to apply for permanent or temporary residence in Canada, please closely monitor the status of your application and consider consulting a professional unit to avoid the risk of prolonging the processing time. Please contact TTN immigration - a reputable, specialized and dedicated unit to support you with the most complete and thoughtful settlement application.