Canada’s immigration system is still working through a huge number of applications, but the good news is that the overall backlog is slowly going down. However, there’s one area where the situation is getting worse: the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) through Express Entry.
As of March 31, 2025, there were 779,900 applications waiting longer than expected for decisions—this is what Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) calls a backlog. That’s an improvement compared to 821,200 applications at the end of February, showing a 5.03% drop. This marks the fourth month in a row where the total backlog has stayed below 1 million.
Backlog trend over the last six months:
| Month | Immigration backlog | Change relative to preceding month |
|---|---|---|
| October, 2024 | 1,056,100 | -3.73% |
| November, 2024 | 1,006,500 | -4.70% |
| December, 2024 | 942,300 | -6.38% |
| January, 2025 | 891,100 | -5.33% |
| February, 2025 | 821,200 | -7.95% |
| March, 2025 | 779,900 | -5.03% |
What does ‘backlog’ really mean?
When IRCC takes longer than their promised timelines to process an immigration application, that application is counted in the backlog. For example, if Express Entry takes longer than 6 months, or if a family sponsorship takes more than 12 months, it is considered delayed or “backlogged.”
IRCC’s goal is to process 80% of applications within their standard timelines. The remaining 20% are often complex cases that need more attention or documents.
Backlog in permanent residence applications
By the end of March 2025, IRCC had a total of 852,700 permanent residence (PR) applications in their system. This includes Express Entry, Express Entry-linked PNPs, and family sponsorship programs.
- Out of these, 472,600 applications (55%) were within the promised processing time.
- That leaves 380,100 applications in the backlog, which is over 10,000 more than the month before.
The Express Entry backlog is now at 27%, which is above the ideal 20%. The PNP backlog under Express Entry grew to 44%, up from 36% in February—this is the highest it has been since June 2022. In comparison, family sponsorship applications have stayed stable with only 14% backlogged, which is still within the acceptable 15% target.
Backlog in temporary resident applications
Temporary resident (TR) applications include visitor visas, study permits, and work permits. Here’s what the backlog looks like in this category:
- There are 884,600 TR applications, with 528,400 processed on time (60%).
- That means 356,200 applications are still delayed.
- Visitor visas have the biggest backlog, with 58% delayed, far above the ideal 45%.
- Study permits improved a little, dropping from 45% to 37%, but are still above the 15% target.
- Work permits saw an increase in delays, jumping from 34% to 42%, which is 18% higher than the acceptable level.
Backlog in citizenship applications
Citizenship applications are doing relatively well. As of March 2025:
- There were 239,400 applications in total.
- 195,800 (82%) were processed within IRCC’s timeline.
- That means only 43,600 applications (18%) were in the backlog, and this number has stayed stable since January 2025.
What is IRCC doing to fix the backlog?
IRCC is working on several changes to help reduce the backlog:
- In October 2024, they announced a new Immigration Levels Plan (2025–2027) with lower targets for new permanent residents. This gives IRCC more time to process existing applications.
- In January 2025, IRCC revealed plans to cut 3,300 jobs over three years due to lower immigration targets. While this may reduce incoming applications, it might also slow down processing times, depending on which roles are cut.
- In November 2024, IRCC introduced new technology like automation and advanced analytics. These tools help officers sort applications faster and focus on more complex files that cause delays.
- They also set caps on some immigration streams, such as a limit of 550,162 study permit applications for 2025, which is expected to reduce the workload.
1. What is a backlog in immigration terms?
A backlog happens when your application takes longer than the standard processing time set by IRCC. For Express Entry, this is usually more than 6 months. For family sponsorship, it’s more than 12 months.
2. Why is the PNP backlog increasing?
While other programs are improving, the PNP backlog under Express Entry has grown due to high demand and slower processing in this category. It reached 44% in March, the highest since mid-2022.
3. Is Canada still accepting new applications?
Yes, but IRCC is now being more selective. With new caps and lower targets, the focus is on managing existing applications before taking in too many new ones.
4. Will automation speed things up?
It should. Automation and advanced analytics are helping officers handle simple tasks faster so they can focus more on complicated applications that need extra attention.
5. What should I do if my application is delayed?
You can check your status online and, if needed, raise a web form query to IRCC. If it’s taking too long, you may also want to speak with a licensed immigration consultant like us at Ask Kubeir for guidance on next steps.
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