IRCC backlog reaches a new high, i.e., Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ended 2025 with its highest application backlog of the year. As of December 31, 2025, the total backlog reached 1,014,700 applications. This came after a steady rise in pending files since May 2025.
One major change in the latest update is the sharp drop in the Express Entry backlog. The Express Entry backlog fell to 20% in December, compared to 32% in November.
By the end of December 2025, IRCC had 2,127,500 total applications in its inventory. These included permanent residence (PR), temporary residence, and citizenship grant applications.
Out of this total, 1,112,800 applications were being processed within service standards.
The table below provides a year-in-review snapshot, showing how the backlog as of December 31 compares to backlog levels throughout 2025.
| Month | Immigration Backlog | Change Relative To Preceding Month |
| January, 2025 | 891,100 | -5.33% |
| February, 2025 | 821,200 | -7.95% |
| March, 2025 | 779,900 | -5.03% |
| April, 2025 | 760,200 | -2.53% |
| May, 2025 | 802,000 | +5.5% |
| June, 2025 | 842,800 | +5.02% |
| July, 2025 | 901,700 | +6.98% |
| August, 2025 | 958,850 | +6.33% |
| September, 2025 | 996,700 | +3.95% |
| October, 2025 | 1,006,700 | +1.00% |
| November, 2025 | 1,005,800 | – 0.09% |
| December, 2025 | 1,014,700 | +0.88% |
Permanent Residence Applications
As of December 31, IRCC had 973,800 permanent residence applications in its inventory. This was 32,200 more than in November.
The following application types are counted in under this category:
- Express Entry applications
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications (enhanced)
- Family sponsorship applications
Out of the total PR applications, 446,300 (46%) were processed within service standards. This means 527,500 PR applications were in the backlog.
The Express Entry backlog dropped to 20% in December, down from 32% in November. This is below IRCC’s projected backlog of 30% for December.
The backlog for enhanced PNP applications also improved. It declined from 53% in November to 48% in December. This was better than IRCC’s projected 55%.
Moreover, family sponsorship applications saw a small increase in backlog. It rose to 21% in December, up from 20% in November. The projected backlog for this category was 20%.
During 2025, IRCC processed 441,000 PR applications and welcomed 393,500 new permanent residents to Canada.
Temporary Residence Applications
By December 31, IRCC had 910,900 temporary residence applications in its inventory. This was 31,100 fewer than in November.
Temporary residence includes work permits, study permits (including extensions), and visitor visas.
Out of the total temporary residence applications, 483,000 (53%) were processed within service standards. This left 427,900 applications in the backlog.
The work permit backlog improved slightly. It dropped to 46% in December, down from 49% in November. However, it remained above the projected 43%.
The study permit backlog stayed the same at 36%. This was within the projected 43% for December.
Visitor visa backlog also improved a little. It fell to 56% in December, down from 57% in November. This was better than the projected 61%.
In 2025, IRCC finalized 605,900 study permit applications and 328,900 work permit applications.
Citizenship Grants
As of December 31, IRCC had 242,800 citizenship grant applications in its inventory. This was 4,300 fewer than at the end of November.
Out of these, 183,500 (76%) were processed within service standards. This left 59,300 citizenship grant applications in the backlog.
The citizenship backlog rate was 24% in December, slightly higher than 23% in November. It also went a little above the projected 23% for the month.
About IRCC’s Service Standards
IRCC uses service standards to measure how long different types of applications should take to process.
These standards act as targets for most applications in each category.
For example, Express Entry applications are usually processed within six months. Family sponsorship applications are generally completed within 12 months.
If an application goes beyond the set time without a final decision, it is counted as part of the backlog.
IRCC aims to finalize 80% of applications within service standards. The remaining 20% may take longer due to complex cases, missing documents, or extra background checks.
The latest data shows that while the total backlog has reached a yearly high, some categories like Express Entry and PNP have improved. However, work permits, visitor visas, and citizenship grants continue to face pressure as Canada manages high application volumes.
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