IRCC’s inventory has decreased for the first time since July 2021.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is reporting a decrease in its August 31 inventory.
A spokesperson from IRCC sent CIC News inventory data suggesting the backlog has been reduced by 95,204 persons in a matter of six weeks.
The inventory across all lines of business has progressed as follows since last July:
August 31, 2022: 2,583,827 persons
July 15-17, 2022: 2,679,031 persons
June 1-6, 2022: 2,387,884 persons
April 30-May 2, 2022: 2,130,385 persons
April 11-12, 2022: 2,031,589 persons
March 15 and 17, 2022: 1,844,424 persons
February 1, 2022: 1,815,628 persons
December 15, 2021: 1,813,144 persons
October 27, 2021: 1,792,404 persons
July 6, 2021: 1,447,474 persons
IRCC recently came out with a new webpage tracking the inventory. According to that webpage there were 2.4 million in IRCC’s inventory on July 31. Of those, 1.1 million were within service standards and 1.3 million were in the backlog.
CIC News has reached out to IRCC to inquire about the apparent discrepancy in data from the media department compared to data reported on the government website. This article will be updated if an explanation is obtained.
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| Immigration category | Persons as of August 31, 2022 |
| Permanent residence | 513,923 |
| Temporary residence | 1,698,284 |
| Citizenship | 371,620 |
| Grand total | 2,583,827 |
The citizenship inventory stands at 371,620 applicants as of September 1, compared to 444,792 on July 15.
The permanent residence inventory stands at 513,923 people as of August 31, compared to 514,116 as of July 17.
Also on August 31, the temporary residence inventory stood at 1,698,284 people, compared to 1,720,123 persons as of July 17.
Therefore, there have been reductions across all three major groups.
Express Entry and PNP inventories
A total of 40,180 Express Entry applicants are waiting in the queue, a reduction from the previous month when there were 51,616 persons in the inventory.
IRCC has continued to hold rounds of invitations for Express Entry candidates from all programs. Between September 21, 2021 and July 6, 2022, IRCC only invited Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates to apply for immigration. Under the PNP, certain programs (enhanced PNPs) are managed by the Express Entry system, while others (base PNPs) are managed by the provinces’ own systems.
Express Entry-managed PNPs have seen a reduction in inventory, but base PNPs have increased from 35,599 in July to 41,832 in August.
Family class inventory continues upward trend
Inventory for all family class immigration programs are up to 125,746, compared to July when it was 118,251.
The Spouses and Partners program has the second largest inventory compared to all immigration programs at 61,073. Privately sponsored refugees have the largest inventory at 68,123 persons.
The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) has 53,029 persons waiting for decisions, up from 47,025 in July.
IRCC efforts to reduce backlog
On August 29, Fraser highlighted how Canada is working to address the backlog and improve the immigration system by hiring up to 1,250 new employees by the end of the fall, modernizing IRCC operations, introducing application status trackers, and publishing monthly data on the IRCC website
Inventory in tables
The following tables show more details of IRCC’s inventory.
Permanent residence inventory
| Permanent residency class | Persons as of August 31 |
| Economic class | 206,688 |
| Family class | 125,746 |
| Humanitarian and compassionate | 29,224 |
| Permit holders class | 16 |
| Protected persons class | 152,249 |
| Total | 513,923 |
Economic class inventory
| Immigration category | Persons as of August 31 |
| Agri-Food Pilot Program | 866 |
| Atlantic Immigration Pilot Programs | 1,528 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program | 210 |
| Canadian Experience Class (EE) | 5,214 |
| Canadian Experience Class (No EE) | 118 |
| Caring For Children Program | 29,179 |
| Federal Investor | 4 |
| Federal Self Employed | 4,022 |
| Federal Skilled Workers (C-50) | 120 |
| Federal Skilled Workers (EE) | 11,669 |
| Federal Skilled Workers (Pre C-50) | 23 |
| High Medical Needs Program | 4 |
| Live-in Caregiver Program | 832 |
| Provincial/Territorial Nominees (EE) | 22,998 |
| Provincial/Territorial Nominees (No EE) | 41,832 |
| Quebec Entrepreneur | 259 |
| Quebec Investor | 10,727 |
| Quebec Self Employed | 82 |
| Quebec Skilled Workers | 23,559 |
| Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot | 1,103 |
| Skilled Trades (EE) | 299 |
| Skilled Trades (No EE) | 5 |
| Start-up Business | 1,314 |
| TR to PR | 50,721 |
| Total | 206,688 |
Express Entry inventory
| Immigration program | Persons as of August 31 |
| Federal Skilled Workers (EE) | 11,669 |
| Canadian Experience Class (EE) | 5,214 |
| Skilled Trades (EE) | 299 |
| Provincial/Territorial Nominees (EE) | 22,998 |
| Total | 40,180 |
Family class inventory
| Immigration program | Persons as of August 31 |
| Children & Other Family Class | 8,880 |
| FCH-Family relations – H&C | 2,764 |
| Parents and Grandparents | 53,029 |
| Spouses & Partners | 61,073 |
| Total | 125,746 |
Humanitarian and compassionate class inventory
| Immigration program | Persons as of August 31 |
| HC & PH class-ADM Dependant Person Overseas | 8,880 |
| Humanitarian & Compassionate Straight | 2,764 |
| Humanitarian & Compassionate with Risk or Discrimination | 53,029 |
| Public Policy With RAP | 61,073 |
| Public Policy Without RAP | 4,385 |
| Total | 29,224 |
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