Canada’s Immigration Backlog Drops as IRCC Reports Progress

The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has made significant strides in reducing its immigration backlog. As of February 28, 2025, the backlog stood at 821,200 applications, reflecting a 7.95% drop from the previous month. This marks the third consecutive month that the backlog has remained below one million, showcasing IRCC’s commitment to streamlining its processes.

Also Read Canada’s Immigration Backlog Continues to Decline

In total, IRCC had 2,029,400 applications in its inventory, with 1,208,200 processed within standard timelines. Permanent residence applications saw some improvements, though Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) backlogs remain above IRCC’s target levels. Temporary resident applications, especially visitor visas, still face high backlog percentages, while citizenship applications continue to show strong processing efficiency.

Key factors behind IRCC’s progress include advanced analytics, automation, and strategic policy changes such as immigration target adjustments and application caps.

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