The immigration system of Canada is also coming under rising pressure due to the number of processing delays in a series of visa routes. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)’s most recent figures indicate the pending cases backlog increased to 958,850 from 901,700 in the previous month until the end of last month, until August 31.
This is the sixth consecutive month of growth, raising serious concerns amongst newcomers, students, and families who are awaiting timely decisions.
Also Read Canada Immigration Backlog at 1 Million, Permanent Residency Leads Delays
Rising Tide of Pending Applications
The picture is consistent : following initial declines in early 2025, backlogs have risen steeply. The inventory of IRCC has increased month after month since May, as a testament to the department’s inability to cope with all-time high levels of applications.
| Month | Pending Cases | Change vs. Previous Month |
| 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% |
Until the end of August, the total number of inventory kept by IRCC was 2.19 million, with approximately 1.24 million processed within regular timelines. The remaining ones are kept in the pool outside regular timelines.
Permanent Resident Backlog
Permanent residence (PR) cases are still the greatest burden:
- 901,800 PR requests were awaiting decision during August.
- Just 431,500 were in line, while 470,300 were over a service standard – a relatively large increase from July’s 443,500.
Breakdown of delays:
- Express Entry: Roughly 1 in 5 files take longer, slightly better compared to last month.
- Provincial Nominee Programs with Express Entry links: Out of all the cases, almost half are inactive, more than twice the number in December 2024.
- Backlog of family sponsorships: Backlog now constitutes 17% of the cases, the largest number in a two-year high.
Temporary Visas: Students and Visitors Take Longer
- Applications for temporary stay – inclusive of labor, study, and visitor visas – were 1,038,100 during the.
- 600,750 (58%) were processed within the deadline, from 62% last July.
- 437,350 applications remain overdue.
Breakdown of delays:
- Work permits: A slight increase, with delays decreasing from 46% to 45%.
- Study permits: Dramatic spike in delays, from 23% in July to 32% in August, causing confusion among students starting the academic year.
- Visitor visas: Processing time increased again, impacting 60% of cases.
This increase in study visa disruptions is concerning because it compromises the timing of international students to attend their academic sessions.
Citizenship Processing Remains Steady
Applications for citizenship continue to fare best. Through August, 20% of the cases were due compared to 19% in July, just slightly higher. This stream is continuing to outperform against the IRCC’s service targets compared to others.
Applications fall in the backlog pool when they go beyond the mentioned processing time restrictions of IRCC:
- Express Entry: 6 months
- Family sponsorships: 12 months
- Temporary residence streams: Depends on the stream
The department’s standard is to decide 80% of cases within published time frames. But current trends show significant gaps, especially with student and visitor visas.
What Lies Ahead
The persistent increase in the immigration backlog in Canada is a testament to ongoing challenges with managing record application inflows. If streamlined procedures or new funds are not procured, backlogs are set to continue ballooning over the coming months, who knows when, in front of international students, families, and skilled workers.
