IRCC Continues to Reduce Immigration Backlog as of April 2025
Application Backlog Declines for Fifth Consecutive Month
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reported a continued decline in its immigration application backlog. As of April 30, 2025, the backlog stood at 760,200 applications, down from 779,900 in March. This represents a 2.53% decrease and marks the fifth month in a row the backlog has remained under 1 million applications—the lowest figure in six months.
Backlog Trends Over the Past Six Months
| Month | Total Backlog | Monthly Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| April 2025 | 760,200 | -2.53% |
While April’s rate of backlog reduction slowed compared to previous months, the steady decrease reflects IRCC’s ongoing efforts to improve processing efficiency.
What Does ‘Backlog’ Mean?
The backlog refers to immigration applications not finalized within IRCC’s established service standards. These standards define the target timeframes for processing applications and vary by application type:
- Express Entry: 6 months
- Family Sponsorship: 12 months
- Work Permits, Study Permits, Visitor Visas: Vary by category
IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within these timeframes, allowing for 20% that require more complex evaluation and additional processing time.
Permanent Residence Applications: Backlog Status
As of April 30, 2025, the total inventory of permanent residence (PR) applications was 880,800. Of these:
- 489,800 applications (56%) were processed within service standards.
- 391,000 applications (44%) remained in backlog.
This marks an increase of 28,100 applications in PR inventory since March.
Breakdown by program:
- Express Entry backlog stood at 22%, slightly above the 20% target.
- Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) backlog was 49%, well above the 35% goal (up from 44% in March).
- Family sponsorship backlog remained steady at 14%, within the 15% target.
Temporary Resident Applications: Progress and Challenges
The inventory of temporary resident (TR) applications—including work permits, study permits, and visitor visas—totaled 918,500 in April.
- 65% were processed within service standards.
- 35% (324,300 applications) were in backlog.
By category:
- Work permit backlog improved to 36% (down from 42%), though still above the 26% target.
- Study permit backlog dropped to 30% from 37%, but remains above the 15% target.
- Visitor visa backlog was 54%, exceeding the 38% target, though slightly improved from March.
Canadian Citizenship Applications Remain Well-Managed
Citizenship application processing continues to outperform other categories:
- Total inventory: 242,500 applications
- Processed within standards: 81%
- Backlog: 19% (44,900 applications)
The backlog percentage remains consistent with previous months, demonstrating effective processing.
How IRCC Is Reducing the Backlog
Several key strategies have contributed to backlog reductions:
- Use of advanced analytics and automation tools to assist immigration officers by sorting applications, flagging complex cases, and summarizing documents without replacing human decision-making.
- Caps on certain immigration streams, such as the 2025 study permit cap (550,162 applications) and limits on pilots like the Home Care Worker Pilot.
- Lower permanent residency targets outlined in the 2025–27 Immigration Levels Plan to balance system capacity with public infrastructure needs.
Outlook: Balancing Application Volume with Processing Capacity
Although the backlog is shrinking, IRCC’s inventory increased by 65,100 new applications in April. Maintaining the progress will depend on continuing technological innovation and managing application intake effectively.
Applicants should remain hopeful for ongoing improvements in processing times, especially as IRCC adapts to demand fluctuations and refines its operational strategies.
For a consultation about Immigration options, reach out to the CAD IMMIGRATION today!
