IRCC Backlog Reduction: Immigration Cuts

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) latest inventories and backlogs report, there has been a reduction in the backlog of immigration applications, and they are at the lowest level they have been in months.

IRC Backlog as of February 28, 2025

The IRCC website reports that there are currently 821,000 applications in the backlog across all categories, including citizenship grants, permanent residence, and temporary residence. This is just 5% above IRCC’s target backlog threshold of 20%, which is a huge improvement from previous months, when the backlog exceeded upwards of 1,000,000 applications. An application is considered part of the “backlog” if it is not processed within the IRCC’s published “service standards,” also known as processing time which varies depending on the immigration pathway.

Immigration Levels Plan

The reduction in the backlog is a result of measures taken to meet Canada’s 2025-2027 immigration targets. As outlined in the immigration levels plan, IRCC aims to welcome 395,000 new permanent residents, 305,900 international students and 367,750 temporary foreign workers. The plan is designed to stabilize Canada’s population, address issues like taking into consideration labour shortages in specific occupations, facilitate the transition of temporary residents to permanent status, and increase francophone population while ensuring the fairness and integrity of the immigration system across the country.

Delays

While the overall backlog has decreased, fluctuations in application volume mean that some applicants may still experience delays, as the system adjusts to the new targets set in the 2025-2027 immigration levels plan. These delays are partly due to a 25% reduction in the target for permanent residents in 2025 compared to 2024. Processing times for applicants in non-express entry streams are also increasing, as unlike express entry applications, non-express entry applications are not subject to the six-month processing standard, resulting in longer waiting times.

As Canada continues to refine its immigration system, the reduction in backlog is a positive step in the right direction, even though there have been cuts in immigration targets and certain individuals are facing delays.