New figures released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and analysed on 19 November 2025 show that the department was sitting on 2,200,100 immigration files as of 30 September—close to the record highs seen during the pandemic. Of that inventory, 996,700 cases exceeded published service standards and are therefore officially classified as “backlog”.
Temporary-residence streams are under the heaviest strain. Work-permit, study-permit and visitor-visa applications account for 1,028,500 files, with 461,100 (45%) overdue. Permanent-residence inventories stand at 913,800, of which 482,400 are late. Citizenship claims add another 257,800 files, 53,200 of them backlogged. Study-permit requests recorded the sharpest month-over-month increase—up 10%—ahead of the January academic intake.
![IRCC Data Reveal 2.2 Million Applications in System; Backlog Nears One Million]()
The numbers land just weeks after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s Budget 2025 pledged to tighten temporary-resident inflows in 2026 and beyond. While Ottawa hopes lower intake targets will gradually drain the queue, HR teams and relocation suppliers should prepare for longer lead times through at least mid-2026. Companies dependent on co-op students or seasonal workers could see assignments pushed back if biometrics or medical-exam appointments are unavailable.
IRCC says it processed 1,203,400 files within service standards over the same period, but admits that staffing shortages and IT outages continue to hamper throughput. The department’s modernisation agenda—centred on the new Digital Platform Modernisation (DPM) initiative—will not fully deploy until 2027. In the interim, stakeholders can mitigate risk by submitting “decision-ready” applications, monitoring the online status trackers and building extra time into offer letters and mobility policies.
For employers, the backlog underscores the importance of exploring alternative pathways such as the Global Talent Stream, significant-benefit work permits or intra-company transfers, all of which enjoy faster processing. International students and their sponsors should also watch for new triage rules that prioritise post-graduate researchers over language-school entrants.
Temporary-residence streams are under the heaviest strain. Work-permit, study-permit and visitor-visa applications account for 1,028,500 files, with 461,100 (45%) overdue. Permanent-residence inventories stand at 913,800, of which 482,400 are late. Citizenship claims add another 257,800 files, 53,200 of them backlogged. Study-permit requests recorded the sharpest month-over-month increase—up 10%—ahead of the January academic intake.
The numbers land just weeks after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s Budget 2025 pledged to tighten temporary-resident inflows in 2026 and beyond. While Ottawa hopes lower intake targets will gradually drain the queue, HR teams and relocation suppliers should prepare for longer lead times through at least mid-2026. Companies dependent on co-op students or seasonal workers could see assignments pushed back if biometrics or medical-exam appointments are unavailable.
IRCC says it processed 1,203,400 files within service standards over the same period, but admits that staffing shortages and IT outages continue to hamper throughput. The department’s modernisation agenda—centred on the new Digital Platform Modernisation (DPM) initiative—will not fully deploy until 2027. In the interim, stakeholders can mitigate risk by submitting “decision-ready” applications, monitoring the online status trackers and building extra time into offer letters and mobility policies.
For employers, the backlog underscores the importance of exploring alternative pathways such as the Global Talent Stream, significant-benefit work permits or intra-company transfers, all of which enjoy faster processing. International students and their sponsors should also watch for new triage rules that prioritise post-graduate researchers over language-school entrants.
