IRCC’s latest inventory snapshot, released 20 January and analysed by CIC News on 21 January, shows Express Entry applications sitting at 1,005,800 — the largest queue since October 2022 and representing 32 per cent of files outside service standards. Overall, the department is handling 2.13 million immigration applications, of which just over half are within normal processing times.
The growing backlog reflects the surge of temporary residents pivoting to permanent residence as well as large CEC-focused draws that generate thousands of new submissions. Although IRCC has invested in digital case management and hired 1,250 new officers since 2024, demand continues to outpace capacity.
For employers sponsoring assignees, longer wait times translate into extended bridging open work-permit needs and uncertainty over permanent-residence landing dates. Mobility managers should budget up to eight months for finalisation of straightforward CEC cases and more than a year for complex PNP files.
![Express Entry backlog climbs to three-year high despite continued processing gains]()
VisaHQ can help applicants navigate this uncertainty: its digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides up-to-date visa and permit information, step-by-step document checklists, and deadline reminders that keep both employers and candidates on schedule even when IRCC processing times fluctuate.
Backlog pressure could influence selection rounds later this year, prompting IRCC to favour targeted, smaller draws or to pause certain categories temporarily. Candidates should keep profiles current and monitor job-offer validity, police certificates and language-test expiry dates to avoid additional delays once invited to apply.
The department reiterates that most cases are decided within advertised service standards but concedes that pandemic-era inventory spikes will not return to pre-2020 levels until at least mid-2027.
The growing backlog reflects the surge of temporary residents pivoting to permanent residence as well as large CEC-focused draws that generate thousands of new submissions. Although IRCC has invested in digital case management and hired 1,250 new officers since 2024, demand continues to outpace capacity.
For employers sponsoring assignees, longer wait times translate into extended bridging open work-permit needs and uncertainty over permanent-residence landing dates. Mobility managers should budget up to eight months for finalisation of straightforward CEC cases and more than a year for complex PNP files.
VisaHQ can help applicants navigate this uncertainty: its digital platform (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides up-to-date visa and permit information, step-by-step document checklists, and deadline reminders that keep both employers and candidates on schedule even when IRCC processing times fluctuate.
Backlog pressure could influence selection rounds later this year, prompting IRCC to favour targeted, smaller draws or to pause certain categories temporarily. Candidates should keep profiles current and monitor job-offer validity, police certificates and language-test expiry dates to avoid additional delays once invited to apply.
The department reiterates that most cases are decided within advertised service standards but concedes that pandemic-era inventory spikes will not return to pre-2020 levels until at least mid-2027.
