On April 29, 2025, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) unveiled a new backlog update that has sent ripples of optimism through the global immigration community.
The new IRCC update reported a staggering reduction of 41,300 applications in its backlog, bringing the total inventory to 1,976,700 as of March 31, 2025.
The current number marks a significant drop from the 2,029,400 applications reported on February 28 and the 2,076,600 reported on January 31, 2025. This article dives deep into the IRCC’s latest update and its implications.
Overall IRCC Processing Numbers
The IRCC’s April 2025 update is a testament to Canada’s commitment to tackling its immigration backlog while maintaining its ambitious immigration goals.
As of March 31, 2025, the total inventory stood at 1,976,700 applications across citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary residency categories—a reduction of 52,700 applications from February 28, 2025.
More impressively, the backlog (applications exceeding service standards) dropped by 41,300, from 821,200 to 779,900.
This milestone comes alongside remarkable processing achievements:
- Permanent Residency: From January 1 to March 31, 2025, the IRCC made 119,800 decisions and welcomed 104,300 new permanent residents, contributing to Canada’s target of 485,000 new residents in 2025.
- Citizenship: Over the past year (April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025), Canada welcomed 356,300 new citizens, reflecting the country’s commitment to fostering full integration.
- Temporary Residency: In the first quarter of 2025, the IRCC finalized 159,200 study permit applications and 396,000 work permit applications (including extensions), supporting Canada’s economy and global talent pipeline.
These numbers highlight the IRCC’s ability to balance backlog reduction with high-volume processing, ensuring that Canada remains a top destination for immigrants, students, and workers.
Let’s break down the data by category to understand the full scope of this update.
Breaking Down The Category-Wise Backlog Numbers: Canada’s Immigration Inventory
The IRCC’s inventory is divided into three main categories: citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary residency.
Each category has its own total inventory and backlog, reflecting the unique dynamics of Canada’s immigration system.
1. Citizenship Applications
- Total Inventory (March 2025): 239,400
- Backlog (March 2025): 43,600 (18% of total)
- Change from February 2025: The total inventory decreased slightly from 239,600 to 239,400, but the backlog rose from 42,700 to 43,600.
The citizenship category represents permanent residents seeking full Canadian citizenship, a critical step toward integration. The marginal backlog growth suggests that some applications are taking longer than the 12-month service standard, but the stable inventory and high citizenship numbers indicate robust processing capacity.
2. Permanent Residency Applications
- Total Inventory (March 2025): 852,700
- Backlog (March 2025): 380,100 (45% of total)
- Change from February 2025: The total inventory increased from 842,600 to 852,700, with the backlog growing from 364,000 to 380,100.
Permanent residency (PR) applications are the backbone of Canada’s immigration strategy, covering programs like Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and family sponsorships. The growth in inventory and backlog reflects high demand, but the IRCC’s ability to process 119,800 decisions in just three months demonstrates significant progress. Canada is well-positioned to meet its immigration targets.
3. Temporary Residency Applications
- Total Inventory (March 2025): 884,600
- Backlog (March 2025): 356,200 (40% of total)
- Change from February 2025: The total inventory dropped significantly from 947,200 to 884,600, with the backlog shrinking from 414,500 to 356,200.
Temporary residency applications, which include study permits, work permits, and visitor visas, saw the most dramatic improvements. The 62,600 reduction in total inventory and 58,300 drop in backlog signal the IRCC’s focus on ensuring timely processing for students, workers, and visitors.
February vs. March 2025: A Comparative Snapshot
To gauge the IRCC’s progress, let’s compare the March 2025 data with February and January 2025.
The table below provides a clear overview of inventory and backlog trends:
| Category | March 2025 Total | March Backlog | March Backlog % | February 2025 Total | February Backlog | February Backlog % | January 2025 Total | January Backlog | January Backlog % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | 239,400 | 43,600 | 18% | 239,600 | 42,700 | 18% | 238,600 | 42,000 | 17.6% |
| Permanent Residency | 852,700 | 380,100 | 45% | 842,600 | 364,000 | 43% | 836,900 | 356,400 | 45% |
| Temporary Residency | 884,600 | 356,200 | 40% | 947,200 | 414,500 | 44% | 998,100 | 493,700 | 49% |
| Total Inventory | 1,976,700 | 779,900 | 39.45% | 2,029,400 | 821,200 | 40% | 2,076,600 | 892,100 | 43% |
Backlog vs. IRCC Service Standards: What’s the Difference?
For applicants, understanding the distinction between backlog data and IRCC service standards is critical to managing expectations.
What Are IRCC Service Standards?
Service standards are the target processing times for various application types. Examples include:
- Spousal Sponsorship: 12 months
- Express Entry (Federal Skilled Worker): 6 months
- Study Permits: 8 weeks
- Citizenship Applications: 12 months
The IRCC aims to process 80% of applications within these timeframes. Applications within their service standard are considered part of regular processing and are not counted in the backlog.
What Is a Backlog?
The backlog includes applications that exceed their service standards. For example, a spousal sponsorship application taking longer than 12 months is classified as backlogged.
The IRCC’s monthly backlog updates track these delays, providing transparency and guiding resource allocation.
A shrinking backlog, as seen in the March 2025 update, indicates faster processing times and improved efficiency. Conversely, a growing backlog in specific categories (e.g., permanent residency) may signal delays for new applicants.
The IRCC’s ability to finalize 119,800 PR decisions, 159,200 study permits, and 396,000 work permits in Q1 2025 while reducing the backlog showcases its capacity to handle high volumes effectively.
For more information on service standards, click here.
Kamal Deep Singh, RCIC (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant) licensed by CICC (formerly known as ICCRC) with member number R708618. He brings extensive knowledge of immigration law and new changes to rapidly evolving IRCC.
