As of January 31, 2024, Canada is dealing with a large number of immigration and visa applications, as per the latest IRCC backlog update.
As of January 31, 2023, IRCC is processing a total of 2,188,400 citizenship, immigration, and visa applications, with 930,000 of them exceeding the usual service standards.
Jump to:
Latest IRCC Backlog Statistics (As of January 31, 2023)
The total number of applications in the system is now 2,188,400, recorded until January 31, 2023. This includes the high number of temporary residency applications in inventory.
As of January 31, 2023, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has a backlog of 930,000 applications for citizenship, immigration, and temporary visas waiting to be processed.
Also, the overall processing time has improved due to a reduction in the number of temporary residency applications compared to the backlog data as of December 31, 2023.
The IRCC backlog for temporary visa applications has decreased by 5.79% because the Immigration Minister announced some new rules for international students. Now, there’s a cap on the number of international students allowed, and a provincial acceptance letter (PAL) is required to get a study permit.
Canadian Immigration Backlog Monthly Comparison
The number of citizenship applications waiting to be processed stayed the same, even though there were more applications to handle. This is because the staff had less work with study permit applications.
Overall, the backlog got better, even though there was a 2.5% increase in new citizenship applications and a 5.11% increase in permanent residency applications.
Applications Within Service Standards (As of January 31, 2023)
IRCC Backlog Comparison
Since March 2023, the Canadian Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship department has been dealing with more than two million applications at the same time.
Look at the table below to see the official backlog statistics starting from January 2023. You’ll also find links to monthly updates and the percentage change each month.
There were criticisms directed at the Canadian government for accepting a large number of permanent and temporary residents during a housing crisis. On January 22, the Immigration Minister announced restrictions on the number of international students admitted to Canada.
IRCC Backlog 2024
Looking ahead to 2024, IRCC anticipates reducing backlogs month by month. The official forecasts for various application categories by February 28, 2024, are as follows:
- Federal High Skilled and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP via Express Entry): 15–17% backlog
- Citizenship and spousal sponsorship applications: 15–17% backlog
- Study and work permit applications: Backlog projection of 32–36%
- Temporary resident or visiting visas: Backlog projection of 68%
If the IRCC backlog is 20% or less, it means that IRCC is meeting its service standard for that immigration category.
Why is the IRCC processing time so slow?
The slow processing at IRCC is attributed to the detailed case-by-case reviews required for each application. Additionally, the department’s processes have not fully adapted to current technologies over the last 10–15 years.
The surge in applications worldwide, combined with those accumulated during the pandemic, is further contributing to the backlog.
