Canada immigration backlog at 1 million, permanent residency leads delays

Canada's immigration backlog has surged to 959,000 cases, with delays now affecting nearly half of all applications under processing

Applied for Canada immigration? You may be waiting much longer than expected. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reported that nearly 959,000 applications are now stuck in backlog as of August 31, 2025.

 

The figure represents an increase of 57,150 in just one month, according to the department’s September 23 release. The overall inventory of applications dipped slightly from July’s 2.23 million to 2.19 million, but the proportion delayed rose to 43.6 per cent, up from 40.5 per cent in July. In June, the backlog stood at 842,800.

 

"Nearly 44 per cent of all files are delayed - impacting families, workers & employers," Ravi Jain, a Toronto-based immigration attorney, said in a post on X.

 

Canada’s economy leans heavily on newcomers, with immigrants making up 23 per cent of the population and nearly 29 per cent of the workforce. Processing delays are already being felt across industries, from technology start-ups to healthcare providers.

 

Canada Citizenship applications

 

Canda Citizenship cases remain relatively steady compared with other streams.

 

Total inventory on August 31: 259,500

Backlogged: 51,200 (19.7 per cent)

Within standard: 208,300 (80.3 per cent)

 

Between April and August, IRCC granted 103,880 citizenships. The backlog rose modestly by 2,400 cases from July and by 3,800 since June. Adult grants dominate, while cases for minors continue to move faster, often within 8 to 10 months.