IRCC Big News: Canada Immigration Backlog Exceeds 1 Million | Canada Immigration

The backlog of applications at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has risen above one million, posing serious challenges to Canada’s immigration environment. This startling figure illustrates the system’s continuous problems, which cause delays and uncertainty for numerous applicants hoping to establish their lives in Canada.

In this update, we’ll examine the causes of the mounting backlog, their effects on different immigration streams, and the implications for upcoming applicants in the immigration process as a whole.

Introduction

August 29, 2024, saw the release of the latest recent data on the backlog of immigration applications by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). As of July 31, 2,364,700 applications for immigration, citizenship, and visas were being processed, according to this data. Every month, this data is retrospective.

In addition, for the first time since November 2022, the backlog—the applications that are over the typical IRCC service standards—has surpassed one million to reach 1,002,400. The information includes citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary residence, among other application categories.

Category-Wise Backlog Overview

2,364,700 applications had been submitted overall, spanning all categories, as of July 31, 2024. Of these, 1,362,300 applications are still being handled within service standards, while 1,002,400 applications are classified as backlogged beyond usual. Here’s a thorough explanation:

Comparison with Previous Data

There have been notable changes in all application types when comparing month-over-month backlog statistics as of June 30 and May 31, 2024, to the prior data.

Applications in Backlog Comparison:

According to the figures, between June 30 and July 31, there was a decrease in the backlog for citizenship and permanent residence applications: the former fell by 3.70%, while the latter by 0.93%. On the other hand, applications for temporary residency have increased significantly—by 11.80%—and have contributed to the overall two-month increase in the backlog of 7.02%.

Applications Within Service Standards Comparison

The data shows that from June 30 to July 31, there was a minor drop of 2.71% in the number of citizenship applications that were handled within service standards. On the other hand, over the same period, applications for permanent residency that were handled following criteria rose by 3.38%, while applications for temporary residence marginally decreased by 0.48%.

According to the data, more applications for temporary residency than usual slipped into a backlog, taking longer than expected to be processed.

Future Backlog Projections

It is anticipated that the IRCC will continue its continuing efforts to clear the backlog, with estimates suggesting that by mid-2025, the backlog could have dropped by 20–30% overall. The official IRCC backlog forecasts for the conclusion of this month are listed below:

Improving processing efficiency is still the key priority, especially for the categories of temporary and permanent residents, which have experienced the biggest swings in recent months. To fulfill the growing demand for immigration services, the IRCC is implementing methods that include increasing the use of technology, maximizing resources, and implementing changes to legislation.

These steps are intended to guarantee that, despite the increasing volume of applications, the Canadian immigration system continues to be responsive and effective.

Implications for Applicants

With 80% of applications processed within their service standards, the IRCC considers any backlog below 20% to be reasonable. It appears that the IRCC has achieved its target for citizenship, express entry, and family sponsorship applications based on the current backlog and future estimates.

However, the department is still having trouble processing applications for temporary residence, mostly as a result of the rise in the number of new applicants. Temporary resident visas (TRVs), study permits, and work permits are among the categories of temporary residency applications; applicants for work permits and TRVs will be most impacted.

Conclusion

The backlog data for July 2024 illustrates the difficulties and advancements in the Canadian immigration system. Although there have been advances in some categories, the rise in applications for temporary residency suggests that the IRCC still has to focus its efforts. Future forecasts suggest that things could get better, therefore applicants are urged to keep track of their application progress and any news from the IRCC.