Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continues to face mounting pressure as its application backlog increased once again in August 2025.
As of August 31, 2025, IRCC reported 958,850 applications in backlog status, up from 901,700 in July. This marks a month-over-month increase of 6.33%, highlighting ongoing challenges in clearing applications.
IRCC Backlog Trends Over the Last Six Months
| Month | Total Backlog | Change from Previous Month |
| Mar-25 | 7,79,900 | -5.03% |
| Apr-25 | 7,60,200 | -2.53% |
| May-25 | 8,02,000 | 5.50% |
| Jun-25 | 8,42,800 | 5.02% |
| Jul-25 | 9,01,700 | 6.98% |
| Aug-25 | 9,58,850 | 6.33% |
By the end of August, IRCC had 2,199,400 total applications in its system. Of these, 1,240,550 were within normal service standards, while the rest were considered part of the backlog.
Permanent Residence (PR) Applications
IRCC had 901,800 PR applications in its inventory at the end of August. These included Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and Family Sponsorships.
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431,500 were being processed within service standards.
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470,300 were in the backlog (up from 443,500 in July).
Breakdown:
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Express Entry: 20% backlog, a slight improvement from 21% in July.
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Express Entry PNPs: 49% backlog, unchanged from July but significantly higher than December 2024 (25%).
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Family Sponsorships: 17% backlog, rising from 15% in July—the highest in two years.
Temporary Residence Applications
Temporary residence streams—including work permits, study permits, and visitor visas—saw 1,038,100 applications in August.
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600,750 (58%) were processed within service standards, compared to 62% in July.
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437,350 fell into the backlog.
Subcategories:
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Work Permits: Backlog decreased slightly to 45% (down from 46% in July).
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Study Permits: Backlog surged from 23% in July to 32% in August.
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Visitor Visas: Backlog climbed from 56% in July to 60% in August.
Citizenship Applications
The citizenship backlog remained relatively stable. As of August, it stood at 20%, up slightly from 19% in July but still within IRCC’s target range.
What Does “Backlog” Mean at IRCC?
Applications are counted as part of the backlog if they exceed IRCC’s published service standards. For instance:
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Express Entry: Target processing time of 6 months.
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Family Sponsorships: Target processing time of 12 months.
IRCC’s goal is to process 80% of applications within service standards, allowing flexibility for complex cases that may require additional time.
📌 Key Takeaway:The rise in the study permit backlog—from 23% to 32% in just one month—is a major concern for international students planning to study in Canada. With PR and visitor visa backlogs also climbing, applicants should prepare for extended processing times and consider applying as early as possible.
