Canadian immigration backlog grows to 820,000 according to new IRCC data
Last updated June 17, 2023, 5:48 PM EDT (Toronto time)
The immigration backlog in Canada increases slightly by about 1.35% to 820,000 as of May 31, 2023 according to new IRCC data updated on June 16, 2023.
In addition, requests processed under normal IRCC service standards increased by 231,000 to 1,428,000 due to the increase in new requests in all categories.
In total, IRCC was managing approximately 2.25 million applications as of May 31, 2023.
This overall inventory is the highest since September 2022, data on Canada’s immigration backlog.
The backlog for permanent residency applications has only been reduced by about 4.34% compared to the April 30 update.
The backlog in terms of citizenship has risen by no less than 13.69% and the backlog in applications for temporary residence permits has increased by 3.62%.
According to IRCC data, there has been an increase of about 30% in new temporary residence applications.
| Application type | General Processing Inventory | Disadvantage | Within service standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | 308,000 | 83,000 | 225,000 |
| Permanent residence | 640,000 | 308,000 | 332,000 |
| Temporary stay | 1,300,000 | 429,000 | 871,000 |
| Total | 2,248,000 | 820,000 | 1,428,000 |
Canada Immigration Backlog Data Summary 2023
| Date | Disadvantage | Total number of applications In processing |
|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2023 | 820,000 | 2,248,000 |
| April 30, 2023 | 809,000 | 2,006,000 |
| March 31, 2023 | 896,300 | 2,017,700 |
| February 28, 2023 | 910,400 | 1,962,600 |
| January 31, 2023 | 974,600 | 1,944,500 |
IRCC Backlog Projections for 2023
Federally highly skilled, including fast entry
| Month | Actual backlog | Backlog projections |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 20% | 20% |
| February 23 | 20% | 20% |
| March 23 | 18% | 20% |
| April 23 | 17% | 20% |
| May 23 | 15% | 20% |
| June 23 | – | 20% |
| July 23 | – | 20% |
Express Entry Provincial Nominee Program
| Month | Actual backlog | Backlog projections |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 38% | 40% |
| February 23 | 32% | 39% |
| March 23 | 30% | 32% |
| April 23 | 28% | 30% |
| May 23 | 30% | 28% |
| June 23 | – | 24% |
| July 23 | – | 22% |
Applications for spouses, partners and children
| Month | Actual backlog | Backlog projections |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 24% | 24% |
| February 23 | 23% | 24% |
| March 23 | 24% | 24% |
| April 23 | 23% | 24% |
| May 23 | 20% | 24% |
| June 23 | – | 24% |
| July 23 | – | 24% |
Citizenship Disadvantage projections
| Month | Actual backlog | Backlog projections |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 27% | 26% |
| February 23 | 26% | 25% |
| March 23 | 25% | 24% |
| April 23 | 25% | 24% |
| May 23 | 23% | 24% |
| June 23 | – | 24% |
| July 23 | – | 24% |
Study permit Disadvantage projections
| Month | Actual backlog | Backlog projections |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 35% | 36% |
| February 23 | 29% | 34% |
| March 23 | 23% | 25% |
| April 23 | 18% | 22% |
| May 23 | 17% | 15% |
| June 23 | – | 15% |
| July 23 | – | 15% |
Work Permit Backlog Projections
About 72% of work permit applications come from the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program.
| Month | Actual backlog | Backlog projections |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 26% | 26% |
| February 23 | 23% | 28% |
| March 23 | 18% | 28% |
| April 23 | 22% | 26% |
| May 23 | 27% | 24% |
| June 23 | – | 22% |
| July 23 | – | 22% |
Temporary Residence Visa (or Visitor Visa) Backlog Projections
19% of the applications for a provisional resident (or visitor) visa in the IRCC’s inventory originate from the Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization.
| Month | Actual backlog | Backlog projections |
|---|---|---|
| January 23 | 68% | 68% |
| February 23 | 64% | 68% |
| March 23 | 61% | 65% |
| April 23 | 50% | 56% |
| May 23 | 45% | 42% |
| June 23 | – | 42% |
| July 23 | – | 42% |
What is the immigration backlog in Canada and why is it different from the IRCC service standard?
The IRCC minister separated backlog data from IRCC service standards in August 2022.
For example, if the processing time for spousal support is 12 months, then a pending application within 12 months is “NO” a backlog.
Instead, it is classified as being processed according to the IRCC service standards. However, if it is longer than 12 months, it is called a backlog.
IRCC’s goal is to process 80% of requests within service standards.
