IRCC’s Current Backlog
IRCC updates the number of applications held in inventory and distinguishes them based on the type of processing they undergo. Some applications are processed under service standards, while others are not. The ones that are left out are in backlog. The department aims to process most of the applications within service standards.
Some recent data shows how IRCC has kept most of its applications within service standards. At the end of March, 1,320,000 of 2,121,200 applications were within service standards. The remaining 892,000 are backlog. Setting these applications to backlog allows the team to prioritize their application deliveries.
Furthermore, the department categorizes the applications based on type. Permanent resident applications total 746,000. Of this total, 440,000 are within service standards, while the remaining 306,000 are backlogged. Work, visitor, and study visas add up to 1,204,000. Of these temporary residence applications, 665,400 are within service standards, and 538,600 are backlogged.
The Canada International Student Program has undergone changes that have impacted study permit applications. IRCC has implanted a temporary cap on the number of international students receiving study visas. Based on a 2024 release by IRCC, the cap limits the approved applications to 360,000. The IRCC also intends to introduce provincial caps, depending on the population levels.
IRCC has required all provinces to issue Provincial Attestation Letters to international student applicants. Students will need PALs in addition to letters of acceptance when applying for study permits. Primary and secondary school students and those pursuing master’s and PHD degrees are exempt from this rule.
The Attestation Letters will be used to verify that international student acceptance contributes to their allocation. Canada’s designated learning institutions are the only ones accepting international students. This change was introduced in January, and by March, most provinces had developed a system for issuing PALs. 262,000 citizenship applications have been made, with 214,000 being within service standards.
