Nearly 1.1 million applications for immigration are pending in Canada, with the greatest increase being for temporary residency. Find out about trends, processing changes, and forecasts for the future.

According to newly revealed data, Canada’s backlog of outstanding immigration petitions has increased dramatically, approaching 1.1 million applications across multiple categories. There are 1,078,300 backlogged applications overall, according to the most recent data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This is a 7.57% increase from the previous month.

An overview of the status of applications for citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary residency is given in the IRCC report, which was released on September 24. As of August 31, there were 2,420,800 applications pending processing, which continues to be a major obstacle for people wishing to move to Canada. This article will look at the most recent data, compare it to previous months, and offer some predictions about potential future trends for Canada’s immigration laws.

Breakdown of the Canadian Immigration Backlog

Nearly 1.1 million petitions for citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary residency were pending as of August 31, 2024. The summary of the current state of affairs is as follows:

Trends in Immigration Processing

It’s critical to compare the August data with other months in order to gain a deeper understanding of the current trends. Key changes are shown in the table below:

Application Type	August 31 Backlog	July 31 Backlog	Month-on-Month Change (July to August)
Citizenship	38,600	39,000	-1.02%
Permanent Residence	300,800	299,000	+0.60%
Temporary Residence	738,900	664,400	+11.21%
Total	1,078,300	1,002,400	+7.57%

– Applications for citizenship decreased by 1.02%, maintaining the upward trend.

– Applications for permanent residence had a little 0.60 percent increase.

– Applications for temporary residence increased significantly by 11.21%, primarily due to the rise in demand for work, visiting, and student visas.

Applications Processed Within Service Standards

From July to August, fewer applications were handled in accordance with IRCC’s service criteria.

1. Within service standards, fewer petitions for citizenship were handled, a decrease of 1.50%.

2. The application process for permanent residence increased by 8.04%.

3. Applications for temporary residence that were processed within service standards decreased by 7.77%, suggesting that more applications were going into the backlog.

Future Projections for Canada’s Immigration Backlog

The IRCC has a number of programs designed to clear the backlog. Processing more applications within the service standards is the department’s goal; the permanent and temporary residence categories will receive special attention. The backlog forecasts are as follows:

Category	Backlog Projected by End of September 2024	Actual Backlog at End of August 2024	IRCC Projection by End of August 2024
Citizenship	16%	17%	11%
Express Entry	15%	16%	15%
Express Entry PNP	20%	22%	20%
Spouses, Partners, & Children (except Quebec)	15%	14%	15%
Temporary Resident Visas (TRV)	60%	71%	43%
Study Permits	30%	32%	18%
Work Permits	14%	47%	22%

Impact on Applicants

The increasing backlog is having an impact on workers, international students, and potential immigrants, especially for temporary residence. The backlog of 738,900 applications may result in longer processing delays for applicants. For individuals hoping to live permanently in Canada, there is some hope thanks to advancements in the permanent residency application procedure.

Key Takeaways

– Canada’s backlog of immigration applications is expected to reach 1.1 million by August 31, 2024.

– The category of temporary residency applications has seen the biggest growth in backlog, although applications for citizenship and permanent residence are gradually improving.

– By mid-2025, the IRCC predicts a 20–30% decrease in the backlog; nonetheless, difficulties still exist, particularly with applications for temporary residency.

These numbers highlight how crucial it is to keep a close eye on application processing timelines and make sure all submissions are finished in order to prevent delays.