Canada has been processing a record number of immigration and visa applications as per the new IRCC Backlog Update on August 24, 2023. IRCC continues to receive a record number of new applications, with total application inventory rising to nearly 2.3 million as of July 31, 2023.
Canada is now receiving a record number of new temporary residency applications, which include those for visitor visas, work permits, and study permits.
Backlog increases by 4.27% for temporary residency applications, with overall processing inventory swelling to 1,346,200 as compared to the previous backlog update.
However, the backlog was reduced by 5.69% for citizenship and by 4.13% for permanent residency applications, with the overall inventory for these applications reducing by nearly 2%.
New IRCC Backlog Update 2023
| Application Type | Overall Processing Inventory As of July 31 | Overall Processing Inventory As of June 30 | difference |
| Citizenship | 296,900 | 302,000 | -1.69% |
| Permanent Residence | 631,500 | 644,000 | -1.94% |
| Temporary Residence | 1,346,200 | 1,318,000 | 2.14% |
| Total | 2,274,600 | 2,264,000 | 0.47% |
| Application Type | Backlog | Percentage Change | Within Service Standards | Percentage Change |
| Citizenship | 67,900 | -5.69% | 229,000 | -0.43% |
| Permanent Residence | 290,500 | -4.13% | 341,000 | 0.00% |
| Temporary Residence | 444,200 | 4.27% | 902,000 | 1.16% |
| Total | 802,600 | 0.20% | 1,472,000 | 0.64% |
2023 IRCC Monthly Backlog Data
| Date | Backlog | Total Applications Under Processing |
|---|---|---|
| July 31, 2023 | 802,600 | 2,274,600 |
| June 30, 2023 | 801,000 | 2,264,000 |
| 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 |
Will the IRCC eliminate the backlog by the end of 2023?
As per official IRCC projections for 2023, backlogs are expected to reduce month-on-month, but there is a possibility that the backlog will enter 2024. Below are the IRCC’s official backlog projections for various application types by the end of September 2023.
- 20% backlog for Federal High Skilled and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP via Express Entry)
- 24–26% backlog for Citizenship and spousal sponsorship applications.
- 17-20% for study permits and work permits.
- 36% for temporary resident visas or visitor visas.
- Anything equal to or below 20% means IRCC is meeting the service standard for that business line.
What is the new backlog for IRCC?
IRCC was handling a total of 2,274,600 citizenship, immigration, and visa applications as of July 31, 2023. 802,600 of these are backlogs exceeding the normal service standards of IRCC.
The backlog reduces for citizenship and permanent residency applications by nearly 5% month-on-month, but increases by 4.27% for temporary residency applications.
Why is Canada IRCC processing so slow?
IRCC processing involves extensive assessment of applicants on a case-by-case basis, which makes it a lengthy process, plus the IRCC systems have not fully adapted to the prevailing technology in the last 10–15 years.
Additionally, Canada is now receiving a record number of new applications from around the globe, which is also contributing to the backlog on top of the files accumulated during the pandemic.
