Canada is currently facing a significant immigration backlog, with over one million applications pending. The backlog for Express Entry applications has increased by 29% compared to the previous month, highlighting the growing challenges in processing immigration requests.

On a positive note, the study permit backlog has shown a decrease for the first time since July 2025, indicating some progress in addressing the backlog issue.

Recent data published by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in October 2025 revealed that there are a total of 2,182,200 applications in IRCC inventories, out of which 1,175,500 are being processed within the set service standards.

IRCC considers an application backlogged when it surpasses the service standard specified for that particular category, reflecting the challenges faced in timely processing of immigration applications.

These numbers underscore the pressing need for efficient handling of immigration applications to ensure timely and fair processing for all applicants.