By the end of May 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had a staggering 1,517,770 applications awaiting processing in its inventory. This figure encompasses various types of applications, including permanent residence, temporary residence, and Canadian citizenship applications that are pending finalization by immigration officers.

The recent data release by the immigration department on its updated Inside IRCC’s application processing system webpage sheds light on the current situation. Unlike its previous version, the new page no longer discloses the proportion of applications being processed within service standards.

Between January 1 and May 31, IRCC successfully finalized a total of 1,648,965 applications. This article will delve into the specifics of the applications pending finalization as of the end of May.

IRCC emphasizes that the figures provided have been rounded to the nearest multiple of five for accuracy.

Breakdown of Applications

Permanent Residence Applications

As of May 31, IRCC had 705,315 permanent residence (PR) applications awaiting final decisions. This category now includes applications under Economic, Family, or Protection streams, offering more pathways to PR than before.

Previously, this category encompassed Express Entry, enhanced Provincial Nominee Program, and family sponsorship applications. The department has made significant changes to streamline the application process and categorization.

Between January 1 and May 31, IRCC processed a total of 198,700 PR applications.

Economic Stream

Within the Economic stream, IRCC has 238,335 applications awaiting finalization, with 75% in processing and 25% awaiting available permanent residence admissions spaces.