Express Entry backlog reaches a three-year high

The backlog of Express Entry applications at Canada’s immigration department has reached its highest level since 10/2022.

The most recent data, published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on 20/01/2026, shows the backlog as at 30/11/2025, on which date IRCC had 1,005,800 applications in its backlog, a slight decrease on the previous month (-900).

Compared with the previous month, the backlog for Express Entry applications rose from 27% to 32%, while the backlog for study permit applications fell from 41% to 36%.

The total number of applications across all IRCC inventories at the end of 11/2025 was 2,130,700. Of these, 1,124,900 were being processed within service standards.

The table below gives a snapshot of IRCC’s backlog throughout 2025:

Month	Immigration backlog	Change on previous month
01/2025	891,100	-5,33%
02/2025	821,200	-7,95%
03/2025	779,900	-5,03%
04/2025	760,200	-2,53%
05/2025	802,000	+5,5%
06/2025	842,800	+5,02%
07/2025	901,700	+6,98%
08/2025	958,850	+6,33%
09/2025	996,700	+3,95%
10/2025	1,006,700	+1,00%
11/2025	1,005,800	−0,09%

An application is classed as part of the backlog if its processing time exceeds the immigration department’s service standard for that application type.

Permanent residence applications

As at 30/11, IRCC had 941,600 permanent residence (PR) applications in its inventory—12,800 more than on 31/10.

IRCC counts Express Entry applications, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Express Entry-linked, and family sponsorship applications within this category.

IRCC data shows that 426,600 (45%) of these PR applications were being processed within service standards, leaving 515,000 PR applications designated as backlog.

For Express Entry applications specifically, 32% were considered backlog (against a projected 25%), up from 27% considered backlog the previous month. This is the highest Express Entry backlog since 10/2022 (45%).

The backlog for Express Entry-linked PNP applications also rose, from 51% at the end of October to 53% as at 30/11. This too is the highest number of applications considered backlog since 03/2022.

The backlog for family sponsorship applications, by contrast, remained at 20%—the same as the previous month.

Between 01/01 and 30/11/2025, IRCC issued a total of 414,700 decisions on PR applications and welcomed 367,500 new PRs to the country.

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Temporary residence applications

IRCC’s latest data shows the department had 942,000 temporary residence applications in its inventory as at 30/11—down from 999,100 at the end of October, a notable decrease.

Of these 942,000 applications, 507,600 (54%) were being processed within service standards, leaving 434,400 designated as backlog.

This category covers work permits, study permits and visitor visas.

The work permit backlog fell slightly, from 50% the previous month to 49% as at 30/11. Despite the fall, it remains above the department’s projected backlog for the month of 44%.

For study permits, the department reduced the backlog considerably—only 36% were considered backlog, compared with 41% as at 31/10. This is below the projected backlog for the month (37%).

Finally, the visitor visa backlog saw neither an increase nor a decrease—remaining at 57% for a third consecutive month. This figure nonetheless exceeds the month’s projected backlog of 54%.

IRCC data shows that between 01/01 and 30/11 the department finalised 557,400 study permit applications and 1,221,300 work permit applications (including extensions for both permit types).

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Citizenship grant

As at 30/11, IRCC had a total of 247,100 citizenship grant applications in its inventory—7,200 more than on 31/10.

Of this total, 190,700 (77%) were being processed within service standards.

That leaves 56,400 (23%) citizenship grant applications in the backlog—against a projected 21% for the month.

This is the fifth consecutive month in which we have seen the citizenship grant backlog rise by 1%.

Between 31/10 and 30/11/2025, the immigration department welcomed 25,100 new citizens.

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What are IRCC’s service standards?

IRCC uses service standards as an internal benchmark to measure how quickly different application types should be processed.

These benchmarks set out the target timeframe for completing the majority of applications in each category.

For example, IRCC aims to process Express Entry applications within six months, while family sponsorship applications have a 12-month processing target.

If an application is not finalised within the department’s service standard, IRCC counts it as part of the backlog.

IRCC’s target is to decide 80% of applications within the established timeframe, recognising that the remaining 20% of cases may require longer processing owing to factors such as more complex files, requests for further documents, or additional verification requirements.