Canada’s immigration backlog has fallen below one million for the first time in months. As of January 31, the total number of pending applications for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) fell to 990,300 – the first time such a number has been recorded since October 2025, according to CIC News.
This figure includes a 14% increase in the backlog of study permits and an 8% decrease in the backlog of work permits.
IRCC’s total application inventory was 2,092,000, down 35,500 over the past month. Of these, 1,101,700 requests were processed in accordance with service standards, the report said.
What is a backlog?
According to IRCC definitions, an immigration application is counted as part of the backlog if it takes longer than the processing timelines established by the department. Timelines serve as measures of how quickly different types of applications are expected to complete.
For example, IRCC aims to process most Express Entry applications within six months and Family Sponsorship applications within 12 months. If a case exceeds these timelines, it is classified as part of the backlog.
Backlog view
Canada’s immigration backlog continued to rise until the end of 2025 and topped the one million mark in October — after surging from 958,850 in August to 996,700 in September and then to 1,006,700 in October.
While the numbers saw minor fluctuations in the following months – falling slightly to 1,005,800 in November and rising again to 1,014,700 in December – the backlog remained above one million.
It wasn’t until January 2026 that the number fell to 990,300, a significant drop of 2.41%, and the first time since October that the backlog fell below one million.
Decrease in PR income?
Canada will welcome 393,750 new permanent residents in 2025, down from record highs seen in the years immediately following the pandemic — signaling a new phase in federal immigration policy under Mark Carney, Immigration.ca reports.
That number is down from 483,655 newcomers welcomed in 2024 and 471,820 in 2023, as Ottawa reportedly moves toward a more controlled and “sustainable” immigration approach aimed at balancing economic needs with pressures on housing and infrastructure.
