IRCC’s June 2025 Immigration Inventory Swells Again
IRCC’s June 2025 Immigration Inventory Swells Again: Backlog Crosses 840,000 Applications
With a new record high, the applications backlog of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had hit 842,800 till June 30, 2025, up 5% from the previous month.
This rising delay in applications processing highlights the ongoing burden on the immigration system, amid good progress in other categories, like as study permits.
IRCC’s total inventory, which includes all immigration-related applications, whether delayed or within normal timescales, now stands at 2.18 million. Of those, 1.34 million applications are now being handled within regular time frames.
What exactly is a backlog?
According to IRCC, an application is added to the “backlog” if it is not addressed within the established processing times for each program. For example:
- Express Entry: 6-Month Target
- Family sponsorship: 12-month aim
- Study Permits: Approximately 60 days (on average).
Six-Month Overview: Backlog Rises Again Following Early 2025 Improvements.
| Month | Pending Backlog | Change from Previous Month |
|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 891,100 | -5.3% |
| February 2025 | 821,200 | -7.9% |
| March 2025 | 779,900 | -5.0% |
| April 2025 | 760,200 | -2.5% |
| May 2025 | 802,000 | +5.5% |
| June 2025 | 842,800 | +5.0% |
Permanent Residence Delays keep on mounting
As of June 2025, permanent residence (PR) programs accounted for nearly 896,100 applications in the IRCC queue. This includes paths such as:
Notable Trends:
- Express Entry: 20% of applications surpassed processing timelines (an increase from 18%)
- Express Entry-linked PNP: 48% of files were postponed, a modest decrease from 49% in May.
- Family sponsorship: remained stable with a reasonable 14% backlog.
Temporary Residency: Study Permits Improve, but Work Permits Slow Down
- Study Permits: defined an important triumph, with the backlog reducing to 18%, meeting the IRCC's 20% target for the first time in more than a year.
- Work Permits: Delays rose slightly, from 38% in May to 40% in June.
- Visitor Visas: Still substantial, but backlog decreased somewhat from 54% to 53%.
Citizenship applicants had minimal change in June
How Is the IRCC Trying to Keep Up?
- Classifying applications.
- Highlighting complex cases.
- Summarizing applicant information to facilitate officer review
Such technology is meant to increase speed and efficiency while maintaining accuracy and fairness.
Metro Areas Now Ineligible for Low-Wage LMIA Applications
| Family Size | Minimum Required Funds (Annual) |
|---|---|
| 1 person (student only) | CAD $22,895 |
| 2 people | CAD $28,502 |
| 3 people | CAD $35,040 |
| 4 people | CAD $42,543 |
| 5 people | CAD $48,252 |
| 6 people | CAD $54,420 |
| 7 people | CAD $60,589 |
| Additional family member | CAD $6,170 |
These figures represent a significant increase from the earlier requirement of CAD $20,635 for a single applicant, which had been in effect since January 1, 2024.
The Path Forward for Immigration Processing in Canada
IRCC’s continuous problems reflect the enormous global demand for living, studying, and working in Canada. While growth in some categories is positive, particularly in study permits, considerable delays persist in both temporary and permanent resident streams.
