The Canada immigration backlog has decreased from 1.2 million on October 31, 2022 to 1.09 million as of November 30, 2022. IRCC has updated this new data today (December 14, 2022).
Furthermore, 1.02 million applications are still being processed within IRCC service standards. This number has slightly reduced from 1.04 million since October 31st data. So, in all, 2.1 million applications are now being processed at IRCC.
On August 24, 2022, the IRCC minister confirmed that backlog data is different from service standard data. For example, if spousal sponsorship specifies a processing period of 12 months, an application that is being processed within 12 months is “NOT” a backlog. Rather, it will be classified as standard processing.
However, if it surpasses the 12-month service requirement, it is referred to as a backlog. It should be noted that IRCC’s goal is to complete 80% of applications within service standards. Click here to view the IRCC’s service standards by category.
| Application Type | Overall Processing Inventory | Backlog | Within Service Standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | 318,000 | 89,000 | 229,000 |
| Permanent Residence | 609,400 | 337,200 | 272,200 |
| Temporary Residence | 1,184,000 | 660,000 | 524,000 |
| Total | 2,111,400 | 1,086,200 | 1,025,200 |
IRCC Backlog latest data – November 30
Below are the category-wise Canada Immigration backlog projections by IRCC
1. Federal High Skilled Backlog
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 89% | |
| Feb 22 | 92% | |
| Mar 22 | 98% | |
| Apr 22 | 99% | |
| May 22 | 100% | |
| Jun 22 | 100% | |
| Jul 22 | 99% | |
| Aug 22 | 90% | 86% |
| Sep 22 | 68% | 72% |
| Oct 22 | 45% | 59% |
| Nov 22 | 31% | 46% |
| Dec 22 | – | 20% |
2. Provincial Nominee Program (Express Entry) Backlog
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 56% | |
| Feb 22 | 55% | |
| Mar 22 | 54% | |
| Apr 22 | 51% | |
| May 22 | 47% | |
| Jun 22 | 45% | |
| Jul 22 | 43% | |
| Aug 22 | 42% | 39% |
| Sep 22 | 40% | 35% |
| Oct 22 | 42% | 31% |
| Nov 22 | 42% | 28% |
| Dec 22 | – | 20% |
3. Spouses, Partners and children applications Backlog
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 34% | |
| Feb 22 | 32% | |
| Mar 22 | 30% | |
| Apr 22 | 29% | |
| May 22 | 27% | |
| Jun 22 | 27% | |
| Jul 22 | 26% | |
| Aug 22 | 25% | 24% |
| Sep 22 | 25% | 23% |
| Oct 22 | 24% | 22% |
| Nov 22 | 24% | 20% |
| Dec 22 | – | 19% |
4. Citizenship Backlog
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 46% | |
| Feb 22 | 45% | |
| Mar 22 | 42% | |
| Apr 22 | 40% | |
| May 22 | 39% | |
| Jun 22 | 37% | |
| Jul 22 | 34% | |
| Aug 22 | 31% | 31% |
| Sep 22 | 31% | 30% |
| Oct 22 | 28% | 29% |
| Nov 22 | 27% | 27% |
| Dec 22 | – | 25% |
5. Study Permits Backlog
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 42% | |
| Feb 22 | 34% | |
| Mar 22 | 27% | |
| Apr 22 | 32% | |
| May 22 | 31% | |
| Jun 22 | 30% | |
| Jul 22 | 31% | |
| Aug 22 | 38% | 39% |
| Sep 22 | 31% | 42% |
| Oct 22 | 26% | 33% |
| Nov 22 | 27% | 31% |
| Dec 22 | – | 33% |
| Jan 23 | – | 36% |
| Feb 23 | – | 33% |
| Mar 23 | – | 23% |
6. Work Permits Backlog
**As per IRCC, approximately 71% of work permits applications are from the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel.
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 48% | |
| Feb 22 | 51% | |
| Mar 22 | 29% | |
| Apr 22 | 23% | |
| May 22 | 26% | |
| Jun 22 | 28% | |
| Jul 22 | 28% | |
| Aug 22 | 34% | 29% |
| Sep 22 | 27% | 35% |
| Oct 22 | 23% | 49% |
| Nov 22 | 28% | 55% |
| Dec 22 | – | 60% |
| Jan 23 | – | 58% |
| Feb 23 | – | 47% |
| Mar 23 | – | 30% |
7. Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Visitor Visa Backlog
**As per IRCC, approximately 17% of temporary resident visa or visitor visa applications are from the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel.
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 70% | |
| Feb 22 | 74% | |
| Mar 22 | 55% | |
| Apr 22 | 55% | |
| May 22 | 56% | |
| Jun 22 | 71% | |
| Jul 22 | 67% | |
| Aug 22 | 71% | 68% |
| Sep 22 | 74% | 71% |
| Oct 22 | 74% | 70% |
| Nov 22 | 70% | 67% |
| Dec 22 | – | 66% |
| Jan 23 | – | 66% |
| Feb 23 | – | 62% |
| Mar 23 | – | 58% |
Source: IRCC official website
New Canada Immigration Changes And Updates Coming In October 2026
October 2026 brings a series of immigration deadlines, quarterly federal updates and provincial program milestones that will directly affect foreign workers, international students, employers, immigration professionals and permanent residence candidates across Canada. October will also be closely watched for Ontario’s first draw under the redesigned Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program, the pace and composition of federal…
New Minimum Wage In Ontario Effective October 1
Ontario’s minimum wage rises to $17.95 on October 1, 2026. What changes, what doesn’t, and how to check your paycheque when September and October fall in the same pay period.
New Express Entry Draw On September 29 Sent 2,000 PR Invitations
On September 29, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada sent out 2,000 invitations to apply for permanent residency in a new Express Entry draw for Canadian Experience Class candidates, pushing the CRS threshold down for a third consecutive round since the August peak. The Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff fell to 518 points, one point below…
Latest Express Entry Draw On September 28 Issues 733 PR Invitations
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada conducted a new Provincial Nominee Program Express Entry draw on September 28, 2026, sending 733 invitations to apply for permanent residence to candidates who hold valid provincial nominations. The Comprehensive Ranking System cutoff for the lowest-ranked candidate selected in this round was 725 points. That threshold is 9 points lower…
10 New Canada Laws And Rules Taking Effect In October 2026
October 2026 brings a packed set of federal changes that will reach Canadian households, workers, seniors, patients, and taxpayers across every province and territory. Some of these rules are brand new, while others represent scheduled expiries or legislative proposals that are advancing through Parliament. This month delivers higher Old Age Security payments, a new consolidated…
5 New CRA Benefit Payments Coming In October 2026
October 2026 delivers 5 separate Canada Revenue Agency benefit payments within a single three-week window, making it one of the busiest deposit months of the entire benefit year. The first payment arrives on October 5 and the last lands on October 23, with three additional deposits scattered across the dates in between. Every one of…
2 New Canada Worker Pay Rules Coming In October 2026
2 new major worker pay rules take effect across federally regulated Canadian workplaces in October 2026, under the Canada Labour Code. The first rule targets wage gaps between employees who do substantially the same work but hold a different employment status. The second rule protects employees of federally regulated temporary help agencies from earning less…
IRCC Reveals Why Nearly 250,000 Canada PR Applications Are Waiting For Space
Nearly 250,000 Canadian permanent residence applications are waiting for admissions space under yearly immigration targets, according to IRCC’s latest inventory data released in September 2026. The bottleneck is admissions capacity: when a program’s yearly target is full, complete applications wait until space becomes available. For some applicants, that can push processing into a future year.…
New OAS Payments Coming On September 25, 2026
The next Old Age Security deposit – OAS payment is confirmed for Friday, September 25, when Service Canada will issue OAS pensions, Guaranteed Income Supplement top-ups, Allowance payments, and Allowance for the Survivor payments on the same nationwide payment date. This is the third and final deposit at the July-to-September 2026 quarterly rates, which delivered…
Canada Developing A New Express Entry Application System
Canada is building new digital infrastructure for Express Entry, and IRCC has now named the program as an early modernization priority. IRCC says the first release of its new case management platform will deliver a new Expression of Interest system for Express Entry. Express Entry candidates are also the next group targeted for IRCC’s consolidated…
7 Online Costs Newcomers To Canada Should Check Before Paying
A $9.99 subscription can look harmless until sales tax, currency conversion, or automatic renewal pushes the actual cost higher. That is easy to miss when you have just arrived in Canada and are already paying for rent, groceries, transportation, a phone plan, and perhaps remittances to family abroad. Every digital service has its own checkout…
Canada Visitor Visa Screening Tightens With 40+ Criteria Now In Play
Canada’s screening of visitor visa applicants has become more rigorous as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada discloses new details about the layered framework governing who may travel to the country. IRCC says Canada’s Visa Policy Framework relies on more than 40 criteria when evaluating whether to impose, lift, or partially lift a visa requirement for…
New CPP Payments To Be Sent Canada-Wide On September 25
Millions of retirees will receive the next Canada Pension Plan deposit, with CPP payments scheduled for Friday, September 25, according to Service Canada. The maximum CPP retirement pension for someone starting at age 65 in January 2026 is $1,507.65 per month, while the current average for new age-65 beneficiaries is $877.01 per month. CPP benefits…
How CRA Benefit Payments Actually Reach Your Bank Account
It’s payment day, at least according to the calendar on the fridge. A quick check of the banking app first thing in the morning shows nothing new, just yesterday’s balance sitting there unchanged. For anyone waiting on a CRA benefit payment, that gap between the date on paper and the number actually landing in the…
New Canada LMIA Rules Now Clarify Who Can Hire Foreign Workers
Service Canada published updated employer guidance across multiple major Temporary Foreign Worker Program streams on September 18, 2026, establishing explicit criteria for determining which entity qualifies as the employer when a Labour Market Impact Assessment application is assessed. The new guidance defines who Service Canada considers the true employer of a temporary foreign worker and…
New Canada Benefit Payments Still Coming In September 2026
10 major Canada benefit payments and assistance deposits are still coming before September ends, split evenly between 5 federal and 5 provincial programs. These benefit payments are scheduled across four dates between September 23 and September 29, covering federal pensions and seniors benefits, disability payments, and provincial income-support programs. Several of the largest federal programs,…
New Minimum Wage Increase In 5 Canadian Provinces Effective October 1
5 Canadian provinces are raising their minimum wage on October 1, 2026, delivering increases that range from 1.5% to 2.5% and putting more money into the pockets of hundreds of thousands of workers across the country. Manitoba leads the group with the largest increase both by percentage and by cents per hour, while Ontario will…
New OAS Payment Increase Coming In October 2026
Canadian seniors will receive noticeably larger Old Age Security deposits – OAS payments starting with the October 28 payment after the Government of Canada confirmed a 1.4% quarterly increase for the October to December 2026 period. This is the strongest single-quarter adjustment of the entire calendar year, surpassing the 1.2% increase that took effect in…
New Ontario List Of In-Demand Careers For 2026-2027
Immigration News Canada has compiled an updated 2026-2027 list of Ontario in-demand careers using the province’s official Explore In-Demand Careers database, following the latest investment in 40,000 new postsecondary seats for high-demand fields. Unlike rankings assembled by recruitment websites or third-party job boards, the occupations identified below are drawn from Ontario government labour market data…
New BC PWD Payment To Be Sent On September 23
British Columbia’s next Persons With Disability assistance (PWD payment) is confirmed for Wednesday, September 23, 2026. This deposit covers October 2026 living expenses and will land in bank accounts for recipients enrolled in direct deposit. A single person holding the Persons with Disabilities designation can receive up to $1,483.50 per month, combining the $983.50 support…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.