On June 6, 2022 IRCC finally resumed all program Express Entry Draws. However, it was a puny draw inviting only 1,500 Express Entry profiles. Furthermore, cut off was quite high at 557. A good news for invited applicants is that their applications will be processed at IRCC’s 6 month processing standard.

This was indicated by IRCC Minister, Hon’ble Sean Fraser. He said, “Today, I am pleased to announce that Express Entry draws have officially resumed and applications will be processed at our 6 month processing standard. I look forward to welcoming skilled workers who will are essential in addressing Canada’s labour shortages.”

Prior to pandemic, IRCC had standard processing time for Express Entry and finalized the applications within 6 months. Some even used to receive decision on their applications in 3-4 months after submitting all the documents.

However, processing time shot up significantly during the pandemic and backlog woes are still haunting immigration applicants. Below are the latest processing times for Express Entry applications as of July 5, 2022.

Is It Possible?

As per last available backlog data of June 6, there have been significant improvement in clearing of backlog for Express Entry System.

Immigration category	%age of backlog added/reduced since Apr. 29	Applications Under Process as of June 6	Applications Under Process as of Apr. 29	Applications Under Process as of Apr. 11
Canadian Experience Class (EE)	-19.06%	6,088	7,522	8,363
Federal Skilled Workers (EE)	-23.72%	25,081	32,883	36,281
Skilled Trades (EE)	-10.33%	434	484	537
		31,603	40,889	45,181

IRCC Backlog Data – June 6, 2022

To put in perspective, IRCC finalized on an average around 242 Express Entry applications per day, since April 11, 2022 to June 6, 2022. There have been total of three Express Entry draws inviting 3,068 profiles collectively, since June 6, 2022. Assuming that IRCC is working at same pace, then 8,228 more applications might have been finalized by today (July 11).

Backlog for Express Entry system might be standing around 31,603 – 8,228 = 23,375, if the work went at the same pace. Adding new invitations, the total goes to 23,375 + 3,068 = 26,443. So, to clear all these applications at the same pace, IRCC would need 109 more days from today onward to completely clear this backlog.

As a result, we can say that it is easily doable for IRCC to process Express Entry applications within 6-month service standards.