According to Maple News, the number of immigration applications waiting to be processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has reached nearly one million. As of September 30, 2024, the total backlog stood at 996,700, marking the highest volume of pending cases since November 2022.
This significant queue includes applications across multiple categories—permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship. However, the most rapid growth continues to be seen in study permit applications, which surged by 10% month-over-month, the largest increase of any application type so far in 2024.
The spike reflects Canada’s ongoing popularity as a destination for international students, driven by the quality of its education system, relatively open immigration pathways for graduates, and strong post-graduation employment options. However, the continued rise in demand has placed extra pressure on IRCC’s processing capacity.
Despite previous commitments by the federal government to reduce processing times and improve client service, applicants continue to experience delays. Ongoing changes to immigration policies, digital system upgrades, and hiring efforts may eventually improve application turnaround, but the near-million figure highlights the current strain on the system.
For international students, these delays can translate into missed semesters, disrupted plans, and increased uncertainty. The federal government has said it is actively working to reduce the backlog through increased staffing, digitization, and targeted processing strategies.
IRCC recently introduced a number of modernization initiatives, including a new digital case intake system and faster biometrics processing, all intended to streamline applications. However, experts suggest that unless intake levels are balanced with processing capacity, backlogs could remain a persistent challenge.
As the number of applicants continues to grow, particularly in high-demand categories like study permits, many immigration professionals are calling on IRCC to increase transparency and provide better timelines for applicants.
Maple News will continue to track updates from IRCC as the department works to address its mounting application inventory.