For the first time since October 2024, IRCC’s immigration backlog has grown, reaching 802,000 applications by May 31, up 5.5% from April’s 760,200. This increase affects permanent residency, temporary residency, and work permits. While 1.3 million out of over 2.1 million total applications are still within IRCC service standards, delays persist.

Express Entry and PNP backlogs remain high, with 49% of PNP cases pending. The work permit backlog also spiked to 38%, significantly above the 23% target. IRCC states that it’s utilizing automation and analytics to expedite the management of complex cases. The latest Canada immigration news 2025 also includes reduced PR targets to help ease the pressure.