Canada backlog dips under 1M
IRCC data show Canada’s immigration backlog fell below one million pending applications for the first time in months, with work‑permit processing easing even as study‑visa waits climbed. The shift offers mixed signals for practitioners advising cross‑border employment and student clients. (livemint.com, immigrationnewscanada.ca)
IRCC’s inventory snapshot released mid‑March covers files as of Jan. 31, 2026 and shows a total system inventory of roughly 2,092,000 applications, with 1,101,700 processed within service standards and 990,300 classified as exceeding standards. (cicnews.com) Program‑level shifts were uneven: the study‑permit inventory increased about 14% month‑over‑month while the work‑permit inventory fell roughly 8%, and the Enhanced Provincial Nominee Program inventory declined near 6%. (cicnews.com) Operational throughput in January included 136,700 finalized work permits (including extensions) and 34,200 finalized study permits (including extensions), alongside 32,400 permanent‑residence decisions and 24,100 admissions that month. (canada.ca) Permanent‑residence inventories rose to about 995,500 applications—an increase of 21,700 from December—with 460,200 processed within standards and 535,300 designated as backlog. (cicnews.com) Express Entry showed improvement: only about 15% of federal high‑skilled (Express Entry) applications were overdue at month‑end, down from ~20% the prior month, even as IRCC reiterates a policy target to process roughly 80% of applications within service standards. (cicnews.com)
