IRCC releases immigration backlog data, reveals 1.8 million applications in the queue

It has been well publicised that COVID-19 has caused huge delays to application processing by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), but news has now been released that as of October 2021, Canada is sitting on a backlog of 1.8 million applications.

IRCC say that they are working hard to clear the backlog caused by COVID-19 and to reduce processing times. Canada has always been known for its great immigration system, but two years on from the beginning of COVID-19, many of Canada’s immigration offices are still not in full operation. These delays, and the difficulty for clients to find out accurate information about their application, are having a detrimental effect on how people view Canada as a place to visit, work and live.

According to IRCC, the 1.8 million backlog includes:

• 548,195 permanent residence applications, including 112,392 refugee applications

• 775,741 temporary residence applications (study permits, work permits, temporary resident visas and visitor extensions)

• 468,000 Canadian citizenship applications.

• CIC News revealed that the backlog increased by another 21,000 applications in just two months, bringing the number to 1,813,144 by the end of December 2021.

Acknowledging the impact that COVID- 19 has had on the immigration system, the Canadian government has vowed to tackle the problem by investing $85million towards alleviating the backlog.