Canada’s immigration system is showing encouraging signs of improvement, as newly released data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals a continued decline in application backlogs.
As of February 28, 2026, IRCC’s total backlog stood at 941,400 applications marking a significant reduction of 48,900 compared to the previous month. This brings the backlog to its lowest level since July 2025, reflecting steady progress in processing efficiency.
Among the most notable improvements:
- Work permit backlog decreased by 11%
- Visitor visa backlog dropped by 6%
- Express Entry and study permit backlogs each declined by 4%
Despite these gains, the total number of applications in IRCC’s inventory reached 2,092,700, showing a slight monthly increase. Encouragingly, over 1.15 million applications were processed within standard timelines.
Permanent Residence Applications
IRCC’s inventory of permanent residence (PR) applications surpassed one million, totaling 1,007,400 by the end of February. Of these, 47% were processed within service standards, while 536,800 applications remained in the backlog.
A key highlight is the continued improvement in Express Entry processing. The share of backlogged Express Entry applications dropped from 15% to 11%, the lowest level since IRCC began reporting this data.
The backlog for enhanced Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) applications also declined slightly to 40%, remaining within projected levels. Meanwhile, family sponsorship applications held steady at 22%, though projected backlog levels for this category have increased.
From January to February 2026, IRCC processed 70,400 PR applications and welcomed 53,400 new permanent residents to Canada.
Temporary Residence Applications
Temporary residence applications including work permits, study permits, and visitor visas totaled 824,500, reflecting a decrease of 20,900 applications compared to January.
Processing improvements were especially notable for work permits, where backlog levels dropped significantly from 38% to 27%, falling below projected targets.
Study permit backlogs also improved, declining from 50% to 46%, although still slightly above expected levels. Visitor visa backlogs saw a reduction from 54% to 48%, moving closer to IRCC’s projections.
During the first two months of 2026, IRCC finalized 302,800 work permit applications and 74,300 study permit applications.
Citizenship Applications
Citizenship applications rose to 260,800 in February. However, processing efficiency improved, with 77% of applications handled within service standards. The backlog rate decreased slightly to 23%, remaining well below projected levels.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, Canada welcomed over 509,100 new citizens.
What This Means for Applicants
IRCC’s latest data highlights a positive trend toward faster processing and reduced backlogs, particularly for work permits and Express Entry applications. While overall application volumes remain high, the department’s ability to process files more efficiently is a promising sign for current and future applicants.
