According to the latest update from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada’s immigration backlog has dropped to 2.4 million. The record across all aspects of business has advanced as follows since July 2021:
• November 3, 2022: 2,411,388 persons • September 30, 2022: 2,600,000 persons • August 31, 2022: 2,583,827 persons • July 15-17, 2022: 2,679,031 persons • June 1-6, 2022: 2,387,884 persons • April 30-May 2, 2022: 2,130,385 persons • April 11-12, 2022: 2,031,589 persons • March 15 and 17, 2022: 1,844,424 persons • February 1, 2022: 1,815,628 persons • December 15, 2021: 1,813,144 persons • October 27, 2021: 1,792,404 persons • July 6, 2021: 1,447,474 persons
As of October 31, there were 331,401 citizenship applicants, compared to 351,964 on October 3. Compared to October 3, the permanent residence inventory stood at 506,421 people.
According to the October 3 temporary residence inventory, there were 1,651,649 people, while on November 3 it stood at 1,537,566. This resulted in reductions in two of the three major categories, with the biggest reduction in temporary residences.
39,589 Express Entry applications are awaiting processing as of November 3. In July, the IRCC resumed inviting Express Entry candidates from all programs. Due to IRCC’s struggles to meet its service standard of processing Express Entry applications within six months, draws were limited to candidates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) between September 21, 2021, and July 6, 2022. After reducing the number of Express Entry invitations for Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) candidates, IRCC has returned to its six-month service standard for candidates who have received a permanent residence invitation since July 6. The PNP has an inventory of 62,073 total applications.
Family Class Inventory
A total of 128,112 family immigrants are currently in the system, compared to 125,488 on October 3. The Spouses and Partners program is among the largest inventories among all lines of business, at 61,118, a slight rise in the number as compared to October 3. The Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) has an inventory of 55,653 people compared to 53530 people waiting for decisions in October.
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Canada Immigration News Podcast #76: Canadian Passports, Construction Apprentices, New Brunswick Draws, and Sudbury’s Population Growth
byRyan
Welcome to episode 76 of the Canada Immigration News Podcast, where we bring you the latest updates on Canadian immigration policies, provincial nominee draws, and regional growth initiatives. In this episode, we discuss Canada’s new passport fee refund policy, study permit rule changes for construction apprentices, New Brunswick’s first immigration draw results for 2025, and how immigration is fueling Sudbury’s record population growth.
The Government of Canada has introduced a new 30-business-day processing guarantee for passport applications. Starting this year, if a passport application takes longer than 30 business days to process, applicants will receive a full refund of their passport fees, regardless of how they applied. This policy aims to improve service reliability and comes in response to past processing delays, including disruptions caused by the Canada Post strike. It also aligns with Canada’s ongoing modernization efforts, such as the launch of the enhanced online passport renewal platform in December 2024.
To help address labour shortages in the construction sector, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a two-year temporary public policy that eliminates study permit requirements for eligible construction apprentices. From February 26, 2025, to February 26, 2027, temporary workers with valid work permits and registered apprenticeship agreements in designated construction occupations can complete their training in Canada without needing a study permit. This change removes barriers for skilled workers, allowing them to upgrade their qualifications more efficiently and contribute to Canada’s growing construction industry.
New Brunswick has conducted its first immigration draws of 2025, issuing 498 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through its Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP). These draws, held on March 5 and 6, 2025, focused on candidates in the NB Skilled Worker – NB Experience Stream and NB Skilled Worker – NB Graduates Stream. The selected occupations include healthcare, education, social and community services, and construction trades. Candidates who received an ITA must submit their complete applications within 45 days. This marks the beginning of New Brunswick’s strategic approach to attracting skilled immigrants to meet provincial labor market demands.
Greater Sudbury has experienced historic population growth, with Statistics Canada reporting a total population of 179,965 in 2024, up from 175,307 in 2022. This surge is largely driven by immigration, particularly through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), which has brought 2,700 new residents since 2019. The city’s selection for two new immigration initiatives—the Rural Community Immigration Pilot (RCIP) and Francophone Community Immigration Pilot (FCIP)—is expected to further boost population growth and strengthen the local economy in 2025.
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