Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed it will not clear its entire backlog of permanent residence (PR) applications in 2025—only specific PR pathways will see their inventories fully processed this year.
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According to the latest Minister Transition Binder, only a select group of economic immigration programs will have their entire inventories cleared. These include:
- Express Entry programs:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
- Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
- Express Entry-aligned Provincial Nominee Programs (Enhanced PNPs)
- Community Pilots (e.g., RNIP, FCIP)
- Quebec’s Skilled Worker Pathways (PSTQ, PEQ, and Quebec Pilot Programs)
All other economic immigration streams will only see partial processing of their application backlogs in 2025.
Full Processing in 2025 – Pathways
The following programs will have 100% of their inventory cleared this year:
| PR Pathway | Applications (as of Sept 11) | Applications to be processed |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Experience Class (CEC) | 19,300 | 19,300 |
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW) | 12,500 | 12,500 |
| Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) | Included with FSW | Included |
| Enhanced PNP (Express Entry-aligned) | 16,300 | 16,300 |
| Community Pilots | 3,500 | 3,500 |
| Quebec Skilled Worker (PSTQ) | 27,600 | 27,600 |
| Quebec Experience Class (PEQ) | Included with PSTQ | Included |
| Quebec Pilot Programs | Included with PSTQ | Included |
Partial Processing – Pathways and Targets for 2025
IRCC will only process a portion of applications for the following economic PR streams:
| PR Pathway | Application Inventory | % to be Processed | Estimated Applications Processed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agrifood Pilot | 8,900 | 5% | 445 |
| Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) | 12,100 | 33% | 3,993 |
| Caregiver Pilots | 34,400 | 14% | 4,816 |
| Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) | 2,500 | 12% | 300 |
| Base PNP (non-Express Entry) | 87,700 | 35% | 30,695 |
| Quebec Business Programs | 4,100 | 3% | 123 |
| Start-Up Visa (SUV) | 38,600 | 2% | 772 |
Wait Times by Program (Months)
Express Entry (CEC & FSW)
| Quarter | FSW | CEC |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2024-Q3 | 5 | 6 |
| 2024-Q4 | 6 | 6 |
| 2025-Q1 | 6 | 7 |
| 2025-Q2 | 6 | 5 |
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
| Quarter | Enhanced PNP | Base PNP |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q2 | 6 | 11 |
| 2024-Q3 | 6 | 11 |
| 2024-Q4 | 7 | 13 |
| 2025-Q1 | 7 | 24 |
| 2025-Q2 | 6 | 19 |
Quebec Programs
| Quarter | Quebec Skilled Worker | Quebec Business |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q2 | 8 | 20 |
| 2024-Q3 | 8 | 17 |
| 2024-Q4 | 11 | 22 |
| 2025-Q1 | 8 | 108 |
| 2025-Q2 | 9 | 108 |
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
| Quarter | AIP |
|---|---|
| 2024-Q2 | 12 |
| 2024-Q3 | 13 |
| 2024-Q4 | 17 |
| 2025-Q1 | 27 |
| 2025-Q2 | 24 |
Federal Economic Pilots
| Quarter | Agrifood | Caregivers | EMPP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-Q2 | 22 | 31 | 10 |
| 2024-Q3 | 32 | 29 | 8 |
| 2024-Q4 | 60 | 27 | 10 |
| 2025-Q1 | 180 | 84 | 36 |
| 2025-Q2 | 228 | 108 | 54 |
Note: IRCC has closed the “not in Canada” stream of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot and does not plan to expand the caregiver inventory further in 2025.
Community Pilots (RNIP, FCIP, RCIP)
| Quarter | Community Pilots |
|---|---|
| 2024-Q2 | 12 |
| 2024-Q3 | 14 |
| 2024-Q4 | 12 |
| 2025-Q1 | 12 |
| 2025-Q2 | 7 |
Start-Up Visa (SUV)
| Quarter | SUV |
|---|---|
| 2024-Q2 | 48 |
| 2024-Q3 | 51 |
| 2024-Q4 | 71 |
| 2025-Q1 | 420 |
| 2025-Q2 | 420 |
Key Takeaways
- Express Entry, Quebec skilled programs, and community pilots are prioritized for full processing in 2025.
- Base PNP, caregiver, start-up, and economic pilot programs will only see partial processing, often under 15%.
- Wait times are increasing significantly in some streams, with federal pilot programs showing the longest delays—up to 420 months (35 years) in the Start-Up Visa stream.
- IRCC’s strategic focus seems to be on reducing inventories for faster-moving, high-skilled pathways.
