Canada’s immigration system is facing a serious crisis marked by record backlogs, staffing shortages and conflicting policy signals, according to the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association.
Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows more than one million applications were in backlog as of Oct. 31, 2025. An additional one million applications remain within service standards, bringing the total caseload to over two million.
Rick Lamanna, a board director with the association and a partner at Fragomen Canada, said a key issue is IRCC’s decision to reduce staffing to pre-pandemic levels despite significantly higher application volumes. He warned that current resources are insufficient to manage demand.
While IRCC says it is using automation, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to speed up processing, Lamanna said the technology is not yet delivering results and may be contributing to inconsistent or questionable decisions.
Concerns are also growing over the federal government’s decision to reduce international study permits. Ottawa plans to issue 408,000 permits in 2026 — a seven per cent drop from 2025 and 16 per cent below 2024 levels — citing pressure on housing and health care systems. Lamanna said the move has had a predictable financial impact on universities, which are facing declining enrolment and revenue losses.
He also criticized what he described as mixed messaging, noting that the government capped overall international student numbers while simultaneously fast-tracking applications for master’s and doctoral students.
Lamanna warned that uncertainty could push students, investors and skilled workers to other countries, even as Canada prepares for major infrastructure and nation-building projects that will require a strong labour force.
“We need a predictable system,” he said, adding that long-term confidence in Canada’s immigration strategy is essential for economic growth.