Building a stronger immigration system – Temporary residence
739,000
study permit
applications finalized in 2022.
Our performance
We continue to break records in processing temporary residence applications.
- We finalized about 739,000 study permit applications in 2022, beating our 2021 record by more than 30%.
- IRCC processed more than half a million more work permits in 2022 than it did the previous year. Approximately 756,000 work permits were processed in 2022, compared to about 215,000 in 2021.
Reducing backlog
We’re taking action to reduce the backlogs of temporary residence applications in our inventories, including for students and workers.
- Information on this page is up to date as of . Data is approximate and subject to change.
- IRCC is working toward our goal to process 80% of applications within our service standards, which allows for expected delays in very complex cases or when more information is needed from clients before finalizing their files.
- Our projections are estimates based on current operating conditions and may change. They don’t account for sharp increases in received applications, urgent shifts in priorities, or other unforeseen circumstances affecting our operations.
Temporary resident visas (TRV)
Note
- Approximately % of temporary resident visa (or visitor visa) applications in our inventories are from the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel.
2022–2023 Percentage of backlog of temporary resident visas (TRV) – Actual and projected
2022–2023 Percentage of backlog of temporary resident visas (TRV) – Actual and projected
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 70% | - |
| Feb 22 | 74% | - |
| Mar 22 | 55% | - |
| Apr 22 | 55% | - |
| May 22 | 56% | - |
| Jun 22 | 71% | - |
| Jul 22 | 67% | - |
| Aug 22 | 71% | 68% |
| Sep 22 | 74% | 71% |
| Oct 22 | 74% | 70% |
| Nov 22 | 70% | 67% |
| Dec 22 | 70% | 77% |
| Jan 23 | 68% | 68% |
| Feb 23 | 64% | 68% |
| Mar 23 | 61% | 65% |
| Apr 23 | 50% | 56% |
| May 23 | - | 42% |
| Jun 23 | - | 42% |
| Jul 23 | - | 42% |
Study permits
2022–2023 Percentage of backlog of study permits – Actual and projected
2022–2023 Percentage of backlog of study permits – Actual and projected
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 42% | - |
| Feb 22 | 34% | - |
| Mar 22 | 27% | - |
| Apr 22 | 32% | - |
| May 22 | 31% | - |
| Jun 22 | 30% | - |
| Jul 22 | 31% | - |
| Aug 22 | 38% | 39% |
| Sep 22 | 31% | 42% |
| Oct 22 | 26% | 33% |
| Nov 22 | 28% | 31% |
| Dec 22 | 32% | 33% |
| Jan 23 | 35% | 36% |
| Feb 23 | 29% | 34% |
| Mar 23 | 23% | 25% |
| Apr 23 | 18% | 22% |
| May 23 | - | 15% |
| Jun 23 | - | 15% |
| Jul 23 | - | 15% |
Work permits
Note
- Approximately % of work permits in our inventories are from the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel.
2022–2023 Percentage of backlog of work permits – Actual and projected
2022–2023 Percentage of backlog of work permits – Actual and projected
| Month | Backlog (Actual) | Backlog (Projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 22 | 48% | - |
| Feb 22 | 51% | - |
| Mar 22 | 29% | - |
| Apr 22 | 23% | - |
| May 22 | 26% | - |
| Jun 22 | 28% | - |
| Jul 22 | 28% | - |
| Aug 22 | 34% | 29% |
| Sep 22 | 27% | 35% |
| Oct 22 | 23% | 49% |
| Nov 22 | 24% | 55% |
| Dec 22 | 25% | 60% |
| Jan 23 | 26% | 26% |
| Feb 23 | 23% | 28% |
| Mar 23 | 18% | 28% |
| Apr 23 | 22% | 26% |
| May 23 | - | 24% |
| Jun 23 | - | 22% |
| Jul 23 | - | 22% |
What we've done
- We prioritized applications from workers in essential occupations in health care, agriculture and transportation, where labour is most needed to protect the health of Canadians and ensure an efficient food supply.
- We announced the extension of work permits for applicants under the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway and those with expiring post-graduation work permits.
- We extended a public policy to allow all visitors who are in Canada with valid temporary resident status to apply for an employer-specific work permit, regardless of when they arrived in Canada.
- We increased the length of stay for holders of a super visa for parents and grandparents to 5 years per entry into Canada, with the option to request to extend their stay by up to 2 years at a time.
- We expanded the Student Direct Stream, which allows for faster processing of study permit applications for international students, to 7 additional countries.
- We launched the 2023 International Experience Canada (IEC) program with a 20% increase in the number of applicants.
- We are extending the eligibility of work permits to family members of temporary foreign workers.
What we’re doing
- We’re hiring more employees to speed up processing across our business lines.
- We’re reviewing and improving our processes so we can eliminate steps and use technologies to support our employees and speed up processing.
Report a problem or mistake on this page
- Date modified: