Canada Reports Permanent Residence Waitlists for First Time
Starting July 21, IRCC began disclosing monthly data on permanent residence applications awaiting processing, revealing significant numbers waitlisted under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan due to insufficient admission spaces.
A New Transparency Measure
As of July 21, Canada's immigration department began sharing monthly updates on permanent residence applications in active processing versus those waitlisted due to insufficient admission spaces under its 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan. This marks the first time the federal government has released details on the proportion of permanent residence applications being set aside for future processing.
Figures for waitlisted applications are provided across three permanent residence categories—Economic, Family, and Protection—and will be adjusted each month based on IRCC's inventory. As of May 31, 2026, the department reported having a total of 705,315 permanent residence applications awaiting finalization.
Among economic applications, the Provincial Nominee Program, Atlantic Immigration Program, and Rural Community Immigration Pilot carry 238,335 applications, of which 75 percent are actively in processing, while 25 percent are waiting for available admission space.
What This Means for You
If you've submitted a permanent residence application, you can now check IRCC's updated inventory page each month to see whether your application is in active processing or on the waitlist. While IRCC finalized 111,000 economic applications in the first five months of 2026, the fastest-moving of the three PR categories, knowing your status helps you plan your move to Canada more accurately. Family-class and protection applications face longer queues; check the official IRCC inventory tool for current figures before deciding to sponsor a relative or submit a protection claim.
Sources
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