Quarterly Administrative Data Release

The Quarterly Administrative Data Release provides up-to-date portraits of the immigration process, including both permanent and temporary streams, as well as an overview of the citizenship process.

When using these tables, it is important to remember that:

  • All current year data are preliminary estimates. In particular, there is a time lag associated with applications being entered into CIC systems, which may initially result in an underestimation of applications actually received. These numbers will stabilize over time.
  • After an authorization/visa is issued, applicants can choose if and when they will enter Canada within a specified period of time up to 12 months. A successful applicant becomes either a temporary resident or a permanent resident upon arrival in Canada.
  • An application for citizenship can only be made by a permanent resident after they have lived in Canada for at least three years of residence (1,095 days) in the four years immediately preceding the date that they apply.

CIC Operational Network at a Glance

CIC Operational Network Calendar year Year to date
  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2011
(Jan-Dec)		 2012
(Jan-Dec)
PERMANENT RESIDENCE (PERSONS)
Applications Received 466,706 480,631 447,500 442,706 313,865 313,865 212,406
Network Outcomes
Positive 252,403 249,600 266,991 281,095 264,625 264,625 275,451
Negative 84,632 90,575 170,629 127,151 69,576 69,576 79,814
Withdrawn 23,090 27,869 50,951 41,006 21,942 21,942 18,664
Total Network Outcomes 360,125 368,044 488,571 449,252 356,143 356,143 373,929
Total Authorizations and Visas Issued 249,292 245,695 263,405 276,899 260,880 260,880 267,180
TEMPORARY RESIDENCE (PERSONS)
Applications Received 1,545,174 1,556,023 1,573,510 1,718,937 1,771,395 1,771,395 1,851,096
Network Outcomes
Positive 1,275,019 1,259,454 1,269,692 1,402,980 1,471,035 1,471,035 1,546,584
Negative 242,988 263,032 269,187 271,807 271,156 271,156 290,276
Withdrawn 25,736 23,316 51,613 33,944 41,720 41,720 14,878
Total Network Outcomes 1,543,743 1,545,802 1,590,492 1,708,731 1,783,911 1,783,911 1,851,738

Source: CIC Operational Databases, 4th Quarter 2012

CIC Permanent Resident Applicants Awaiting a Decision

* The date the Action Plan for Faster Immigration took effect.
**Other permanent resident applicants include Family Class, Refugees, Humanitarian and Compassionate and others in the Economic Class.

  As Of December 31 (unless otherwise indicated)
Volumes (in persons) 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
(Dec 31)
Working Inventory
Federal Skilled Worker applications received on or after the priority processing date of February 27, 2008* n/a 111,520 128,769 173,050 160,849 82,278
Backlog
Federal Skilled Worker applications received before the priority processing date of February 27, 2008* 586,109 512,996 400,005 334,881 302,365 9,159
All Other Permanent Resident Applications** 343,927 373,782 417,702 495,785 546,729 524,834
Backlog Subtotal 930,036 886,778 817,707 830,666 849,094 533,993
Total Applicants Awaiting a Decision 930,036 998,298 946,476 1,003,716 1,009,943 616,271

Source: CIC Operational Databases, 4th Quarter 2012

Application Processing Times

Information on immigration and citizenship applications.

Canada – Permanent and Temporary Residents

Permanent residents by category 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 YTD
Family class 15,509 66,242 17,236 65,581 16,187 65,207 14,660 60,223 15,098 56,452 18,475 64,901
Economic immigrants 30,392 131,244 28,154 149,069 31,621 153,491 35,053 186,917 32,488 156,118 35,567 160,617
Refugees 6,866 27,954 5,696 21,859 5,492 22,850 6,033 24,697 9,640 27,873 5,835 23,056
Other immigrants 2,806 11,312 2,458 10,736 3,051 10,623 1,808 8,846 2,382 8,305 2,103 8,936
Category not stated 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 7 1 3 0 5
Total – Permanent Residents 55,573 236,753 53,544 247,247 56,351 252,172 57,555 280,690 59,609 248,751 61,980 257,515

Temporary residents by yearly status 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 Total Q4 YTD
Foreign workers 30,300 163,528 37,895 190,744 31,806 176,747 31,935 179,080 34,430 190,575 38,136 213,516
Foreign students 9,419 73,773 11,044 79,264 12,218 84,870 13,207 95,257 15,581 98,392 16,124 104,777
Humanitarian population 9,763 29,591 9,962 37,954 7,056 34,185 6,248 24,943 7,747 26,459 5,447 21,239
Other 21,536 88,915 18,917 89,412 19,376 84,307 17,692 80,482 22,972 82,740 16,415 81,424
Total Entries – Temporary Residents 71,018 355,807 77,818 397,374 70,456 380,109 69,082 379,762 80,730 398,166 76,122 420,956

Source: CIC, Research DataMart, 4th Quarter 2012

Citizenship at a Glance

*Estimated, in Persons
**As of December 2, 2009 data for proof applications closed for other reasons could not be successfully downloaded.

Citizenship Calendar year Year to date
  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2011
(Jan-Dec)		 2012
(Jan-Dec)
GRANTS
Applications Received* 227,520 242,400 232,960 208,800 223,040 223,040 317,440
Ceremonies Completed 2,802 2,011 1,957 1,723 1,944 1,944 1,664
New Canadian Citizens 199,866 176,567 156,342 143,595 181,288 181,288 113,111
Inventory 189,886 222,594 259,709 290,854 280,233 280,233 349,249
PROOFS
Applications Received 60,107 56,753 57,724 52,381 53,306 53,306 65,136
Total Outcomes
Approved 56,733 41,507 75,190 69,731 66,421 66,421 46,044
Refused 89 56 242 627 417 417 1,523
Closed for other Reasons** n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Total n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Inventory 35,917 53,918 43,362 24,475 12,845 12,845 20,376

Source: CIC, Operational Databases, 4th Quarter 2012

Quarterly Administrative Data Release – Additional Tables

Additional statistical tables are available through the Government of Canada's Open Data website – www.data.gc.ca. These tables, on the permanent and temporary resident streams, provide more detailed information on applications received, application outcomes, visas issued, processing times, inventory at selection and final decision stages, entries of temporary residents and immigration of permanent residents.

Glossary of Terms and Concepts – Canada – Permanent and Temporary Residents

Glossary of Terms and Concepts – CIC Operational Network at a Glance; Application Processing Times; and Citizenship at a Glance

For further information (media only), please contact:

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
cic-media-relations@cic.gc.ca