The invention relates to a high-back-pressure plasma igniter. The problem that an existing igniter cannot work under the environment of high back pressure and variable back pressure is solved. According to the technical scheme, the high-back-pressure plasma igniter comprises a shell, a cathode, an anode, an air inlet, a binding post, a swirler, a sealing ring structure, an insulation sleeve structure, an adjusting nut, a spring, a restrictor and an inner nut. An air connecting hole in the restrictor is communicated with a through hole in the shell and the air inlet. External threads of the adjusting nut are meshed with internal threads on the shell. A boss arranged on the cathode is attached to a step structure of a second insulation sleeve, and the spring is compressed between the boss and a first insulation sleeve. The high-back-pressure plasma igniter has the advantages of being small in size, light, convenient to use, high in ignition capacity and capable of being started many times and running under high back pressure, and can be used as an ignition device of various heaters, combustion chambers, aero-engines and rocket engines.