Why Has Indian Immigration to Canada Skyrocketed?
Immigration, particularly Indian immigration to Canada has surged significantly over the past decade. Let’s look at the numbers.
In 2022, over 118,000 Indian citizens were granted permanent residency in Canada, accounting for nearly 27% of the total immigrants that year. According to the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), the number of Indians immigrants rose from 32,828 to 139,715 from 2013 to 2023.
In the first seven months of 2024, India has provided 86,855 new permanent residents to Canada, the Philippines 20,645 and China 19,055. These numbers reflect the Canadian government’s action to reach its immigration goal of 485,000 permanent residents for 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.
Because India doesn’t allow dual citizenship, Indian nationals have to renounce their Indian citizenships. Although this is a dealbreaker for many, for most it isn’t. India offers the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card which allows for lifelong visa-free travel to India and grants nearly all the rights that an Indian citizen enjoys—except the political rights like voting or holding public office and purchasing agricultural land.
OCI cardholders can live in India indefinitely, pursue employment, and even own property. Launched in 2005, the OCI program reflects a modern India’s eager approach to keep growing its global presence.
Several factors contribute to the strong Indian migration flow. Canada's Express Entry system, which assesses potential immigrants based on skills, education, and language proficiency, tends to favor Indian applicants.
Why?
For one, many Indians speak fluent English. For example, in 2021, the immigrants reporting English as their first language predominantly came from India (20.5%). They also have more advanced education than the typical migrant. India’s well-established educational system produces millions of graduates each year, fueling global demand for highly trained professionals, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields.
The rising number of Indian immigrants also reflects broader socioeconomic and cultural factors in Canada. Canada’s labor market is facing significant shortages, especially in fields like STEM and healthcare. Like other developed countries, Canada has experienced a decline in birth rates over the past few decades. Fewer children are being born, leading to a smaller younger population that can enter the workforce.
Another problem is that Canada’s population is aging. As of 2021, nearly one in five Canadians was over the age of 65, a proportion that is set to rise sharply in the coming decades. This aging trend is largely driven by the baby boomers generation, who are retiring en masse.
The impact of the aging population can’t be underestimated. For one, the labor force is shrinking relative to the number of retirees, creating a big economical gap. This is especially pressing in industries that rely heavily on younger, skilled workers. While Canada has set ambitious immigration targets to counterbalance this demographic trend, an aging population still poses challenges that go beyond simply bringing in new workers.
The elephant in the room when talking about Canada’s aging population is healthcare. Canada's universal healthcare system is bracing for increased pressure as more seniors require long-term care, chronic disease management, and hospital services. The demand for healthcare workers, especially nurses and family doctors is growing exponentially. The situation is scary to say the least.
Social services, too, will feel a deep strain. As more Canadians retire, the burden on public pensions like the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) will increase. The question of how to fund these programs will be a concern because fewer workers will be paying into these systems and more retirees will be drawing the benefits.
In recent years, the surge of immigrants has contributed to the rise of the People's Party of Canada (PPC), a Federal right-wing party founded in 2018, which brought a sharp focus on border policies and immigration limits during the lead-up to the 2019 federal election. While the party’s influence remains marginal, its hardline stance has resonated with a big segment of the population wary of increased immigration.
The PPC's emergence was a reflection of broader concerns about immigration in Canada, where debates on border control gained new momentum. Even though the PPC has failed to secure significant electoral victories, it has managed to bring forth concerns about economic stability, job security, and national identity, reflecting anxieties that mirror global trends.
Yet, despite the big talk about immigration control, Canada’s overall immigration policy has remained largely steady under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with the government continuing to pursue ambitious immigration targets to address labor shortages.
What about the India-Canada relations? Do the relations play a role in the immigration numbers?
Short answer: No.
India and Canada are currently disputing the assassination of a Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says it’s “working hard to mitigate any impact on applicants from or in India by continuing to share the workload across our global processing network. The large majority of applications from India are already processed outside of India, with well over 90 per cent of India’s applications processed in Canada.”
Quebec is one of the few provinces talking about countering the immigration surge.
When the Canadian government unveiled its bold plan to welcome up to 500,000 new immigrants annually, Quebec didn’t hold back. Quebec, with its distinct status and the power to set its own immigration targets, announced that it would cap its intake at 50,000 per year. This announcement raised eyebrows, as Quebec represents about 23% of Canada’s population yet would only be absorbing around 10% of the country’s newcomers under this new policy.
Quebec’s premier, François Legault defended this decision, expressing concerns that a higher influx of immigrants could threaten the province’s linguistic and cultural fabric. He even put pressure on the federal government to reduce the number of temporary immigrants in the province by threatening to hold a "referendum" on immigration.
For Legault and many others, an increase in immigration could dilute the French-speaking population, which has already been in decline relative to English speakers in Canada. The percentage of Canadians who speak predominantly French at home fell to 19.2 per cent in 2021 from 20 per cent in 2016.
By the way, here’s a list of the most popular ways to immigrate to Canada.
In recent years, Canada has seen a dramatic surge in foreign students, with numbers rising to over 800,000 by 2022. They then often transition into permanent residents through pathways like the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program. In a way, Canada has crafted a system that encourages education as a stepping stone to long-term immigration. Additionally, programs like the Student Direct Stream (SDS), which fast-tracks study permits for eligible Indian students, further boost their chances of obtaining permanent residency.
In addition, many foreign students find part-time work in fast food places. This video, for example, highlights how competitive the Canadian entry-level job market is.
Below are the main three reasons why you’ll often see foreign students work at fast food restaurants:
1. Accessibility and Availability of Jobs
Fast food chains and similar businesses are often among the most accessible employers for newcomers and students. They have a constant need for staff and tend to have frequent job openings, making them a reliable option for finding part-time work quickly.
2. Flexible Hours
As students need to balance their studies with work, they look for jobs that offer flexible hours. Tim Hortons, McDonald’s, and other fast-food chains operate long hours, including evenings and weekends, making it easier for students to work around their class schedules.
3. Earning While Studying
Indian international students often work part-time to support themselves financially while studying in Canada. Working at a fast food restaurant provides a way to cover living expenses, tuition fees, or other costs, especially given the high cost of living.
In terms of the Indian population in Canada, as of 2021, the Indo-Canadian population is approximately 1.86 million. However, the Government of India has estimated that Canada has over 2.87 million Indians. That’s a one million number discrepancy.
Toronto, unsurprisingly, leads the pack. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is home to a vibrant Indian population, with about 700,000 people of Indian descent calling it home. That’s roughly 11% of the region's entire population.
On the West Coast, Vancouver holds its own with around 350,000 Indian Canadians, particularly in the city of Surrey. In Surrey alone, people of Indian descent account for about 32% of the population.
Moving east, Calgary has become a thriving destination for Indian immigrants, boasting a population of about 120,000. Edmonton, Calgary’s northern neighbor, is home to another 80,000 Indian Canadians.
Canada’s capital region, Ottawa-Gatineau, also claims its share with 60,000 people of Indian descent, while Montreal hosts 50,000. Even smaller cities like Winnipeg and Kitchener-Waterloo punch above their weight, with 40,000 and 35,000, respectively.
Something that you’ll never hear about is the undocumented Indian migrants heading into the United States. In 2023, 30,000 Indians were apprehended in the U.S.-Canada border. Many migrants, hailing mostly from Punjab and Gujarat, have the sufficient funds to pay the human traffickers. These human traffickers often portray themselves as “immigration consultants”. And it’s not just to smuggle you into the United States. They deliberately find loopholes in Canada’s immigration laws.
For example, Balkaran Singh, an “immigration consultant” from Winnipeg was found guilty and received two years of house arrest and a $50,000 fine.
His scheme? He fabricated jobs at a non-existent place of worship to exploit a federal loophole for foreign religious workers. This story came to light because a CBSA agent was suspicious about the man’s intent and reported him to the border service’s investigation unit. One has to wonder how many other “immigration consultants” are acting in bad faith.
Should we not hate the player, just hate the game?
In August 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) abruptly ended the pandemic policy that allowed visitors to apply for work permits from within the country. Initially introduced in 2020 to address travel restrictions, the policy had been a lifeline for visitors who couldn't leave Canada but still needed to work. However, concerns over misuse—specifically by agencies exploiting the policy to mislead foreign workers—prompted its early termination.
The loophole, especially appealing to nationals from India and the Philippines, had been used by “immigration consultants” to promote backdoor pathways for entering Canada. Many Canadians have expressed relief at the closure of the policy but criticized the delay because too many people had already entered the country through the loophole. In 2023 alone, Canada granted over 180,000 permits—an 88% jump from 2019.
Canada's openness to different cultures, languages, and traditions is a key factor in fostering a vibrant, multicultural society. While Indian migrants contribute greatly to the labor force, particularly in STEM, the overwhelming influx from one country raises concerns about over-reliance on a single country.
Canada needs a stronger emphasis on increasing numbers from other countries—particularly those that can fill labor gaps in the healthcare and medical sectors. To engage in productive growth and stability, Canada’s government must broaden its immigration strategy to encourage diverse talent from a wider range of countries to meet dynamic economic and demographic needs.
Cutbacks just announced.