Why Indians Make Up Nearly 60% Of Canada's Permanent Residency Drop
Canada has reported a 12.5% decline in permanent residency admissions for the first five months of 2026, with Indian applicants accounting for over 57% of this drop. The government is intentionally slowing immigration to reach more sustainable levels below 1% of the population by 2027.
Why it matters
This shift represents a significant change in Canadian immigration policy, directly impacting the largest demographic of newcomers and signaling a move toward more restrictive intake levels.
Canada's decision to slow immigration is being felt most sharply by Indian applicants.New data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) shows that the country admitted 147,260 new permanent residents between January and May this year, down from 168,800 during the same period in 2025, a decline of just over 12.5 per cent.But the biggest impact has been on Indians. Permanent residency admissions from India dropped from 49,115 to 36,910 in the first five months of the year, which is a fall of nearly 25 per cent.Of the overall decline of 21,540 permanent residents, more than 57 per cent came from the drop in Indian admissions alone.Why Indians Were Hit The HardestExperts say the trend isn't surprising because Indians have long made up the largest share of Canada's permanent resident intake."When the government sharply reduces a stream in which one country is disproportionately represented, that country inevitably absorbs a disproportionate…
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