Canada Immigration Drops 19% in 2025, Indian Arrivals Fall Sharply

Immigration to Canada saw a sharp drop in 2025, marking one of the biggest declines in recent years. New government data shows that the country welcomed 393,530 immigrants in 2025, which is about 19 percent fewer than the 483,655 people who arrived in 2024. Experts say the fall in immigration is significant because Canada has depended heavily on newcomers to support its population growth.

The drop has also affected people coming from several countries, including India. According to the latest data, immigration applications from India fell by about 22 percent. Applications from Iran and Afghanistan recorded even bigger declines of more than 33 percent each. Other countries that saw a drop in applications include China, Pakistan and Eritrea.

Reports also show that international student permits decreased sharply in 2025. Canada issued more than 131,000 fewer study permits compared to the previous year. Students from India were the most affected, with permits dropping by nearly 50 percent. The number of permits for Indian students fell from more than 188,000 in 2024 to around 94,000 in 2025.

Temporary foreign workers entering Canada also declined. The number dropped by about 12 percent, falling from nearly 191,000 workers in 2024 to around 168,000 in 2025. Analysts say these changes may affect industries that depend on foreign workers.

The data also shows that Canada’s population growth has slowed down. In the second quarter of 2025, the country’s population increased by only 47,098 people, which is a growth rate of just 0.1 percent. Experts say this is very low for a country that usually depends on immigration to increase its population.

According to Association for Canadian Studies, immigration levels have a strong effect on population growth. The organization’s president, Jack Jedwab, said the uneven decline in immigration across regions could create population challenges in some parts of the country.

The largest drops in immigration were seen in Atlantic Canada and the Prairie provinces. However, some areas reported small increases. The province of Quebec saw a slight rise in immigrants, while Canada’s northern regions also recorded modest growth.

The Canadian government has already announced plans to manage immigration more carefully in the coming years. Under its new immigration plan for 2026 to 2028, the government aims to bring immigration levels to what it calls “sustainable levels.” The plan was announced by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada department.

The government also wants to reduce the number of temporary residents in Canada to less than five percent of the country’s total population by the end of 2027. Officials say this step is meant to balance population growth with housing, jobs and public services.

Despite the drop in immigration in 2025, Canada is still expected to welcome hundreds of thousands of new residents in the coming years. Government targets currently plan for about 385,000 temporary resident arrivals in 2026, followed by 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028.

Experts say the new immigration policy may shape Canada’s population and economy for many years. For now, the sharp fall in immigration and international student arrivals in 2025 has become an important topic in discussions about the country’s future growth.