Canada permanent resident intake falls 20% as Indian admissions plunge

Canada recorded a roughly 20% drop in new permanent residents in 2025, with the annual total falling to about 393,530 from 483,655 the previous year. Almost half of the decline was tied to a sharp reduction in admissions from India, where the number of Indian citizens granted permanent residence fell by 10,125 to 21,565. The government’s decision to lower the 2025 immigration target from 500,000 to 395,000 and tighten screening criteria was intended to ease pressure on housing, healthcare and infrastructure.

In the first quarter of 2024, permanent‑resident admissions were 83,130, down from 104,320 in the same period of 2025. Study permits dropped 24% and asylum claims fell 35% over the same timeframe, with Indian student visas falling 42% and accounting for more than half of the national decline in study permits. Analysts said the shift marks a move from rapid immigration expansion to a deliberate, government‑driven contraction.