- Canada admitted 147,260 new permanent residents between January and May 2026, down 12.5 per cent from 2025
- Indian permanent resident admissions dropped nearly 25 per cent to 36,910 in the first five months of 2026
- Indians accounted for over 57 per cent of the overall decline in new permanent resident admissions in 2026
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 Hardest
Experts 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 share of the cut,” Jack Jedwab, president of the Association for Canadian Studies, told National Post.
He added, “Canada has moved from rapid immigration expansion to a deliberate, government-driven contraction.”
Earlier data from the first quarter of the year had already shown Indians accounting for 48 per cent of the overall decline in permanent residency admissions. The latest figures suggest that share has only grown over the following two months.
Canada Wants To Bring Immigration Back To ‘Sustainable' Levels
The slowdown comes as the Canadian government pushes to reduce immigration after years of record-high intake.
IRCC has said it is “committed to returning immigration to sustainable levels, stabilising the number of new permanent residents each year to less than 1 per cent” of Canada's population beyond 2027.
The department has also said its priority is to grant permanent residency “to people already living in, working in, and contributing” to Canada.
The latest figures continue a broader downward trend.
Canada welcomed 393,530 new permanent residents in 2025, down 19 per cent from 483,655 in 2024.
Indian admissions also fell significantly over the same period, dropping from 127,375 in 2024 to 98,770 in 2025.
The decline marks a sharp shift from the rapid growth seen over the past few years. Indian permanent resident admissions had climbed from just 42,875 in 2020 to a record 139,790 in 2023 before beginning to fall as Canada tightened its immigration targets.
