In 2019, almost half of all invitations to apply for Canadian permanent residence sent through Express Entry were to candidates who indicated India as their country of citizenship.
Per the annual Express Entry report, for the last three years, Indian nationals have received the vast majority of invitations to apply (ITAs). In 2019, candidates who listed India as their country of citizenship received 47.2% of all ITAs sent out through the Express Entry program.
Indian immigration to Canada: the numbers
It is important to note that Canada has a fair and democratic immigration system. Citizens of any country are welcome to apply for Express Entry. Indian citizens do not receive preferential treatment compared to citizens of other countries. These numbers represent trends and not a selection bias based on an applicants country of origin or citizenship.
| Country of residence | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 36,308 | 41,678 | 40,275 |
| Nigeria | 5,128 | 6,025 | 5,886 |
| China | 7,467 | 6,247 | 5,668 |
| Pakistan | 3,337 | 3,108 | 2,509 |
| United Kingdom | 2,660 | 2,549 | 2,128 |
| Brazil | 1,686 | 1,847 | 1,801 |
| United States | 2,047 | 1,803 | 1,561 |
| Iran | 1,379 | 1,299 | 1,475 |
| France | 1,248 | 1,371 | 1,455 |
| South Korea | 1,251 | 1,254 | 1,225 |
| Other | 23,511 | 22,619 | 21,317 |
| Total | 86,022 | 89,800 | 85,300 |
*Source: Express Entry Year-End Report 2019
Why Indian immigration to Canada is so high
It’s difficult to assess why the lion’s share of Express Entry immigrants to Canada are Indian nationals. Some potential reasons are Canada has a diverse population with many Indo-Canadian communities. Canada also has a high quality of life and a robust immigration system that allows applicants to bring their families with them.
Given the fact that Indian nationals are the most invited candidates in Express Entry, a skilled immigration program, the reason Indian immigration to Canada is high is likely a mix between the quality of life Canada offers and employment prospects.
India has a booming tech sector. The Canadian economy needs highly skilled and talented IT workers. This is exemplified in the report since the top three occupations that received the most invitations to apply were in IT:
- 2173: Software engineers and designers
- 2171: Information systems analysts and consultants
- 2174: Computer programmers and interactive media developers
The future of Indian immigration to Canada
If the trend continues, Indian nationals will comprise well over half of all Express Entry candidates in the future. It should also be mentioned that while Indian citizens are the most common nationality of all Express Entry candidates, the most common country of residence is Canada.
| Country of residence | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 42,233 | 39,936 | 40,550 |
| India | 14,910 | 17,636 | 14,926 |
| United States | 5,829 | 9,981 | 10,185 |
| Nigeria | 2,910 | 3,724 | 3,819 |
| United Arab Emirates | 2,436 | 2,029 | 1,708 |
| Pakistan | 1,331 | 1,365 | 1,180 |
| Morocco | 255 | 585 | 860 |
| Australia | 673 | 831 | 791 |
| China | 985 | 871 | 768 |
| United Kingdom | 1,560 | 1,186 | 699 |
| Other | 12,900 | 11,656 | 9,814 |
| Total | 86,022 | 89,800 | 85,300 |
*Source: Express Entry Year-End Report 2019
What this means is that many Indian nationals who successfully immigrate to Canada through Express Entry were already residing in Canada. Most likely these candidates were either working and/or studying in Canada prior to their application through Express Entry. With the recent U.S. ban on most temporary work visas, more and more Indian nationals will look to Canada as a better option for a North American lifestyle. If the U.S. continues the ban on temporary work visas like the H-1B, we could see the percentage of Indian nationals immigrating to Canada increase even faster.
Lauren Boorman
