Canada added 374,832 new citizens in 2024, most from India despite curbs

Canada added 374,832 new citizens in 2024, with Indian nationals making up the largest share, according to the country's Annual Report submitted to Parliament on Immigration.  The figure represents a slight decrease of 5,125 compared to 2023 as the government works to balance immigration levels amid rising pressures from the opposition parties.

 

New citizens in 2024

  The total includes individuals who became Canadian citizens through grants, adoptions, or resumption of citizenship, as per the report. The busiest period for citizenship ceremonies was April to June, when 104,218 people took the oath. The final quarter of the year (October–December) saw the lowest number, with 69,593 new citizens.

 

 

December 2024 had the fewest citizenship grants, with only 18,160 people receiving Canadian nationality.

 

Yearly comparison of new Canadian citizens:

 

2024: 374,832

2023: 379,957

2022: 375,610

2021: 137,164

2020: 110,994

 

Countries of origin

Canada welcomed new citizens from 217 countries in 2024. India remained the largest source, accounting for 23.43% of all new citizens. This was an increase from 2023, when Indian nationals made up nearly 21% of the total.

 

Other major countries of origin included the Philippines, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, the United States, Brazil, and France. Together with India, they accounted for 54% of all citizenship grants.

 

Number of new citizens by country of birth:

 

India  

2024: 87,812  

2023: 78,714  

2022: 59,580  

 

Philippines  

2024: 37,843  

2023: 36,871  

2022: 41,586  

 

China  

2024: 14,134  

2023: 12,621  

2022: 10,821  

 

Nigeria  

2024: 13,210  

2023: 14,323  

2022: 12,688  

 

Pakistan  

2024: 10,831  

2023: 13,384  

2022: 15,207  

 

Iran  

2024: 10,350  

2023: 10,757  

2022: 13,085  

 

United States  

2024: 9,560  

2023: 8,599  

2022: 9,243  

 

Brazil  

2024: 9,381  

2023: 6,895  

2022: 5,294  

 

France  

2024: 9,250  

2023: 8,266  

2022: 8,174  

 

Citizenship processing times

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the average processing time for a citizenship application is around eight months. At the start of 2025, there were 232,200 citizenship applications under review, with 40,600 exceeding the standard processing timeline.

 

IRCC is currently processing applications submitted during the week of January 22, 2025. Those in urgent need of citizenship due to specific circumstances may be eligible for expedited processing.

 

Canadian passport ranking 2025

 

The Canadian passport remains among the strongest globally. The 2025 Henley Passport Index ranks it seventh worldwide, granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 188 countries. Canada’s ranking has improved from eighth place in 2024 and follows a peak at sixth place in September 2023. It remains ahead of the United States, which is currently ranked ninth.

 

Revised immigration targets

Canada has adjusted its immigration targets for the coming years. The federal government now plans to admit 395,000 new permanent residents in 2025, down from the previously planned 500,000. Targets will continue to decrease, with 380,000 new permanent residents in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.

 

In addition to lowering permanent resident numbers, Canada is also managing temporary resident arrivals. The government intends to reduce the proportion of temporary residents to 5% of the national population by the end of 2026. 

 

Planned intake figures include:

 

2025: 673,650 new temporary resident arrivals

2026: 516,600

2027: 543,600

 

These figures include work and study permits issued to newcomers.

 

Study permit changes

For 2025, Canada plans to issue 437,000 study permits, a 10% decrease from the 485,000 allocated in 2024. Of these, 316,276 permits will require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), covering college students, undergraduates, language students, graduate diploma candidates, and master’s and doctoral students. The remaining permits are designated for students exempt from the PAL requirement, such as those in K-12 education, exchange programmes, or renewing study permits at the same institution.

 

“Our immigration system has faced growing pressures both within and outside our borders. Multiple humanitarian crises, rising asylum claims, and increased interest in Canada have bumped up against our own economic demands and community needs. These pressures have required us to adapt our immigration levels planning to the current climate,” said Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

 

Miller added that Canada has introduced changes to its international student programme, including financial requirement updates, a cap on study permit applications, work reforms, and a system to verify letters of acceptance.

 

Labour market and entrepreneurship

Immigrants continue to play a crucial role in Canada’s workforce and economy. In 2023, they represented 28.9% of the labour force. Sectors seeing a rise in immigrant workers include professional, technical, and scientific services, as well as information, culture, and recreation.

 

Key statistics on immigrant contributions:

 

< Over 800,000 self-employed immigrants in Canada, with 250,000 employing staff

< Canada is the top destination for start-up founders in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

< The country ranks third in the OECD for attracting entrepreneurs and tenth for drawing highly educated workers

< In 2023–24, 62.7% of immigrants were in the middle-income range or above, the same as the previous year