Canada continues to welcome a large number of immigrants despite efforts to moderate overall immigration levels. According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), around 1.8 lakh new permanent residents were admitted during the first six months of 2026.

Indian citizens remained the largest source group, with 44,335 Indians receiving permanent residency between January and June 2026.

Indians Account for Nearly One in Four PRs

The 44,335 Indian admissions represent nearly 25% of all new permanent residents admitted during the first half of the year.

The Philippines ranked second with 13,475 admissions, while China moved into third place with 9,630, overtaking Cameroon, which recorded 8,810 admissions.

India Still Leads Despite Declining Share

India has maintained its position as Canada's leading source country for permanent residents, although its share of total admissions has declined over the past few years.

Indian PR admissions peaked at nearly 1.4 lakh in 2023, accounting for around 30% of total admissions. The number fell to about 1.27 lakh in 2024 and further to 98,830 in 2025.

With another 44,335 Indians gaining PR in the first half of 2026, around 1.43 lakh Indian citizens have received Canadian permanent residency across 2025 and the first six months of 2026.

Canada Sets 3.8 Lakh Annual PR Target

Under Canada's 2026-28 Immigration Levels Plan, the country has set a target of 3.8 lakh permanent resident admissions each year.

Economic immigration accounts for a major portion of the target, with 2.4 lakh admissions planned for 2026. By the end of June, around 89,200, or 37% of that economic immigration target, had been achieved.

Focus on Economic Immigration

Canada continues to rely on programmes such as Express Entry, the Canadian Experience Class and Provincial Nominee Programs to attract skilled workers.

Recent immigration selections have also placed greater emphasis on applicants with Canadian work experience and French-language skills.

Special PR Programme for Temporary Workers

Canada has also introduced special initiatives aimed at helping temporary workers already contributing to local communities obtain permanent residency.

The country plans to admit at least 20,000 workers through one such initiative in 2026, with 11,300 already admitted. The broader initiative has a target of 33,000 admissions across 2026 and 2027.

China Enters the Top Three

China's rise to third place is another notable development in Canada's immigration figures.

With 9,630 Chinese citizens receiving permanent residency during the first half of 2026, China moved ahead of Cameroon. The Philippines remained firmly in second place.