How Many Immigrants Came to Canada in 2025? Latest Stats

Canada’s immigration system has quietly shifted gears. After years of record-breaking intake, the federal government set a lower bar for 2025—and the early numbers suggest it’s hitting that target, but with a notable pullback from the surge years. Whether you’re tracking policy, considering a move, or just trying to make sense of the headlines, the data now available paints a clearer picture of where things stand.

2025 Q1 admissions: 104,256 · 2025 Q4 admissions: 83,168 · Government target: 395,000 · Year-over-year change: ~19.6% fewer in Q4

How many immigrants in Canada so far in 2025?

Official data from Statistics Canada covers two quarters so far. In the first three months of 2025, Canada admitted 104,256 permanent immigrants—the smallest Q1 in four years, according to the agency’s quarterly population estimates. The previous record for a first quarter was 86,246 back in Q1 2016.

The fourth quarter brought 83,168 permanent residents, a sharp 19.6% decline from the 103,438 recorded in Q4 2024. Natural population increase turned negative in Q4 2025 at minus 781, meaning immigration was the sole driver of population growth that quarter.

Regional patterns varied. Ontario received 42.3% of Q4 2025 permanent immigrants, or 35,159 people, maintaining its position as the top destination. Quebec was a notable exception to the national trend: it actually saw more immigrants in Q4 2025 (13,361) than in Q4 2024 (12,496), while every other province saw declines.

On the temporary resident side, 2,959,825 non-permanent residents were in Canada as of April 1, 2025—representing 7.1% of the population, down from a peak of 7.4% on October 1, 2024. Study permit holders fell most sharply in Ontario (down 30,160) and British Columbia (down 11,742) in Q1.

The 2025 target under the Levels Plan is 395,000 permanent residents. The two quarters with verified data total 187,424. Progress toward the full-year target depends on the Q2 and Q3 figures, which have not yet been released.

Quarterly breakdown

The quarterly pattern shows a marked deceleration compared to the sustained high intake of 2023–2024.

How many immigrants came to Canada in 2024?

For context, 2024 saw 483,640 permanent residents admitted, aligning with the targets set in the Immigration Levels Plan. That represented a 2.5% increase over 2023’s 471,808. The gender breakdown in 2024 was nearly even: 244,965 women, 238,650 men, and 30 people identifying as another gender.

Refugees and protected persons accounted for 76,685 of those admissions in 2024, up 2.3% from 74,979 the year before. The 2025 picture looks different: the government is targeting 105,000 fewer permanent residents overall compared to previous projections, with reductions spread across federal economic programs, provincial nominations, family reunification, and refugee streams.

How many immigrants is Canada taking in 2026?

The 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, published October 24, 2024, lays out a declining trajectory. The 2025 target sits at 395,000; that drops to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027. French-speaking admissions targets rise in parallel: 8.5% (29,325) in 2025, climbing to 9.5% (31,500) in 2026 and 10% (31,500) in 2027.

The economic category is set to dominate. By 2027, permanent economic immigration is projected to account for 64% of all admissions. The Provincial Nominee Program, a key pathway for regional skills needs, saw its allocation halved to 55,000 spots—a significant cut from prior years.

Temporary resident targets are also new to the Levels Plan. The government aims for 673,650 new temporary resident arrivals in 2025, with a goal of bringing non-permanent residents down to 5% of the total population by the end of 2026. KPMG analysis suggests the plan could result in an overall population decline of 0.2% in both 2025 and 2026 before a modest recovery of 0.8% in 2027.

The stated rationale is reducing pressure on housing, infrastructure, and social services. Public opinion data from the Environics Institute shows 56% of Canadians in 2025 believe too many immigrants are being accepted—a figure that has leveled off from prior years rather than continuing to climb.

How many new immigrants come to Canada each year?

The long-run trend shows steady growth. From roughly 200,000–250,000 annually in the early 2010s, Canada pushed toward 300,000, then 400,000, and briefly approached 500,000 in recent planning targets. The 2023 total of 475,155 came in above the 465,000 target that year.

The 2025 pullback represents a course correction. The overall reduction of 105,000 permanent resident spots from previous projections marks one of the sharper pivots in recent immigration policy. This follows a period where Canada had among the highest immigration rates per capita among developed nations.

The 2025-2027 Plan is the first to include temporary resident arrival targets, a sign that policymakers are trying to manage the full picture of population growth rather than focusing solely on permanent admissions.

Which country has the highest immigration rate to Canada?

The 2024 annual report from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provides the most recent full-year country-of-origin data. India has historically been the top source country for Canadian immigration, followed by the Philippines, China, Nigeria, and Pakistan. The United States, France, and various African nations also feature prominently.

For 2025 specifically, country-by-country breakdowns have not yet been published in the official verified data. The top sending countries are expected to remain similar to historical patterns, though policy changes affecting study permits and work permits may shift the composition of non-permanent residents more noticeably than permanent admissions.

Immigration.ca reported on the quarterly figures as they were released, noting that India remains a dominant source for economic-class immigrants through programs like Express Entry. The ongoing weight of Indian immigration reflects both the large English-speaking population with Canadian education credentials and the high number of provincial nominee candidates from that country.

“Canada admitted 104,256 immigrants in the first quarter of 2025—the smallest Q1 in four years.”

— Statistics Canada, Quarterly Population Estimates, June 2025

Why is Canada bringing in so many immigrants?

The policy rationale centers on economic needs and demographic trends. Canada has one of the world’s oldest populations relative to its workforce. Without immigration, natural population growth (births minus deaths) is insufficient to sustain economic activity, fund public pensions, or maintain labour force numbers in key sectors like healthcare and skilled trades.

The shift to emphasizing economic-class immigration reflects a deliberate policy choice: by 2027, nearly 62% of permanent resident admissions are expected to fall under economic programs. This prioritizes skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and provincial nominees who can contribute to labour market needs over other categories.

At the same time, the 2025 pullback signals a recognition that rapid population growth has contributed to pressures in housing markets and public services. The dual-track approach—fewer permanent residents while managing temporary residents—represents an attempt to strike a balance between economic goals and absorption capacity.

The trade-off is that reducing PNP allocations could deepen skills gaps in smaller provinces while the federal government bets on economic-category immigrants concentrated in urban centres.

What is the 2026-2028 immigration plan?

The current Levels Plan covers 2025 through 2027. The government is expected to release an updated 2026-2028 plan in late 2025 or 2026, which will set targets for the years ahead. Based on the trajectory already established, the direction appears set for continued gradual decline in permanent resident targets.

Key factors to watch include whether the temporary resident reduction targets are met, how the housing market responds to slower population growth, and whether labour shortages in key sectors intensify or ease. The economic category’s growing share means that applicants with Canadian work experience, education credentials, and language proficiency will have an increasingly competitive edge.

“The 2025-2027 Plan is expected to result in a population decline of 0.2% in 2025 and 2026 before returning to a population growth of 0.8% in 2027.”

— KPMG consulting analysis of Canada’s immigration levels plan

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