What spurs Indians to migrate to Canada, and what keeps them there

At this juncture, let’s take a look at the history of Indian immigration to Canada and what makes the country a sought-after destination for the aspiring Indian.

What is the size of the Indian diaspora in Canada?

Indians are said to be the fastest-growing community in Canada. They are already the second-largest non-European group after Chinese Canadians. The estimated number of Indians living in Canada is said to be above 18 lakh.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, there were 1,689,055 Indians living in Canada as of 2018. Of this, NRIs constituted over 1.78 lakhs while Canadians of Indian origin were a whopping 15.10 lakh.

A 2021 report by Statistics Canada said Indians account for over 5.1 per cent of the Canadian population. The report pegged the total number of Indians in Canada at 18.58 lakh. It said 35.2 per cent of the Indian population had immigrated to Canada before the 2000s while 43 per cent immigrated between 2001 and 2015 and 21.4 per cent between 2016 and 2021.

According to the report, in 2021, nearly one-third of 4,05,000 immigrants who moved to Canada were of Indian origin. The same year, Canada also welcomed over 4,50,000 international students of which Indians comprised 50 per cent.

What are the major Indian communities in Canada?

While Punjabi Sikhs constituted a chunk of the Indian Canadian population in the early days of immigration, and still are a majority, they have been joined by immigrants from Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the years.

The 2021 report by Statistics Canada says that Punjabi was the fourth most spoken language in the country after English, French, and Mandarin and has seen a 49 per cent growth in the past five years. In fact, the growth of Punjabi speakers has been faster than Mandarin as it shot by 49 per cent between 2016 and 2021 against the latter’s 15 per cent.

The report also pointed to the rise in number of people who spoke Malayalam, Hindi, and Gujarati in the same period (2016-2021).

As far as religion is concerned, Sikhs at 34 per cent form the majority of the Indo-Canadian population. They are followed by Hindus (27 per cent), Muslims (17 per cent) and Christians (16 per cent).

Boasting of a strong Sikh community, Canada has over 175 gurdwaras, the oldest being built as early as 1905 by the early immigrants. The oldest gurdwara that is still in service is the Gurudwara Gur Sikh Temple in Abbotsford. It was built in 1911.

The country has also 180 Hindu temples with Greater Toronto area housing over a hundred of them.

Where are Indo-Canadians concentrated?

While South Asian immigrants including Indians were concentrated in the western province of British Columbia till the 1950s, they gradually spread to other parts of the country in the late 20th and 21st centuries.

A majority of Indians are concentrated in 10 Canadian provinces, with the top five of them being Ontario (10.52 lakh), British Columbia (3.88 lakh), Alberta (2.10 lakh), Quebec (90,235) and Manitoba (56,555).

While Vancouver and Toronto are the most preferred cities by Indians, Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal have also shown significant rise in Indian population in the past two decades.

What has spurred Indian immigration to Canada since 19^th century?

Indians, in search of a better livelihood, started moving to Canada, then a British colony, around the late 19th century. A majority of them were Punjabi Sikhs from farming backgrounds and veterans of the British Army, who, irked by their inadequate pensions wanted to try their luck in countries they had visited during their time in the Army.

Many of these immigrants found employment in the police force, as night watchmen run by British firms, while others started their small businesses. Many also got employment in popular Canadian companies like the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Hudson’s Bay Company.

The improved lifestyle of the Punjabi immigrants encouraged their kin, friends and even the next generation to move to the country over the years. A major wave of South Asian immigration was witnessed in 1903 when men, who had heard of Canada from the British-Indian troops in Hong Kong, arrived in Vancouver in large numbers.

In 1906 and 1907, British Columbia saw a steep rise in migration when around 4,700 Indian immigrants anchored on Canadian shores attracted by high wages.

By the mid-1920s, the number of immigrants, however, fell drastically due to strict immigration rules, racial attacks on South Asians by whites who accused them of stealing jobs, and their disenfranchisement in 1907. It picked up only after India’s Independence from the British rule in 1947 with also saw a simultaneous withdrawal of anti-South Asian legislation in British Columbia.

By the 1950s, early Indo-Canadian immigrants had established themselves through businesses such as sawmills or by aiding the development of the provincial forestry industry even though racism was still prevalent at that time.

The mid-20th century saw Canadian society becoming more accepting of people from other ethnic backgrounds. A fall in immigrant population from European nations in the post-World War era affected Canada’s economy, goading the government to relax immigration rules. In 1978, Canada introduced the Immigration Act under which applicants were permitted into the country after being assessed on their trade skills and need for these skills in Canada. This allowed many Indians to immigrate to Canada during the late 20th century.

Professional Indians began to trickle in and while several first generation Indians had already established their business, others began their foray in politics. In 1986, Moe Sihota became the first Indo-Canadian to be elected to the provincial parliament.

While the late 20th century saw significant urbanisation of the Indo-Canadian community with Indians’ population forming 20 per cent of the Canadian population, it grew in the early 21st century with India graduating as the third-highest source of immigration to Canada.

How many Indians immigrate to Canada every year?

According to Statistics Canada, around 25,000 to 30,000 Indians immigrate to Canada every year. In 2022, India became the largest among all source countries.

Why do Indians still continue to move to Canada?

Times have changed, but Canada continues to be one of the most sought-after countries for Indians to immigrate in search of high-paying jobs and a better standard of living.

Canada is a desirable destination for many Indians due to its higher employment rate (than India), government-funded healthcare for residents, free education for children, affordable housing, low cost of living than other developed countries like the UK and the US, and low crime rate. Exposure to several cultures and its ranking as the sixth best country to live in the Human Development Index also makes it a major attraction for Indians.

Unlike countries like the US, Canada ensures hassle-free immigration for those aspiring to become permanent residents through programmes like the Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and Family sponsorship.

Indians have skill sets like high proficiency in English language, education, work experience and settlement finances to make the cut above the rest.

What careers do Indians pursue in Canada?

Canada is a preferred job destination for those seeking employment in the IT, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace sectors among others.

The most sought-after jobs among immigrants is that of financial managers, accountants, technicians, software developers, psychologists, nurses, construction managers, social workers and councilors.

A large number of Indian students also flock to Canada to pursue several courses. As per data, around 319,130 international students from India were reported to have enrolled in Canadian institutions as of 2023.

What's the future scenario likely to be? 

In view of labour shortages and demand to study in Canada, more Indians are expected to migrate to that country in the future.

With the Canadian government setting an immigration target of 4,31,600 permanent residents for 2023, 1,10,000 of them are expected to be from India.

Canada expects the number of immigrants to rise to over 4,50,000 in 2024 and may further hike it when the IRCC presents its Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025 in November this year.