India is by far the greatest source of global talent for Canada. Canada accepted nearly 405,000 immigrants in 2021. Almost one-third of these immigrants had Indian ancestry.
In addition, Canada received about 450,000 international students last year, of which approximately half were Indian.
In addition, about 10,000 Indians immigrated to Canada via the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and another 130,000 Indians received work permits under the International Mobility Program.
High numbers of Indian immigrants to Canada can be attributed to international and domestic reasons.
India has a developing middle class with the education, language skills, work experience, and settlement finances required by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for visa approval.
These characteristics are crucial for any Indians who relocate to Canada, whether as permanent residents, foreign employees, or international students.
In recent years, the absence of permanent residency pathways in the United States has contributed to an increase in the number of Indian foreign workers seeking permanent residence in Canada.
Domestically, Canada has implemented several significant immigration policy modifications advantageous to Indian talent.
2015 marked the introduction of Express Entry by IRCC to oversee its primary economic immigration programs.
This required implementing the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) to score and rank candidates based on their age, education, language abilities, work experience, and other variables such as Canadian education and work experience.
Given the criteria mentioned above, Indians tend to do well under the CRS and are the largest source of successful candidates who obtain permanent residency via Express Entry.
The high levels of English proficiency among Indians, for example, offer them a major edge over citizens of many other nations.
IRCC also created the Student Direct Stream (SDS) in 2018 to expedite the studies of eligible Indians in Canada.
Indians who meet SDS requirements can obtain their study permits faster. The SDS also has a greater approval rate than the standard study permit application process.
As previously mentioned, studying in Canada and subsequently working here, typically under the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), gives Indians an advantage under Express Entry and numerous other Canadian immigration schemes, such as the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Another important domestic issue to consider is Canada’s substantial Indian diaspora and the growing popularity of Indian culture.
This helps new Indians feel at home in Canada and facilitates their integration. Approximately 1.4 million Canadians are of Indian ancestry, according to the 2016 Census, but this number is expected to be significantly higher when the 2021 Census data is released later this year.
The number of Indians moving to Canada is expected to stay high. Canada is raising its immigration levels to support its economic recovery following the pandemic.
The aim for this year is about 432,000 immigrants, which will increase to over 450,000 by 2024. The targets may increase when IRCC presents its Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025 on November 1 this year.
Canada does not have immigration quotas for foreign employees or international students.
Given that Canada continues to experience unprecedented labor shortages and the demand to study here remains high, we should continue to anticipate significant Indian immigration to Canada for jobs and education in the coming years.
In addition, unlike earlier in the pandemic, Canada no longer prohibits Indians from physically beginning their studies in the nation by imposing travel restrictions.
In addition, all overseas students must be physically present in Canada to count their complete Canadian education towards the duration of their Post-Graduation Work Permit.
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