Canada’s Immigration Crackdown: Why Indians Are Now Top Of The Removal List

Canada removed 3,323 Indian nationals between January and June 2026, according to official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) cited by PTI. The figure is already nearly 88% of the 3,779 Indian nationals removed during the whole of 2025, which was itself a record high.

The increase marks a sharp change from previous years. India has now overtaken Mexico to become the largest nationality group among people removed from Canada in the first half of 2026. Mexico accounted for 1,573 removals during the same period. India had last topped the list in 2020, when 1,424 Indian nationals were removed.

Why Are Indian Removals Rising?

The sharp increase has come as Canada tightens its immigration system and moves to reduce the number of temporary residents, including international students and temporary foreign workers.

The rise has been particularly steep over the past five years. CBSA data show that Canada removed 603 Indian nationals in 2021, followed by 786 in 2022, 1,132 in 2023, 2,004 in 2024 and 3,779 in 2025.

The 3,323 removals recorded in just the first half of 2026 are already higher than the number recorded in any full year between 2021 and 2024. If the current pace continues, the annual figure could surpass the 2025 record.

Why Is Canada Tightening Immigration Rules?

Canada is seeking to bring down temporary migration after years of strong growth in international students and temporary foreign workers. The tightening of the immigration system has included stricter scrutiny and measures aimed at reducing temporary-resident numbers.

The shift has particular relevance for Indians because they have formed a significant share of Canada's international student and temporary-worker population.

The change is also visible in Canada's international education sector. According to a report submitted by Canada's Auditor General to Parliament, Indians accounted for 8.1% of incoming international students in September 2025, down from 51.6% in 2023, India Today reported.

Separately, data from India's Union Education Ministry showed that the number of Indian students choosing Canada fell 41%, from 2,33,532 in 2023 to 1,37,608 in 2024.

India Today also cited tighter immigration policies, higher living costs, tougher financial requirements, fewer part-time job opportunities and strained India-Canada relations among the factors behind the decline.

Why Are Indians Facing Removal?

Foreign nationals can be removed from Canada for several reasons, including non-compliance with immigration rules, rejected asylum or refugee claims, visa overstays and immigration or visa fraud, according to the reports citing CBSA data.

However, the available data does not show how these reasons are distributed among Indian nationals. CBSA maintains a separate database on the reasons for removal but does not provide a country-wise breakdown.

Therefore, the 3,323 figure establishes how many Indian nationals were removed in the first half of 2026, but it does not establish how many were removed for overstaying visas, how many had rejected asylum claims or how many cases involved fraud.

Canada broadly uses three types of removal orders. A departure order requires a person to leave voluntarily within 30 days. If they fail to do so within that period, it automatically becomes a deportation order.

An exclusion order prevents a person from returning to Canada for a specified period, generally between one and five years. A deportation order permanently bars re-entry unless the person obtains written authorisation from the Canadian government.

What Does 7,669 Mean?

The number of Indian nationals in Canada's removal pipeline provides another important part of the picture.

CBSA data show that 7,669 Indian nationals were in the “removal in progress inventory”, making Indians the largest nationality group in that category.

The figure does not mean that all 7,669 people have already been removed or that all will necessarily be removed in 2026. It refers to cases where the removal process is in progress.

The number nevertheless shows that there is a substantial pool of Indian nationals already in the removal process beyond the 3,323 removals completed in the first half of the year.

What Does It Mean For Indian Students And Workers?

For Indian students and temporary workers, the latest numbers come amid a broader tightening of Canada's immigration environment.

Maintaining valid immigration status and complying with the conditions attached to visas and permits are important as Canada strengthens enforcement. A visa overstay, failure to comply with immigration requirements or a rejected asylum or refugee claim can ultimately result in removal.

The decline in Indian student numbers also shows that Canada's position as a destination for Indian students has changed significantly from previous years. Fewer students are arriving even as the country tightens the rules governing temporary migration.

The latest removal figures therefore come alongside a broader change in Canada's immigration landscape: the country continues to accept international students and temporary workers, but under tighter rules and greater scrutiny.

Could Removals Rise Further In 2026?

The pace of removals in the first half of the year puts Indian nationals on course to exceed the 3,779 removed in 2025. The 7,669 Indian nationals in the removal-in-progress inventory also show that a sizeable number of cases are already moving through the removal process.

However, the final 2026 figure cannot be determined from the first six months alone. Cases in the removal pipeline may progress at different speeds, and being included in the inventory does not automatically mean a person will be removed during the year.

The comparison with the US also highlights the scale of Canada's removals. According to India's Ministry of External Affairs, 1,273 Indian nationals were deported by the US between January 1 and July 22, 2026. Canada’s six-month figure of 3,323 was therefore more than two-and-a-half times the US figure, despite covering a slightly shorter period.

The data ultimately shows a significant shift in Canada's immigration landscape: Indian nationals have become the largest nationality group among those removed from Canada at a time when Ottawa is reducing temporary migration and tightening immigration compliance.