Increase in the Number of Indians Applying for Canadian Citizenship

Indians account for 11% of residents who became Canadian citizens in 2018
The number of Indians applying for citizenship increased by 50% since the previous year
Changes announced in 2017 have made it easier for individuals to qualify for Canadian citizenship

Indians applying for Canadian Citizenship has increased tremendously. In 2018, a little over 15, 000 Indians applied for Canadian citizenship. This marked an increase of 50% from the previous year. Read on to find out more.

Why An Increase in Indians Applying for Canadian Citizenship

Canada has always been a popular country for Indian expats. Between January and October 2018, 1.39 lakh permanent residents became citizens of Canada.

Indians made up 11% of this number and were the second highest number of applicants for Canadian citizenship. India was second only to the Philippines as a country of origin for applicants for Canadian citizenship.

Country of Origin	No. of Citizenship Granted in 2017	No. of Citizenship Granted in 2018	Increase from the Previous Year
Philippines	14,058	15,642	11%
India	9,992	15,016	50%
Iran	3,523	7,921	124%
China	6,004	7,609	27%

Indians as Permanent Residents of Canada

India was the top country of origin for permanent residents in Canada. In 2017, over 51,000 Indians became permanent residents in Canada. This accounted for 18% of total 286,000 individuals admitted as permanent residents in Canada.

Changes in Overall Immigrants Statistics

In 2017, 1.08 lakh individuals obtained Canadian citizenship. In 2018, Canada received 2.42 lakh applications for citizenship. This was double the number of applications received in the previous year. It was estimated that 1.53 lakh individuals obtained Canadian citizenship. This marked an increase of 40%.

Effect of the USA H1B visa and Green Card Policy

The increase in the number of individuals applying for Canadian citizenship may be a reaction to the change in H1B visa and the US Green Card policy. Since the chances of getting permanent residency or citizenship in the USA are relatively low, many expats choose to apply for Canadian citizenship instead.

Canadian citizens can apply for a Trade National visa that is similar to the H1B visa but is easier to obtain and not subject to an annual cap.

Changes made in 2017 have also made it easier for individuals to qualify for Canadian citizenship. The reduced time period for which an individual must be physically present in Canada to qualify for citizenship is one such change.

Instead of having to be present in Canada for at least 4 years out of 6 years, individuals with permanent residency now need to be present in Canada for only 3 years out of the previous 5 years.