Canada deported 3,323 Indian nationals between January and June 2026, nearly 88% of the 3,779 Indians removed during the whole of 2025, according to official data.
If the current pace continues, 2026 could record the highest number of Indian deportations from Canada in at least six years.
The number has risen steadily from 603 in 2021 to 786 in 2022, 1,132 in 2023, 2,004 in 2024 and 3,779 in 2025. The 2026 figure for the first six months is already higher than the annual total in every year between 2021 and 2024.
India has also become the nationality with the highest number of deportations from Canada this year.
Canada removed 1,573 Mexican nationals during the same period. Mexico had topped the list in each of the previous five years, while India had consistently ranked second.
Indians can be removed for immigration violations including visa overstays, rejected asylum or refugee claims, failure to comply with immigration requirements and visa fraud. Canadian authorities maintain data on reasons for removal but do not provide a nationality-wise breakdown.
A further 7,669 Indians are currently in Canada's "removal in progress" inventory, the largest number for any nationality.
The increase comes as Canada tightens its immigration system and reduces temporary resident numbers. The government has introduced stricter study permit requirements and greater scrutiny of applications.
Canada's appeal among Indian students has also declined.
Indians accounted for 8.1% of incoming international students in September 2025, down from 51.6% in 2023, according to Canada's auditor general. Indian government data shows the number of Indian students choosing Canada fell 41%, from 2,33,532 in 2023 to 1,37,608 in 2024.
Rising living costs, higher financial requirements, tighter immigration rules and fewer part-time employment opportunities have contributed to the decline. Canada also introduced a two-year cap on international students seeking admission to undergraduate and diploma programmes in early 2024.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said in June that international student arrivals had fallen by around 60% as Canada sought to regain control over immigration.