Last Updated On 18 March 2025, 11:07 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
In the first quarter of 2024, Canada welcomed 121,620 new permanent residents, of whom 52,720 came to Ontario and only 17,745 to British Columbia.
Although the first quarter is too early to reach any conclusion, this number was 145,495 during the first quarter of 2023.
But, we can say immigration to Canada has cooled down as compared to last year, at least in beginning of 2024.
However, these numbers are higher as compared to the first quarter of 2022, during which the country welcomed 113,805 new permanent immigrants.
| Year | First Quarter New PRs | Annual Immigration Targets |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 121,620 | 485,000 |
| 2023 | 145,495 | 465,000 |
| 2022 | 113,805 | 431,645 |
| 2021 | 70,495 | 401,000 |
| 2020 | 69,140 | 341,000 |
| 2019 | 65,955 | 330,800 |
| 2018 | 80,005 | 310,000 |
| 2017 | 72,835 | 300,000 |
| 2016 | 86,235 | 300,000 |
| 2015 | 51,125 | 260,000 to 285,000 |
Furthermore, a total of 135,291 authorizations and visas have been issued for permanent residents from January to March.
This number was 156,272 during these months in 2023.
36,635 new PRs have been admitted under the largest federal economic category of immigration, the Express Entry system.
This is 6% higher than the number of PR entrants in the first quarter of 2023, at 34,555.
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”yRcF8Ry3″ upload-date=”2024-05-21T00:00:00+00:00″ name=”Canada Admits 121,620 New Permanent Residents in First Quarter of 2024″ description=”In the first quarter of 2024, Canada welcomed 121,620 new permanent residents, of whom 52,720 came to Ontario and only 17,745 to British Columbia.
Although the first quarter is too early to reach any conclusion, this number was 145,495 during the first quarter of 2023.
Check out details on number of temporary residents transitioning to PRs, province-wise new PRs admitted, & top 10 source countries” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
Province-Wise New PRs Admitted in Q1 2024
Ontario, the country’s most populous province, was the most popular destination for newcomers and landed 52,720 new permanent residents in the first three months of 2024.
This constitutes around 44% of the total number of new permanent residents who landed in the country.
Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan recorded the largest decline in admitting new PRs.
| Year | Q1 2024 New PRs | Q1 2023 New PRs | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 121,620 | 145,495 | -16.41% |
| Ontario | 52,720 | 60,860 | -13.37% |
| British Columbia | 17,745 | 24,495 | -27.56% |
| Alberta | 15,360 | 17,155 | -10.46% |
| Quebec | 13,355 | 16,065 | -16.87% |
| Manitoba | 5,680 | 8,855 | -35.85% |
| Saskatchewan | 5,610 | 7,395 | -24.13% |
| New Brunswick | 3,995 | 2,940 | +35.88% |
| Nova Scotia | 3,995 | 3,935 | +1.52% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 1,405 | 2,045 | -31.30% |
| Prince Edward Island | 1,330 | 1,275 | +4.31% |
| Yukon | 295 | 345 | -14.49% |
| Northwest Territories | 115 | 125 | -8% |
| Nunavut | 10 | 10 | unchanged |
Transition of Temporary Residents to Permanent Residents
The number of temporary residents with prior study permit holder status transitioning from temporary residency to permanent residency declined by 2,370 (-24.82%) to 7,180 in Q1 of 2024.
Similarly, 21,190 temporary residents with prior Post-graduate Work Permit (PGWP) Holder Status transitioned to permanent residency, which is a decline of 17.90% (4,620) when compared to 25,810 in the 2023 first quarter.
| Temporary resident status | Q1 2024 | Q1 2023 | Percentage Decline |
| New PRs with Prior IMP Work Permit Holder Status | 45,565 | 54,830 | -16.90% |
| New PRs with Prior Post-graduate Work Permit Holder Status | 21,190 | 25,810 | -17.90% |
| New PRs with Prior Study Permit Holder Status | 7,180 | 9,550 | -24.82% |
| New PRs with Prior Temporary Foreign Worker Program Work Permit Holder Status | 3,710 | 4,140 | -10.39% |
Top Source Countries
India continues to be the top source of new PRs admitted in the beginning of 2024.
Indians comprised 31% of new PR entrants followed by China, Philippines, Afghanistan, and Nigeria among the top 5.
Below listed are the number of new PRs admitted from top 10 source countries.
| Country | Q1 2024 New PRs |
| India | 37,880 |
| China | 8,135 |
| Phillipines | 7,990 |
| Afghanistan | 5,025 |
| Nigeria | 4,690 |
| Cameroon | 3,725 |
| Iran | 3,570 |
| Pakistan | 2,630 |
| United States | 2,480 |
| Eritrea | 2,360 |
What are Canada’s annual immigration targets?
485,000 immigrants for 2024, and then stabilizing the annual admissions of permanent residents to 500,000 for 2025 and 2026.
Click here for detailed category-wise annual immigration levels plan.
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