51% jump in desis getting Canadian ‘green card’

MUMBAI: Interest among the Indian diaspora (including those based in the US) in acquiring permanent residency in Canada continues unabated. During 2018, over 39,500 Indian citizens obtained permanent residency in Canada under the express entry system (this figure constitutes 43% of the total number).

According to recently released statistics, in 2018 Canada admitted more than 92,000 new permanent entry residents through its express entry system, which is a rise of 41% over the previous year. Permanent residency is akin to a green card in the US.

In the previous year, 2017, Canada had admitted nearly 65,500 permanent residents under the express entry route, of which 40%, or 26,300 odd, were from India. The number of Indian citizens to be awarded permanent residency in 2018 has increased by 51% from 2017.


Interestingly, China, which occupied second rank during 2017, slipped to third rank with only about 5,800 Chinese obtaining permanent residency in 2018. Nigeria occupied second slot. The number of invites issued to Chinese citizens showed negative growth. (See table)

TOI in its earlier editions has covered how the challenges faced by Indians working in the US, such as delays or denials of H-1B visa extensions, green-card backlogs, or even the proposed plan to revoke the right of H-1B spouses to work, is resulting in a migration flow to neighbouring Canada.

Those based in India are also increasingly looking at Canada for employment or permanent settlement. The Global Talent Stream, which recently transited from being a pilot to a permanent scheme, enables Canadian companies to bring on board expats with a STEM background within just two weeks. This is expected to increase the flow of Indian employees to Canada. TOI in its edition of April 10 had stated that many of these GTS workers are expected to later opt for permanent residency.

Express entry is a system used by the Canadian government to manage applications from skilled and qualified workers for permanent residence through three economic immigration programmes.

Under the express entry programme, candidates complete an online profile and are then placed in the express entry pool and ranked relative to each other based on their comprehensive ranking system (CRS) scores. CRS considers existence of a job offer, age, education, work experience, English and French proficiency. Those who clear the cutoff mark (the maximum is 1,200) are sent “invitations to apply” for permanent residency.

“The top countries of citizenship based on the people admitted to Canada generally mirrors those of invited candidates. Nearly half of all people admitted in 2018 had Indian citizenship,” stated Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Canada’s immigration division, in its recently released express entry year-end report.

In 2018, 41,675 invites (or 46% of the total) were sent to those holding Indian citizenship. In 2017, of the 86,022 total invites, 36,308, or 42%, were issued to Indians.

Express entry draws are held periodically. The most recent was on June 21, which had a CRS cutoff threshold of 462 points and will result in 3,350 candidates being invited to take up permanent residency.

Overall, Canada’s multi-year immigration levels plan is committed to welcoming more permanent residents (including those on humanitarian grounds) over three years. It has set a target of 3.30 lakh for 2019 and 3.40 lakh for 2020.