Canada not just a passport stop: 95% Indian migrants stay post-citizenship

Business Standard

4 hours ago

Do Indians treat Canada as a mere stepping stone to secure a powerful passport before leaving for better opportunities elsewhere? A new report by Statistics Canada suggests otherwise.
The study, titled An Analysis of Immigrants' 'Active Presence' in Canada, tracked the long-term presence of immigrants based on their tax filing behaviour—a key indicator that they are still residing in or closely tied to Canada.
What counts as active presence?
'Active presence' refers to immigrants who continue to file income taxes in Canada. While not a definitive proof of residency, it is widely used as a practical measure of engagement in the country's economy and social systems.
According to the data, 63.8% of Indian immigrants become Canadian citizens within ten years of arriving. Of those, 94.6% continued to file taxes after naturalisation—an indicator of strong ongoing ties.
By contrast, only 65% of Indian immigrants who did not take up citizenship remained active, meaning 35% either left the country or stopped participating in the formal economy.
Even three years after gaining citizenship, 93% of Indian immigrants were still filing taxes. That's only a slight drop from the 97.1% seen in the three years before naturalisation.
Citizenship boosts long-term presence: Among immigrants aged 25–54 who arrived between 2008 and 2012, 93% of those who became citizens were still actively present ten years later, compared to 67% of those who didn't.
Retention improving over time: For those who arrived between 2003 and 2007, 91% of citizens remained active, while only 58% of non-citizens did—a wider gap than in newer cohorts.
Origin matters: Immigrants from the Philippines showed a 97% active presence rate, higher than those from developed countries like the US and France, where retention hovered around 87%.
Education and mobility affect retention: Highly educated immigrants who didn't pursue citizenship were more likely to leave, reflecting greater international mobility.
Citizenship matters: The data directly challenges the notion of 'Canadians of convenience,' often used to question immigrants' loyalty.
Why some stay, and others don't
The Statistics Canada study also looked into factors shaping whether immigrants remained in Canada after gaining citizenship.
Country of origin: Immigrants from countries like Pakistan and Colombia also had high retention, while Americans, Britons and the French were more likely to leave.
Education: Those with graduate degrees were more likely to leave if they didn't obtain citizenship. The global demand for high-skilled workers plays a role here.
Economic class: Skilled immigrants selected for their abilities were more likely to leave if they did not commit to Canadian citizenship.
Time taken to naturalise: The longer an immigrant waited to become a citizen, the more likely they were to leave post-citizenship, suggesting weaker ties to Canada at the outset.
Daniel Bernhard, CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, said, 'Highly skilled immigrants have global options. If Canada can't offer a better life—affordable housing, career growth—they'll take their talents elsewhere.'
Breaking the 'Canadian of convenience' myth
The term 'Canadian of convenience' has often been used in political debate to describe immigrants who obtain citizenship for benefits and then leave. The Statistics Canada report directly addresses that concern:
Citizenship isn't hollow: 93% of naturalised immigrants were still filing taxes ten years later, showing active engagement with the country.
Inactive immigrants less likely to be citizens: Among those without any tax filing (considered inactive), only 28% were citizens.
For example, among inactive Iranian immigrants, 50% held citizenship, compared to just 14% of inactive Americans.
Why fewer people may be choosing citizenship
Despite the positive retention figures, the report notes a slowdown in citizenship uptake. Some immigrants may delay or skip citizenship due to better global mobility or dissatisfaction with economic conditions in Canada.
Rising housing costs, stagnant wages, and limited job opportunities may be pushing some to consider alternatives. Bernhard warned, 'If Canada can't provide a better future, immigrants will leave.'
Andrew Griffith, a former director general in Canada's immigration department, said citizenship policies currently 'strike a good balance,' but added they may need updating to keep pace with changing realities.