Canada has welcomed more than 3.9 million new citizens since 2005, with nearly one third coming from India, the Philippines or China.
Those countries have dominated migration to Canada for almost two decades, according to a CTVNews.ca analysis of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data, which tallies new Canadian citizens by country of birth from January 2005 through May 2024.
While new Canadians come from at least 196 different countries and territories, the top 10 places account for nearly half of all new citizens.
"Canada stands out among other immigrant-receiving countries in the very high level of citizenship among immigrants in the country," political sociologist and migration expert Irene Bloemraad told CTVNews.ca. "High levels of citizenship are a good thing: research shows a correlation between holding citizenship and better economic outcomes, a greater sense of belonging to Canada and, of course, the ability to participate in elections and have a say in policy."
India has held the top spot since 2021 and from 2007 to 2013, while the Philippines was No. 1 from 2014 to 2020. Together India and the Philippines account for nearly a quarter of all new citizens since 2005. China came in first in 2005 and 2006.
After India, the Philippines and China, the top 10 sources of new Canadians since 2005 are Pakistan, Iran, the United States, the United Kingdom, Syria, South Korea and Nigeria.
While France came in 11th place at more than 69,000 new Canadians since 2005, the number of new citizens from France has been surging since 2022.
In 2023 alone, France was in ninth place, just ahead of Brazil and the U.K. Last year also saw a 19-year high of nearly 379,900 new citizens, up from a low of almost 106,400 in 2017.
The tiny European principality of Lichtenstein has by far provided the fewest number of new Canadians at five, followed by the Maldives in the Indian Ocean at 34.
Canada has welcomed slightly more new citizens from Ukraine (50,100) than Russia (49,400), with Ukrainian numbers surpassing Russia beginning in 2015 on the heels of war.
A total of 325 people born in North Korea have been granted citizenship since 2005, including two so far this year.
Canada has also welcomed more than 72,700 new citizens from Syria and nearly 42,600 from Afghanistan after accepting thousands of refugees from the war-torn countries.
To Toronto-based immigration consultant Al Parsai, the data underscores Canada's commitment to multiculturalism and diversity.
"The consistent number of new citizens from countries like India and the Philippines reflects their significant contributions to the Canadian labour market and society," Parsai said.
"The rise in new citizens from countries experiencing conflict, like Syria and Ukraine, highlights Canada's role in providing refuge and support to those in need. The fact that new citizens come from nearly 200 different countries and territories showcases Canada's global appeal and inclusive immigration policies."
With an aging population and a record low fertility rate of 1.33 children per woman, experts like Parsai say immigration is also vital for Canada's continued growth.
"Canada's population growth would stagnate without a steady flow of immigrants, leading to a shrinking workforce," he explained. "This decline would negatively impact economic growth, reduce tax revenues and strain social services."
Bloemraad, who researches migration and citizenship, is set to become the co-director of the University of British Columbia's Centre for Migration Studies next month. She notes that only permanent residents are allowed to apply for citizenship.
"Looking forward, I do worry about the shift in government policy in recent years to privileging temporary visas over permanent immigration," Bloemraad added. "But for those who have been studying and working in Canada for years, and who are building lives as our neighbours, the inability to become a citizen creates barriers to full membership."
Charred stumps and the remains of fire-ravaged trees still cover large tracts of land on the Jasper landscape, but life is returning quickly down below.
The Bloc Québécois says its ready to wheel and deal with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's party for support during confidence votes now that the Liberal government's confidence and supply agreement with the NDP has ended.
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Heather Appleton just renewed her passport for another ten years. “I’m not checking out yet,” said Appleton, 61, who has the incurable cancer, Multiple Myeloma.
With just days to go before his first and likely only debate against U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, former U.S. president Donald Trump posted a warning on his social media site threatening to jail those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, which he said would be under intense scrutiny.
At the end of a side street in Slave Lake, Alta., Lynn Bowes looks at a grey job-site trailer with boarded-up windows and doors that once operated as her town's only homeless shelter.
According to police, during a traffic stop in Waterloo, officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.
Cher, Anthony Hopkins, Heath Ledger, Alec Baldwin and Tom Hardy are just a few of the celebrities John Cumming met while growing up in his family's military surplus store.
Socialist Cuba, the birthplace of salsa and other rhythms that have conquered the world, is now surrendering to the invasion of South Korean pop music.
The "volume and severity" of complaints against a B.C. condo owner for violating building bylaws were sufficient to justify hiring a lawyer to handle them, a tribunal has ruled, dismissing the man's bid to be let off the hook for $15,000 in legal fees.
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
A driver was seriously injured in a single-vehicle collision in Delta early Sunday morning, according to local police.
One person has died following a head-on crash in Brampton late Sunday morning.
Toronto police say they have now located a missing 11-year-old girl who was last seen in North York late Saturday afternoon.
When Sarah Boulby tells clients going through a divorce or locked in a custody battle that their texts and social media posts might be put under a microscope, she usually gets one of two responses.
Cher, Anthony Hopkins, Heath Ledger, Alec Baldwin and Tom Hardy are just a few of the celebrities John Cumming met while growing up in his family's military surplus store.
Some Jasperites have moved back to their community and tourists are being allowed in, but efforts to rebuild the third of the town that was destroyed by July’s wildfire remains the priority.
Calgary water consumption ddropped Saturday to 496 million litres, a dip of nine million litres from Friday’s 505 million.
Ottawa Mayor's "Fairness for Ottawa" campaign continues, as the city seeks more funding from all levels of government.
Beachwood Cemetery held it’s annual historical tour Sunday, offering visitors a chance to connect with the past through a living library.
Ottawa Fire Services says its Hazmat team has successfully contained a fuel leak that was coming from a transport truck on Highway 417 near Bayshore mall Sunday afternoon.
As Quebec politicians continue to point to immigration -- a common justification for the province's ills -- as the main culprit for the province's teacher shortage, education experts say newcomers are not the underlying cause of the widespread teacher shortages.
Watch the CTV News Montreal broadcast at Six for Sunday, September 8, 2024 with anchor Matt Grillo.
Residents in Oka, Que. are preparing to take matters into their own hands to try to prvent the illegal dumping of contaminated material in the Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) community of Kanesatake.
At the end of a side street in Slave Lake, Alta., Lynn Bowes looks at a grey job-site trailer with boarded-up windows and doors that once operated as her town's only homeless shelter.
Charred stumps and the remains of fire-ravaged trees still cover large tracts of land on the Jasper landscape, but life is returning quickly down below.
Mounties are searching for a man who went missing on a hiking trail west of Grande Prairie on Saturday.
The first residents of the 32 new affordable homes for women and their children in Dartmouth, N.S., have moved in, with more to follow in the coming weeks.
A 37-year-old woman from Bathurst, N.B., has died following a two-vehicle collision in Allardville, N.B.
Bookstores often come with a table full of recommended reads, and it was no different at St. Mary's Polish Parish in Whitney Pier, N.S., on Sunday.
Indigenous leaders came together Saturday to honour the life and legacy of Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick.
More than 300 people laced up their walking shoes Sunday for the 21st annual Walk of Hope for ovarian cancer in Winnipeg’s Kildonan Park.
A 23-year-old Winnipeg man is facing charges after he was found in possession of a loaded zip gun during a traffic stop by police.
The second Sunday in September has been a solemn day at the RCMP's Depot Division in Regina since 1935.
An investigation is underway after a fire broke out at a residential apartment building in Regina’s Rosemont-Mount Royal neighbourhood.
The North Central Community Association has partnered with the Rainbow Youth Centre on a new mural in the heart of North Central.
According to police, during a traffic stop in Waterloo, officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.
Faye Dzikewich continues to fight for answers for her 36-year-old son, who died after spending the night in an Ontario Provincial Police cell in Rockwood, Ont.
One person was airlifted to hospital by Air Ornge with life-threatening injuries. Two other people were transported by ambulance with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Online fundraisers have been launched to support the victims of an incident that saw a student set on fire at Evan Hardy Collegiate on Thursday.
Three years have gone by since the death of nine-year-old Baeleigh Maurice at the intersection of 33rd St. W. and Avenue G. Three years marked by court dates, committee meetings, and pleas to the city to improve safety conditions.
The victory moved the Bombers into top spot in the CFL's West Division, while the Roughriders remain in third after failing to win for a seventh straight outing.
According to police, during a traffic stop in Waterloo, officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.
As fall quickly approaches, leaves have begun to change colours and temperatures have started to dip in northeastern Ontario – perhaps starting to bring unwelcome wintry weather.
Drivers across the country are keeping more money in their pockets after filling up a tank of gas.
Heather Appleton just renewed her passport for another ten years. “I’m not checking out yet,” said Appleton, 61, who has the incurable cancer, Multiple Myeloma.
Owen Sound police are searching for witnesses after a pedestrian was dragged by a vehicle.
Sarnia police officers have arrested two suspects after a break and enter investigation.
Familiar faces were brought back together as more than a hundred CKVR alumni gathered at Donaleigh's Irish Public House Saturday night for a special reunion.
A Saturday evening fire in the Town of the Blue Mountains caused significant damage at a residential chalet near the ski resort.
Fire crews responded to a fire at Berczy Park in Barrie early Sunday morning, where a group of people using the area as a campground received a three-day eviction notice from the City earlier this week.
One person has died following a collision Saturday night.
Windsor fire was on scene of a blaze at a former school on Norman Road Sunday afternoon.
The Windsor police said Pillette Road is closed from Grand Marais to Plymouth due to an active investigation.
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Mounties in Northern B.C. have set up a dedicated tip line as part of their ongoing investigation into the disappearance of an Indigenous woman two months ago.
Swimmer Nicholas Bennett and para canoeist Brianna Hennessy have been named Canada's flag-bearers for Sunday's closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Paris.
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Mounties in northwestern B.C. say they have arrested the suspect in a fatal shooting almost exactly a year after it occurred.
A man has now been charged for his alleged role in a hit-and-run that killed a teenager in Kelowna, B.C., last fall.
Rob Miyashiro was selected as the NDP candidate in Lethbridge-West Saturday to replace MLA Shannon Phillips.
It’s been just over a week since the federal government banned nicotine pouches from being sold anywhere other than a pharmacy.
A more inclusive and welcoming land acknowledgment has been released by the City of Lethbridge.
As fall quickly approaches, leaves have begun to change colours and temperatures have started to dip in northeastern Ontario – perhaps starting to bring unwelcome wintry weather.
The Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 Gathering 2024 will take place in Greater Sudbury at the Anderson Farm Museum on Sept. 8 and 9.
A pasta shortage in Sault Ste. Marie is almost never the case, but for one local food bank, the common carb was a rare sight just a few weeks ago.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
The federal government has temporarily paused parts of the newly reinstated commercial northern cod fishery off the east coast of Newfoundland as landings approach the seasonal limit.
Mary Grace Rico is seeking help in getting treatment for a rare spinal condition.
Swimmer Nicholas Bennett and para canoeist Brianna Hennessy have been named Canada's flag-bearers for Sunday's closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Paris.
Halifax resident Tucker Bottomley started feeling the painful effects of rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 21.
Roger Barker was looking forward to exchanging a book at one of the Little Free Libraries that had been erected in his neighbourhood, until he found it vandalized.
You never know what you might find in your doorbell camera footage...
Brenda Tremblay has been an avid gardener for the last 40 years, but this year’s harvest in Colpitts Settlement, N.B., is a tough nut to crack.
A group of seniors in Ontario is offering their time and experience as parents struggle to find reliable child care spaces.
Saskatchewan man Clyde Hall has been collecting and restoring antique farm equipment for five decades. He's now ready to part with his collection.
An Ottawa man has won the $3.8 million prize in the 'Catch the Ace' draw in Maniwaki, Que. Local radio station CHGA 97.3 has been playing their version of 'Catch the Ace' for nearly a year without a winner.
The Bloc Québécois says its ready to wheel and deal with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's party for support during confidence votes now that the Liberal government's confidence and supply agreement with the NDP has ended.
With the federal Liberals set to meet for their annual caucus retreat this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and the party, need to be clear about their policy direction and open to change, according to two experts and an MP.
The Liberal caucus is set to meet in Nanaimo, B.C., next week for a retreat ahead of the fall parliamentary sitting. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insists he will lead his party into the next election despite polls citing his unpopularity among Canadians. Here's a look at what would happen if he decided to call it quits.
It’s been just over a week since the federal government banned nicotine pouches from being sold anywhere other than a pharmacy.
Questions are being raised about the case of a 36-year-old Ontario woman who died of liver failure after she was rejected for a life-saving liver transplant after a medical review highlighted her prior alcohol use.
Mary Grace Rico is seeking help in getting treatment for a rare spinal condition.
Huddling for safety in classrooms as gunfire rang out, students at Apalachee High School texted or called their parents to let them know what was happening and send what they thought could be their final messages. One student texted her mother to say she loved her, adding, 'I'm sorry I'm not the best daughter.'
Sweden's strong foraging culture could help determine how much radioactive fallout remains in the Scandinavian country, 38 years after the Chernobyl nuclear explosion.
A recent study by Statistics Canada sheds light on how different occupations may be affected by the AI boom, including those who might lose their jobs in a more automation-driven future.
A new Calgarian with a lengthy Bollywood resume is heading to the Toronto International Film Festival this week to promote his most recent film.
After 36 years of waiting, the juice is finally loose again in 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,' this time racking up US$110 million in its premiere weekend.
Kendrick Lamar will pop out on the NFL's biggest stage next year: The Grammy winner will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans.
As Canada's telecommunications sector copes with challenges such as slower growth and fierce competition, the dominant players are poised to continue shedding assets to reduce costs, industry watchers say.
Drivers across the country are keeping more money in their pockets after filling up a tank of gas.
Public service unions will start the week with an early-morning rally opposing the policy. But despite the unions' 'summer of discontent' and an ongoing court challenge, the new rules will still kick in on Sept. 9.
Three sisters from Ohio who inherited a dime kept in a bank vault for more than 40 years knew it had some value. But they had no idea just how much until just a few years ago.
Do LGBTQ2S+ tourists have a green book-like system for staying safe while traveling in these politically precarious times? They don't have one. They have many.
It was the years-long cruise that was supposed to set sail, but saw its departure postponed… postponed… and postponed again.
Jannik Sinner beat Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 with a relentless baseline game to win the U.S. Open men’s championship on Sunday, less than three weeks after being exonerated in a doping case.
The Dallas Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott agreed to a record four-year, US$240 million contract extension.
Swimmer Nicholas Bennett and para canoeist Brianna Hennessy have been named Canada's flag-bearers for Sunday's closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Paris.
Nearly two-dozen drivers were caught in a speed trap outside a Vancouver elementary school on Thursday – as students were settling back into their daily routines.
Volvo Cars said on Wednesday that plug-in hybrids would continue to be a critical part of its profit growth plans over the next few years and that it would revamp its XC90 hybrid sports utility vehicle.
An Ontario man said he couldn't believe an electric car he bought three years ago for $20,000 would need a new battery at a cost of more than $33,000.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
