Ottawa: Canada removed 3,323 Indian nationals from the country during the first six months of 2026, making Indians the largest nationality group among those subjected to enforced removals during the period, according to figures released by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The latest numbers indicate a significant increase compared with the previous year. Canada removed 3,779 Indian nationals throughout 2025, meaning the figure recorded between January and June this year has already reached nearly 88 per cent of last year’s total.
Mexican nationals were the second-largest group during the first half of 2026, with 1,573 removals recorded.
Overall removals cross 10,000
The CBSA data shows that Canadian authorities carried out 10,607 enforced removals between January and June this year. For comparison, the corresponding full-year figure for 2025 stood at 23,160.
The statistics come as Canada faces growing pressure to strengthen oversight of its immigration system following a substantial rise in temporary residents and increasing political calls for tighter controls.
However, the removal figures should not be interpreted as an indication that all those affected were deported because of criminal activity.
Immigration non-compliance accounts for majority
Canadian immigration law allows authorities to remove individuals for a range of reasons, including cases where people are found inadmissible for failing to comply with immigration requirements.
Of the 10,607 enforced removals recorded so far in 2026, 8,551 involved refugee claimants deemed inadmissible for non-compliance, while another 1,303 cases involved non-claimants.
The CBSA maintains separate categories for enforced removals and voluntary departures, meaning the latest figures represent only those cases covered by the agency’s enforced-removal data.
Numbers come amid sensitive India-Canada ties
The rise in removals involving Indian nationals comes at a particularly significant time for relations between New Delhi and Ottawa. The two countries experienced considerable diplomatic tensions in recent years, although efforts have since been made to improve bilateral engagement.
Canada remains home to a substantial Indian-origin population, while Indian students, temporary workers, immigrants and families continue to form an important part of the people-to-people relationship between the two countries.
The latest figures are therefore likely to attract attention in India, particularly as Indian nationals have moved from being the second-highest nationality group removed by Canada in 2025 to the largest group during the first half of 2026.
No India-specific link established
The CBSA figures do not indicate that the increase in removals is the result of a specific policy targeting Indian nationals. Instead, the data reflects enforcement carried out under Canada’s existing immigration framework.
With 2026 only halfway through, the number of Indian nationals removed has already come close to last year’s full-year figure. The development highlights the scale of Canada’s broader immigration enforcement campaign and adds another closely watched issue to the evolving India-Canada relationship.
