In 2024, a record 81,601 immigrants left Canada for their diverse countries in what is described as a ‘reverse japa’ movement—the highest annual total since 2017, according to data from Immigration News Canada.
Simultaneously, the country experienced a significant drop in non-permanent residents such as international students, temporary workers, and asylum seekers, coming into the country, among whom are from Nigeria.
Every province recorded a year-on-year increase in departures, with Ontario emerging as the most affected. Alberta followed with respective outflows of temporary residents by 67 percent and 66 percent.
Nearly half of all emigrants in 2024, 39,430 people, departed from Ontario alone. British Columbia followed with 14,836 exits, marking its highest outward migration in seven years. In contrast, Québec saw only 937 people leave, the lowest figure in ten years.
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Causes of emigration from Canada
Rising living costs, a strained housing market, and affordability challenges are cited as key drivers of this trend.
“Ontario’s become a pressure cooker,” one analyst remarked, highlighting the intensifying pressure of soaring rents and unaffordable home prices.
The downturn coincides with Ottawa’s new immigration strategy.
The federal government’s 2025–27 Immigration Levels Plan forecasts more modest year-on-year growth, slowing from approximately 5 percent in 2023 to just 2 percent in 2024 as the country is trying to ease the strain on housing and infrastructure.
The Canadian government also revised its 2025 targets downward, cutting an estimated 105,000 from earlier projections. With fewer newcomers expected and sustained emigration, population figures may decline by 0.2 percent in both 2025 and 2026. Analysts suggest this reflects a strategic cooling to manage pressure on housing, healthcare, and public services, even as immigration remains central to Canada’s long-term demographic outlook.
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Rental costs vary widely across the country
The country’s five most expensive rental markets are all located in British Columbia, led by West Vancouver, where the average rent sits at $2,751.
In Ontario, the Greater Toronto Area remains the priciest, with average one-bedroom rents reaching $2,369 in Markham and $2,279 in Mississauga.
Meanwhile, cities such as Edmonton remain among the most affordable, with average one-bedroom rents around $1,316. Other relatively low-cost markets include St. Catharines, London, Niagara Falls, and Abbotsford.
