Market News

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.

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.

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.