Indian Removals Top Canada's Enforcement List
Canada Border Services Agency data shows Indian nationals were the largest removal cohort for the first time since 2020.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Immigration
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The Canada Border Services Agency removed 4,526 Indian nationals from Canada through September 30, 2026, accounting for over 27% of 16,426 total enforced removals. It is the first time since 2020 that Indian nationals were the largest country cohort for removals.
Why it matters
CBSA states that removing individuals who do not have the right to enter or stay in Canada is essential to maintaining the integrity of the immigration program. The shift marks a change from the intervening years, when Mexican nationals recorded the highest number of removals by nationality.
Indian nationals made up over 27% of the 16,426 enforced removals in 2026, up from 1,424 of 12,858 in 2020. Indian nationals also account for 11,393 of the 52,457 cases in the removals-in-progress inventory, and the source does not explain the drivers of this shift.
The players
Canada Border Services Agency
The federal agency responsible for border enforcement and the removal of individuals who do not have the right to enter or stay in Canada.
The details
Canada uses three categories of removal: deportation orders, exclusion orders, and departure orders. A departure order requires the individual to leave Canada within 30 days after it becomes enforceable, or a deportation order is issued.
Timeline
2020: Indian nationals last comprised the largest removal cohort, with 1,424 removals.
2025: A previous high of 3,779 Indian removals was set.
September 30, 2026: Cutoff date for the 4,526 Indian removals recorded this year.
Big Picture
Against CBSA's 2020 and 2025 removal figures, the 2026 data marks Indian nationals regaining the top cohort position after several years led by Mexican nationals. The shift is documented in the agency's own annual series, placing 2026 as a departure from the prior pattern.
Individuals with pending removal orders face a 30-day window to depart Canada after a departure order becomes enforceable, or a deportation order may follow. The removal figures affect people with immigration cases pending in Canada and the timelines they face.
The takeaway
Anyone tracking Canadian immigration status should watch the removals-in-progress inventory, where Indian nationals hold 11,393 of 52,457 open cases. Checking the status of a pending order early can help avoid missing the 30-day departure window.
Further reading
For broader context, explore the Immigration section on Canadian enforcement policy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hindustan Times.
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