Canada’s South Asian Population Nearly Quadruples to 2.6 Million: New 2025 Statistics Canada Portrait

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Canada’s South Asian Population Nearly Quadruples to 2.6 Million: New 2025 Statistics Canada Portrait

Canada’s South Asian populations have almost quadrupled in 25 years, reaching 2.57 million people in 2021 and making South Asians the country’s largest racialized group at 7.1% of the population. Statistics Canada’s new portrait shows this is a young, highly educated and diverse community, with most immigrants arriving through economic pathways and strong but uneven labour market outcomes.​

What this new StatsCan study is about

Statistics Canada’s study “Portrait of the South Asian populations in Canada: Diversity and Socioeconomic Outcomes” is an analytical article released on December 8, 2025, as part of The Daily. It breaks down South Asian populations by place of birth and, for those born in Canada, by parents’ place of birth, then looks at immigration categories, ethnic origins, languages, religions, education, jobs, income and poverty.​

This is the third portrait in a series on racialized groups, following studies of Black populations (2024) and Arab populations (2025), developed to support Canada’s Anti‑Racism Strategy and the federal disaggregated data action plan.​

How fast are South Asian populations growing?

The numbers highlight dramatic growth over a single generation:​

• In 1996, there were 669,060 South Asians in Canada (2.4% of the population).
• By 2021, this had risen to 2,571,400 South Asians—almost four times more—representing 7.1% of everyone living in Canada.

Projections show this trend continuing:​

• By 2041, South Asian populations could reach 4.7 to 6.5 million people.
• That would be about 11.0% to 12.5% of Canada’s total population.

This means that roughly 1 in 8 Canadians could be South Asian by 2041, underscoring how central these communities are becoming to Canada’s demographic and economic future.​

Where South Asians in Canada are born

The study groups South Asians by where they were born and, for those born in Canada, where their parents were born.​

Overall pattern in 2021:​

• About 63% of South Asians were born in Southern Asia.
• About 29% were born in Canada.
• About 9% were born in other regions outside Canada.

Southern Asia births

Among all South Asians in Canada, the main Southern Asian birth countries in 2021 were:​

• India: 1,139,065 people (44% of all South Asians).
• Pakistan: 235,420 (9%).
• Sri Lanka: 139,130 (5%).
• Bangladesh: 77,325 (3%).
• Nepal: 19,715 (1%).
• Bhutan and Maldives account for very small shares.​

Other regions outside Canada

Another 219,100 South Asians (9%) were born outside both Canada and Southern Asia. They are spread across:​

• Other parts of Asia (e.g., United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan) – 56,900 (2%).​
• Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda) – 54,705 (2%).​
• Caribbean and Central/South America (mainly Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago) – 41,215 (2%).​
• Europe (mainly the United Kingdom) – 28,130 (1%).​
• Oceania (mainly Fiji) – 19,180 (1%).​
• United States – 18,975 (1%).​

These patterns reflect older migration routes and South Asian diasporas in East Africa, the Caribbean, the Gulf states, and the UK.​

Canadian‑born South Asians

There were 737,760 South Asians born in Canada in 2021 (29% of all South Asians). Within this group, the largest subgroups were:​

• Both parents born in India: 322,620 (13% of all South Asians).
• Both parents born in Pakistan: 87,460 (3%).
• Both parents born in Sri Lanka: 72,255 (3%).
• Both parents born in Bangladesh: 24,150 (1%).
• Both parents born in Canada: 55,000 (2%).
• One parent born in Canada and one outside: 70,550 (3%).
• Other parental combinations: 105,725 (4%).

This shows that South Asian communities now include a sizeable second generation, especially children of India‑born parents.​

How did South Asians immigrate? (1980–2021)

The study looks at how South Asians who immigrated between 1980 and 2021 were selected (economic, family or refugee).​

Across all South Asian immigrants who arrived from 1980 to 2021 and were still in Canada in 2021:​

• 54% were economic immigrants.
• The share of economic immigrants was higher among those arriving between 2011 and 2021 (69%) than those arriving between 1981 and 1990 (36%).

By country of birth:​

• Economic immigrants were the majority among those born in:
  • India (57%).
  • Pakistan (56%).
  • Bangladesh (61%).
• For Sri Lanka‑born South Asians, the picture is different:
  • About 42% came as refugees.
  • About 33% were sponsored by family.
  • Only 21% were economic immigrants.​

South Asians from some other regions (for example, parts of Africa or the Caribbean) also have distinct mixes of economic, family and refugee admissions, which helps explain differences in education and labour outcomes within the broader South Asian category.​

Ethnic and cultural origins: more than 145 different identities

On the 2021 Census, South Asians reported over 145 different ethnic or cultural origins, and many people listed multiple origins.​

Typical patterns include:​

• India‑born South Asians:
  • 66% reported Indian origin.
  • 15% reported Punjabi origin (often in combination with “Indian”).
• Canadian‑born South Asians with both parents born in India:
  • 59% reported Indian.
  • 20% reported Punjabi.
• Sri Lanka‑born South Asians:
  • 57% reported Sri Lankan.
  • 37% reported Tamil.
• Canadian‑born South Asians with both parents born in Sri Lanka:
  • 51% reported Sri Lankan.
  • 41% reported Tamil.​
• Pakistan‑born South Asians:
  • 74% reported Pakistani origins; the same share was seen among Canadian‑born with two Pakistan‑born parents.​
• South Asians born outside Southern Asia (e.g., in Fiji, Guyana) often reported both Indian and country‑specific identities:
  • 41% of those born in Oceania reported Fijian or Indo‑Fijian origins.
  • 20% of those born in the Caribbean and Central and South America reported Guyanese origins.​

This shows that “South Asian” is a broad statistical label that contains many different cultural, national and diasporic stories.​

Family and household patterns

South Asians are more likely than the overall Canadian population to live in family‑centred or multigenerational homes.​

In 2021:​

• 45% of South Asians lived in a two‑parent family with children.
• 20% lived in a multigenerational household (at least one grandparent and parent in the same home).

For comparison, 40% of the overall Canadian population lived in a two‑parent family with children, and only 7% lived in multigenerational households.​

By place of birth:​

• Two‑parent families with children were most common among South Asians born in the United States (70%).
• They were least common among those born in Caribbean/Central/South America (31%) and India (34%).
• Multigenerational households were especially common among South Asians born in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada and Oceania, with shares between 19% and 24%.
• For South Asians born in most regions other than Southern Asia and Canada (except Oceania), and for those from Bangladesh and Nepal, multigenerational households were lower but still above the Canadian average (typically 8% to 13%).​

These patterns reflect cultural preferences, housing costs, and caregiving arrangements across generations.​

Education: nearly 6 in 10 adults have a degree

Education is one of the most striking strengths in the portrait. Among South Asians aged 25 to 54 in 2021:​

• 58% had a bachelor’s degree or higher.

This is significantly higher than the 32% seen among the non‑racialized, non‑Indigenous population in the same age group.​

By place of birth, degree attainment (25–54) was:​

• United States‑born South Asians: 73% with a bachelor’s or higher (highest share).
• India: 63%.
• Pakistan: 61%.
• Europe: 59%.
• Africa: 58%.
• Canada: 56%.

Lower rates were seen for:​

• Sri Lanka: 29%.
• Caribbean and Central/South America: 26%.
• Oceania: 14%.
• Bhutan: 8%.

Notably, those lower‑education groups were also the least likely to have arrived as economic immigrants, showing how admission category and context affect outcomes.​

Among Canadian‑born South Asians:​

• 64% of those with both parents born in Sri Lanka had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• 58% with both parents born in India.
• 57% with both parents born in Pakistan.
• Only 29% of Canadian‑born South Asians whose parents were both born in Canada had a degree, far below other Canadian‑born South Asians (58%).

This suggests strong intergenerational educational mobility in many South Asian families, particularly those with refugee backgrounds (e.g., Sri Lankan).​

Employment and unemployment: strong, but gender gaps

Overall employment

In May 2021, among people aged 25 to 54:​

• South Asian men had an employment rate of 85%, nearly identical to 84% for non‑racialized, non‑Indigenous men.
• South Asian women had an employment rate of 69%, 10 percentage points lower than 79% for non‑racialized, non‑Indigenous women.

More recent data from the Labour Force Survey (Q2 2025) showed a similar pattern:​

• South Asian men: 89% employed, versus 87% for men overall.
• South Asian women: 75% employed, versus 80% for women overall.

So, South Asian men are very well integrated in the labour market on average, while South Asian women still face an employment gap despite high education levels.​

Differences by country of birth

Employment and unemployment rates vary significantly by birthplace:​

For women (25–54, May 2021):

• Born in India: employment 73%.
• Born in Pakistan: 47%.
• Born in Bangladesh: 55%.
• Born in Sri Lanka: 61%.

For men (25–54, May 2021):

• Born in India: employment 89%.
• Born in Pakistan: 82%.
• Born in Bangladesh: 78%.
• Born in Sri Lanka: 78%.​

Unemployment rates for men:​

• India‑born South Asian men: 5% unemployment.
• Men born in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka: about 10% to 12% unemployment.

Unemployment rates for women:​

• India‑born South Asian women: 11%.
• Women born in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka: about 15% to 21%.

These differences reflect varying immigration pathways (economic vs. refugee/family), credential recognition issues, language barriers and family responsibilities across groups.​

Why this portrait matters

This South Asian portrait uses the 2021 Census, earlier censuses, the 2011 National Household Survey, the Labour Force Survey and the 2023 Canadian Income Survey to provide a detailed, data‑driven look at one of Canada’s fastest‑growing populations. It is part of a broader Statistics Canada effort, aligned with the federal Anti‑Racism Strategy and Disaggregated Data Action Plan, to better understand the experiences of racialized groups and support evidence‑based policy.​

For policymakers, communities and newcomers, the findings underline that South Asian populations are a major driver of Canada’s demographic, educational and economic trends, while also facing gendered labour challenges and varied outcomes depending on country of birth and admission category.​

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