Why immigrants leave Canada within a few years: what the data says

Who this page is for

What Statistics Canada found

On February 2, 2024, StatCan published a study using the Longitudinal Immigration Database, which links immigration records with tax files. It followed immigrants admitted from 1982 to 2017.

• More than 15% emigrated within 20 years of being admitted.
• Departures were most common 3 to 7 years after admission.
• Rates varied a lot by category: over 40% of business investor immigrants and about 30% of entrepreneur immigrants left within 20 years.
• By country of birth, more than 25% of immigrants born in Taiwan, the United States, France, Hong Kong or Lebanon left within 20 years.

StatCan says the 3 to 7 year peak may reflect difficulties settling in, or plans that included moving on after getting Canadian status.

The “Leaky Bucket” research

In November 2025, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) and the Conference Board of Canada released “The Leaky Bucket”, a follow-up study of onward migration. Its main findings:

• About 1 in 5 immigrants leaves Canada within 25 years.
• Highly skilled immigrants leave at roughly twice the rate of others.
• Atlantic Canada has the weakest retention.

The weaker retention in Atlantic Canada matches what StatCan has seen for years: many immigrants who land in smaller provinces later move to Ontario, British Columbia or Alberta, and some leave Canada. Provincial programs such as the Atlantic Immigration Program now try to improve this with settlement plans and employer support.

StatCan’s “Portrait of Canadian emigration” (March 2026) adds that immigrants made up 61.2% of all emigrants in 2021, and that most emigrants are 20 to 44 with university degrees. See why people are leaving Canada for the overall numbers.

Why immigrants leave

The data shows who leaves and when. The reasons are harder to measure, but research and polling point to a few main themes:

• Jobs that do not match skills. Many newcomers cannot get their credentials recognized or find work in their field. Highly skilled people have the most options elsewhere, which fits the higher rate of leaving.
• Housing and cost of living. In June 2024, Angus Reid found 39% of immigrants who arrived in the last 10 years were seriously considering leaving their province over housing costs, versus 27% of people born in Canada.
• Family. Aging parents, a spouse who cannot work, or children’s schooling can pull families back home.
• Onward plans. Some people always planned to move on, often to the US, once they had Canadian citizenship or experience.
• Business conditions. The very high rates for investors and entrepreneurs suggest business immigrants often kept their main activities abroad.

Questions to ask yourself before you leave

1. Is the problem local or national? Housing and job markets differ a lot between cities. Moving within Canada may solve it. Compare places with our cost of living calculator.
2. What happens to your status? PRs must spend 730 days in Canada in every 5 years. Citizenship protects your right to return; check your days with the citizenship days calculator.
3. What will it cost? Departure tax, non-resident withholding, health coverage gaps and moving costs add up. Use the move abroad budget.
4. What about pensions? You need 20 years in Canada after 18 to be paid OAS abroad, unless an agreement helps. Check with the OAS abroad checker.
5. Can you come back? Keep records, keep your status valid, and read the returning to Canada checklist.

If you leave before getting citizenship

Many immigrants leave during the 3 to 7 year peak, which is often before or just after they qualify for citizenship. This matters:

• Permanent residents can lose status if they are outside Canada too long. You must be physically in Canada for at least 730 days (2 years) in every 5-year period. Some days abroad count, such as days spent with a Canadian citizen spouse.
• Citizens can live abroad for any length of time and come back. Canada allows dual citizenship, but your other country may not.
• If your PR card expires while you are abroad, you need a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) to fly back.

If you are close to qualifying for citizenship, it can be worth waiting until you have it before you leave. Count your days with the PR residency calculator.

The money side of leaving

Leaving early in your time in Canada has some tax advantages and some traps:

• Short-term resident rule: if you lived in Canada 60 months or less in the last 10 years, property you brought with you is not hit by departure tax. See the departure tax guide.
• Benefits stop: the Canada child benefit and the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit end when you become a non-resident.
• Pensions: with fewer than 20 years in Canada, OAS is not paid abroad unless an agreement with your new country helps. CPP is paid anywhere.
• Accounts: keep your RRSP if useful, but stop TFSA contributions.

The leaving Canada tax guide covers every step.

Help if you want to stay

If you would rather stay, settlement agencies funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offer free help with job search, credential recognition and bridging programs. See employment programs for newcomers and the government benefits for newcomers guide. Benefits such as the Canada child benefit can make a real difference to a family budget.

Common questions

Sources

• Statistics Canada: Immigrants who leave Canada (The Daily, February 2, 2024)
• Statistics Canada: Portrait of Canadian emigration (March 18, 2026)
• Institute for Canadian Citizenship: The Leaky Bucket (November 2025)
• Angus Reid Institute: Housing costs and interprovincial migration (June 2024)
• IRCC: Understand PR status

Checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.