Canada is on track for one of its highest levels of deportations in recent history in 2025, with government data showing that enforcement actions have resulted in the removal of tens of thousands of foreign nationals this year.
According to removal statistics published by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), nearly 18,800 individuals were forcibly removed from Canada between January 1 and October 31, 2025 — a figure significantly higher than in previous years. The data, which tracks “enforced removals” under Canadian immigration law, reflects a notable rise in immigration enforcement activity.
Enforcement Trends and Regional Breakdown
CBSA removals data shows that deportations in 2025 were concentrated in several regions, with the largest numbers recorded in:
- Quebec: approximately 8,450 removals
- Greater Toronto Area: around 5,847 removals
- Pacific region (including Vancouver): about 1,780 removals
- Prairie provinces: roughly 1,246 removals
- Southern Ontario: 859 removals
- Northern Ontario: 455 removals
- Atlantic Canada: 148 removals
These figures highlight a broad geographic spread of immigration enforcement across the country.
Who Is Being Removed?
CBSA removals typically include foreign nationals who have lost immigration status through:
- Rejected refugee claims
- Visa overstays or lack of legal status
- Inadmissibility findings due to criminality or security grounds
In 2024, Canada recorded more deportations than any year since at least 2015, with most removals involving failed refugee claimants — nearly 79 per cent of that year’s deportees. Although detailed annual data for 2025 is not yet published, enforcement through at least the third quarter of the year mirrors that trend toward higher removal numbers.
Increased Border Enforcement
The rise in removals in 2025 coincides with an intensified enforcement effort by the CBSA, which has been expanding inland operations and workplace compliance activities aimed at identifying individuals without valid status. Recent reporting has noted that the agency has launched expanded raids on workplaces and is deploying additional officers to track and remove visa overstayers and other inadmissible individuals. The Indian Express
However, enforcement challenges persist. Official testimony before Parliament has revealed that the CBSA has lost track of tens of thousands of individuals with active removal orders in its “wanted inventory,” underscoring operational difficulties in locating and deporting all those subject to removal.
Safe Third Country Return Agreements
Canada also returns some asylum-seekers to the United States under the Safe Third Country Agreement, a separate but related process distinct from formal deportation. Under this pact, certain asylum seekers arriving at the Canada–U.S. border can be turned back to the U.S. to pursue protection claims there. In the first eight months of 2025, Canada returned more than 3,280 people under the agreement, up from around 2,480 in the same period in 2024.
Government and Public Debate
The increase in enforcement and deportations has drawn attention amid ongoing debates over immigration policy in Canada. Supporters argue that enforcing removal orders is necessary to uphold the integrity of the immigration system, while critics raise concerns about the treatment of asylum seekers and the fairness of removal processes, especially for those with pending appeals.
Immigration advocacy groups have called for clearer pathways and greater protections for vulnerable migrants, including those whose claims were rejected or who face risks in their countries of origin.
Looking Ahead
As 2025 comes to a close, Canada’s deportation landscape reflects a complex balance between maintaining immigration rules and addressing humanitarian considerations. Final year-end data from the CBSA is expected to provide a fuller picture of total removals, including how many ultimately left Canada after legal or administrative processes were exhausted.
For now, provisional statistics through October indicate that tens of thousands of foreign nationals have been removed, marking a sustained period of heightened immigration enforcement in Canada.