Study: Portrait of the South Asian populations in Canada
Released: 2025-12-08
A new analytical portrait released today provides in-depth information on the diverse South Asian populations in Canada. It takes a close look at the South Asian populations by disaggregating these populations based on their place of birth and, for South Asians born in Canada, by their parents' place of birth. It outlines the characteristics of these different populations, such as immigration patterns, ethnic and cultural origins, religions and languages. It also looks at socioeconomic outcomes such as education, employment and unemployment, occupations, income and poverty.
This is the third in a series of portraits on racialized groups in Canada, developed by Statistics Canada in support of Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy. The previous portraits are The Diversity of the Black Populations in Canada, 2021: A Sociodemographic Portrait and Portrait of the Arab Populations in Canada: Diversity and Socioeconomic Outcomes.
South Asian populations in Canada nearly quadrupled from 1996 to 2021
In 2021, South Asian populations were the largest racialized group in Canada, numbering nearly 2.6 million people and representing 7.1% of Canada's total population. This was nearly four times as large as the size of the South Asian populations 25 years earlier, in 1996, when they numbered 669,060 people and made up 2.4% of the population.
According to the latest population projections, South Asian populations in Canada could reach 4.7 million to 6.5 million people by 2041, which would make up 11.0% to 12.5% of the total population.
India is the most common place of birth of South Asian populations in Canada
Overall, approximately 6 in 10 South Asians in Canada in 2021 were born in Southern Asia, 3 in 10 were born in Canada and 1 in 10 were born in other regions of the world.
The most common country of birth for South Asian populations was India (44%), while the other main places of birth in South Asia were Pakistan (9%), Sri Lanka (5%) and Bangladesh (3%).
Other places of birth outside Canada included countries in other regions of Asia (such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan), Africa (such as Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda), the Caribbean and Central and South America (mainly Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago), Europe (mainly the United Kingdom), Oceania (mainly Fiji) and the United States (Table 1).
Among the 29% of South Asians who were born in Canada, the largest group was that of people whose parents were both born in India, followed by those whose parents were both born in Pakistan, both born in Sri Lanka and both born in Canada.
The majority of South Asian immigrants who immigrated from 1980 to 2021 are economic immigrants
Among South Asian immigrants living in Canada in 2021 who immigrated during the period from 1980 to 2021, the majority were economic immigrants (54%). This share was larger among those who had immigrated from 2011 to 2021 (69%) than among those who had immigrated from 1981 to 1990 (36%).
From 1980 to 2021, economic immigrants made up the majority of South Asian immigrants across many places of birth, including India (57%), Pakistan (56%) and Bangladesh (61%) (Chart 1). Meanwhile, South Asians born in Sri Lanka were mostly a mix of refugees (42%), immigrants sponsored by family (33%) and economic immigrants (21%).
Chart 1
Admission categories of South Asian immigrants who immigrated from 1980 to 2021, by place of birth, Canada, 2021
South Asian populations report more than 145 different ethnic or cultural origins
South Asian populations reported more than 145 different ethnic or cultural origins on the 2021 Census of Population. These origins were often associated with their place of birth but sometimes reflected other ethnic or cultural groups. Respondents could report having multiple different ethnic and cultural origins.
The most common origins reported by South Asians born in India were Indian (66%) and Punjabi (15%). The most common origins reported by Canadian-born South Asians with both parents having been born in India were also Indian (59%) and Punjabi (20%). Among South Asians born in Sri Lanka, the most commonly reported origins were Sri Lankan (57%) and Tamil (37%); Canadian-born South Asians with both parents having been born in Sri Lanka responded similarly, with 51% reporting Sri Lankan and 41% reporting Tamil.
South Asians born in Pakistan mainly reported Pakistani origins (74%), as was the case for Canadian-born South Asians with both parents having been born in Pakistan (74%).
Among South Asians born outside Canada in regions other than Southern Asia, just over half (51%) reported Indian ethnic or cultural origins. Some reported other origins associated with their country of birth. For example, 41% of South Asians born in Oceania reported Fijian or Indo-Fijian origins, while 20% of South Asians born in the Caribbean and Central and South America reported Guyanese origins.
About two-thirds of South Asians live in households composed of either a two-parent family with children or a multigenerational family
In 2021, the most common household types among South Asian populations were two-parent families with children (45%) and multigenerational families (20%). The share of South Asians living in a two-parent family with children was highest among those born in the United States (70%) and lowest among those born in the Caribbean and Central and South America (31%) and India (34%). In comparison, 40% of the overall population of Canada lived in a two-parent family with children.
Chart 2
South Asian populations by place of birth and selected household types, Canada, 2021
The share of South Asians who lived in a multigenerational family was more than twice as high as in the overall population of Canada (7%), but this varied by place of birth (Chart 2). Among South Asians born in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Canada and Oceania, the proportions living in a multigenerational family ranged from 19% to 24%. Meanwhile, proportions ranged from 8% to 13% for those born in most regions other than Southern Asia and Canada (with the exception of Oceania), as well as for those born in Bangladesh (10%) and Nepal (8%).
Nearly 6 in 10 South Asians have a bachelor's degree or higher
In 2021, 58% of South Asians aged 25 to 54 years had a bachelor's degree or higher, a larger share than that of the non-racialized, non-Indigenous population (32%). This proportion was relatively similar across most places of birth of South Asians, including, but not limited to, India (63%), Pakistan (61%), Europe (59%), Africa (58%) and Canada (56%). The proportion was highest for South Asians born in the United States (73%).
Chart 3
Percentage of South Asians aged 25 to 54 with a bachelor's degree or higher, by place of birth, Canada, 2021
The share of South Asians with a bachelor's degree or higher was smaller among South Asians born in Sri Lanka (29%), the Caribbean and Central and South America (26%), Oceania (14%) and Bhutan (8%). Notably, among South Asians born outside Canada, those with these places of birth were least likely to be economic immigrants.
In contrast to the lower educational attainment of South Asians born in Sri Lanka, 64% of Canadian-born South Asians whose parents were both born in Sri Lanka had a bachelor's degree or higher. This was a slightly larger share than those of Canadian-born South Asians whose parents were both born in India (58%) or Pakistan (57%).
Canadian-born South Asians whose parents were both born in Canada were considerably less likely to have a bachelor's degree or higher (29%) than other Canadian-born South Asians (58%).
South Asian men have similar employment rates to their non-racialized, non-Indigenous counterparts, while South Asian women have lower employment rates
In May 2021, the employment rate for the population aged 25 to 54 years was nearly identical for South Asian men (85%) and non-racialized, non-Indigenous men (84%). In contrast, it was 10 percentage points lower for South Asian women (69%) than it was for non-racialized, non-Indigenous women (79%). More recent data from the Labour Force Survey in the second quarter of 2025 found a similar pattern, with employment rates being more similar among South Asian men (89%) and men overall (87%) than among South Asian women (75%) and women overall (80%).
South Asians born in India have higher employment rates and lower unemployment rates than South Asians born in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
In May 2021, there were substantial variations in employment rates of South Asian women by place of birth, with employment rates being lower for women born in Pakistan (47%), Bangladesh (55%) and Sri Lanka (61%) than for women born in India (73%). Employment rates were also lower for men born in Pakistan (82%), Bangladesh (78%) and Sri Lanka (78%) than for men born in India (89%). Similar patterns were seen in unemployment rates: South Asian men born in India had an unemployment rate of 5%, while the unemployment rates for men born in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka ranged from 10% to 12%. Meanwhile, South Asian women born in India had an unemployment rate of 11%, while the unemployment rates for women born in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka ranged from 15% to 21%.
Note to readers
The series of portraits on racialized groups in Canada was developed in partnership with the Department of Canadian Heritage to support the Government of Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy, which seeks to address racism and discrimination faced by racialized groups and Indigenous Peoples. This analytical portrait aligns with the Disaggregated data action plan: Why it matters to you, a whole-of-government approach led by Statistics Canada to enhance data collection, analysis and dissemination pertaining to diverse populations in Canada.
Data sources
This analysis was conducted principally using data from the 2021 Census of Population. Data from earlier censuses, the 2011 National Household, the Labour Force Survey and the 2023 Canadian Income Survey were also used. Information on the coverage of each data source is available in the portrait.
Methods
This portrait provides a descriptive analysis of the characteristics of South Asian populations in Canada.
Definitions
Admission category of immigrant: The immigration program or group of programs under which an immigrant is first granted the right to live permanently in Canada by immigration authorities. In the 2021 Census of Population, data on admission categories are available for immigrants who were admitted to Canada from January 1, 1980, to May 11, 2021. Data on admission categories were obtained from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's administrative records.
The three broad categories of this variable are economic immigrants, immigrants sponsored by family and refugees.
The "economic immigrants" category includes immigrants who have been selected for their ability to contribute to Canada's economy through their ability to meet labour market needs, own and manage or build a business, make a substantial investment, create their own employment, or meet specific provincial or territorial labour market needs.
The "immigrants sponsored by family" category includes immigrants who were sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and were granted permanent resident status based on their relationship either as the spouse, partner, parent, grandparent, child or other relative of the sponsor. The terms "family class" or "family reunification" are sometimes used in this portrait to refer to this category.
The "refugees" category includes immigrants who were granted permanent resident status based on a well-founded fear of returning to their home country. This includes people who had a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or for political opinion (Geneva Convention refugees) as well as persons who had been seriously and personally affected by civil war or armed conflict or had suffered a massive violation of human rights. Some refuges were in Canada when they applied for refugee protection for themselves and their family members (either with them in Canada or abroad). Others were abroad and were referred for resettlement to Canada by the United Nations Refugee Agency, another designated referral organization or private sponsors. Refugees include resettled refugees and protected persons who have been granted permanent resident status.
Employment rate: The employment rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, geographic area, etc.) is the number of persons in that group who were employed during a given reference week, expressed as a percentage of the total population in that group. In the 2021 Census of Population, the reference week was May 2 to May 8. The concept of employment is applicable to the population aged 15 years and older. The employed population includes people who did any paid work as an employee or self-employed person; did unpaid work contributing directly to the operation of a farm, business or professional practice owned and operated by a related member of the same household; or had a job but were not at work due to factors such as their own illness or disability, personal or family responsibilities, vacation or a labour dispute.
Ethnic or cultural origin: The ethnic or cultural origins of a person's ancestors. These ancestors may have Indigenous origins, origins that refer to different countries or other origins that may not refer to different countries.
Immigrant: A person who is, or who has ever been, a landed immigrant or permanent resident. In the 2021 Census of Population, "immigrant" includes immigrants who were admitted to Canada on or before May 11, 2021.
Multigenerational households: All households with at least one person who is both the grandparent of one person in the household and the parent of another person in the same household.
Place of birth: The name of the geographic location where the person was born. The geographic location is specified according to geographic boundaries current at the time of data collection, not the geographic boundaries at the time of birth. The geographic location refers to the name of the country in which the person was born, based on the Standard Classification of Countries and Areas of Interest 2019.
Unemployment rate: The unemployment rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status, geographic area, etc.) is the number of persons in that group who were unemployed during a given reference week, expressed as a percentage of the labour force in that group. In the 2021 Census of Population, the reference week was May 2 to May 8. The concept of unemployment is applicable to the population aged 15 years and older. The unemployed population includes persons who, during the reference week, were without work but had looked for work in the past four weeks ending with the reference week and were available for work; were on temporary layoff due to business conditions and were available for work; or were without work, had a job to start within four weeks of the reference week and were available for work. The labour force refers to people who were either employed or unemployed.
Looking ahead
This analytical article is the third in a series of portraits on the largest racialized groups in Canada, developed in support of Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy. The Diversity of the Black Populations in Canada, 2021: A Sociodemographic Portrait was released in October 2024, and the Portrait of the Arab Populations in Canada: Diversity and Socioeconomic Outcomes was released in October 2025. Portraits of the Chinese, Filipino and Latin American populations will be released in the coming months.
Products
The analytical paper "Portrait of the South Asian Populations in Canada: Diversity and Socioeconomic Outcomes," which is part of the Ethnicity, Language and Immigration Thematic Series (89-657-X), is now available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
- Date modified: