Jamaican Immigrants to Canada | Annual Arrivals and Census Trends
In 2025, 2,975 Jamaican immigrants were admitted to Canada as permanent residents.
Source: IRCC
- In 2025, 393,530 immigrants were admitted to Canada, Jamaican immigrants accounted for 0.76% of the annual immigration intake.
- From 2020 to 2025, a total of 21,355 Jamaican immigrants were admitted to Canada as permanent residents.
- The Jamaican immigration data highlights stable pre-pandemic levels, a sharp decline in 2020, a brief rebound leading up to 2023, and a steady decline through 2025.
Jamaican Immigration to Canada in Recent Years
Since 2020, Jamaican immigration to Canada has continued at a steady pace, primarily through family sponsorship, economic programs, and some humanitarian pathways. Jamaicans admitted as permanent residents were impacted by pandemic restrictions in 2020 before rebounding modestly. Between January 2023 and March 2025 alone, 8,895 citizens of Jamaica became permanent residents, with economic immigration pathways accounting for around 3,070, including strong contributions from the Provincial Nominee Program. Many Jamaicans settle in Ontario, particularly the Greater Toronto Area, as well as in Alberta, Quebec, and British Columbia, drawn by established community networks, job opportunities, education, and cultural ties. Family sponsorship forms a significant share alongside economic streams such as skilled worker programs and study-to-PR transitions. The Jamaican-born population in Canada reached approximately 145,360 according to the 2021 Census, while the broader Jamaican-origin community stood at 249,070 by ancestry, reflecting ongoing growth in subsequent years.
Jamaicans living in Canada (2016 Census)
- In 2016, 138,345 Jamaican immigrants resided in Canada.
- Most Jamaicans resided in Ontario.
JAMAICAN IMMIGRANTS IN CANADA (2016)
