Sri Lankan Immigrants to Canada

In 2025, a total of 3,090 Sri Lankan citizens were admitted to Canada as permanent residents.

From 2020 to 2025, a total of 15,485 citizens from Sri Lanka were admitted to Canada as permanent residents.

In 2025, Sri-Lankan born citizens represented 0.79% of annual immigration intake to Canada.

Sri Lankan Immigration to Canada in Recent Years

Since 2020, Sinhalese immigration to Canada has continued at a modest but steady pace as part of broader Sri Lankan migration flows driven by economic challenges in Sri Lanka, educational pursuits, and family sponsorship opportunities. While the overall Sri Lankan-born population in Canada stood at around 136,000 according to the 2021 census, Sinhalese arrivals represent a smaller segment compared to Tamil communities, often entering through skilled worker programs, study permits that transition to permanent residency, and provincial nominee pathways concentrated in Ontario. Post-pandemic recovery and Sri Lanka’s economic difficulties encouraged more young professionals and students to seek opportunities in Canada, with study permit applications from Sri Lankans rising notably in 2021 and 2022. Sinhalese Canadians, numbering an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 in total, have settled primarily in the Greater Toronto Area, contributing to multicultural communities while maintaining cultural ties through language, Buddhist practices, and community organizations.

132K Sri Lankan citizens live in Canada

In 2016, 131,995 Sri Lankan immigrants lived in Canada; most of them resided in Ontario.