Canada has deported more foreign nationals this year than at any point in the past decade, removing over 18,000 people in the 2024-25 fiscal year as the government responds to mounting public frustration over housing shortages and immigration levels.
The Canada Border Services Agency now removes approximately 400 people from the country each week, according to agency figures. Between January and mid-November 2024, authorities deported 7,300 individuals — an 8.4% increase from the previous year and a 95% jump from 2022.
Failed asylum seekers account for the bulk of removals. Nearly 79% of those deported through November had their refugee claims rejected, up from 75% in 2023. The surge follows a sharp rise in asylum applications since 2020, which has created a backlog of more than 278,000 pending claims.
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The government has significantly increased enforcement funding in response to political pressure. The border agency spent $65.8 million on deportations in fiscal 2023-24, up from $56 million the year before. Ottawa allocated an additional $30.5 million over three years specifically for removal operations.
Housing affordability is a central driver of the policy shift. Public sentiment has turned against immigration amid acute shortages in major cities, prompting the government to slash immigration targets and accelerate deportations. Monthly refugee claims have declined from 19,821 in July 2024 to 11,838 by January 2025, suggesting stricter measures are taking effect.
“You can decide that you want to make a show of how many people you are deporting to prove you’re effective at policing the border,” said Audrey Macklin, a law professor and Human Rights Chair at the University of Toronto, in comments to Global News.
Refugee advocates have raised concerns about the accelerated pace. Aisling Bondy, president of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, told CHCH News that the legal appeals process remains “very legally complex” and not everyone has access to proper representation.
Luke Reimer, a border agency spokesperson, defended the enforcement increase. “These efforts are essential in maintaining the integrity of Canada’s asylum system,” Reimer said in a report by Global News.
The deportation numbers mark the highest removal rates since at least 2015, when the current Liberal government took power. With $30.5 million earmarked for continued removals through 2027, the government appears positioned to maintain or exceed current deportation levels in the coming years.
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