Nearly 1.6 lakh Indians, accounting for almost 20 per cent, of those renouncing their citizenship between January 2018 and June 2023, have opted for Canadian nationality. The numbers revealed in a data by the ministry of external affairs (MEA) comes amid strained relations between India and Canada.
According to a Times of India report, Canada has emerged as the second most preferred destination for Indian expatriates during this period, following the US, while Australia and the UK hold the third and fourth positions, respectively.
Overall, close to 8.4 lakh Indians gave up their Indian citizenship during the mentioned timeframe, becoming citizens of 114 different nations, with a substantial 58% choosing either the US or Canada, the report stated.
According to TOI, a year-wise breakdown of Indians relinquishing their citizenship displays an upward trend, except for a dip in 2020 due to the pandemic. The number surged from 1.3 lakh in 2018 to 2.2 lakh in 2022. A little over 87,000 Indians opted for foreign citizenship in the first half of 2023.
The report quoted emigration expert Vikram Shroff, leader of HR Law at Nishith Desai Associates, as saying that the top four preferences align with expectations.
Many Indians prefer citizenship in developed nations where English is the dominant language, the expert mentioned.
“There are multiple reasons for emigration, including higher standard of living, children’s education, employment opportunities and quality healthcare. Countries like Canada and Australia are attracting foreign talent by making it easier and quicker for people to obtain residency and citizenship,” Shroff was further quoted.
Congress’ Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu had recently written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging insecurity among Indians in Canada amid the tensions.
“Over six lakh Indian students are studying in Canada, many of them have also applied for permanent residency. The increased tension might lead to delays or complications in visa processing for Indian students, who plan to study in Canada or those seeking visa extensions,” he said.
He further urged PM Modi to ensure the well-being of the students in Canada. “My sister-in-law, a Canadian citizen, is an expectant mother. My mother was planning to visit us in Canada and she had already applied for a visa in India. However, given the current situation, we are now unsure about the next course of action,” a report in Tribune quoted Manpreet Kaur, a student from Punjab currently on a work permit in Toronto.
Tension has grown since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they are investigating “credible allegations” about the potential involvement of India in the murder of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.
India had designated 45-year-old Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), as a terrorist in 2020.
India has rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case.
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