Canada admitted about 1.8 lakh new permanent residents (PRs) in the first half of 2026, with Indian citizens accounting for 44,335 admissions, or nearly one in four, according to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), reported The Times of India.The Philippines was the second-largest source of new permanent residents with 13,475 admissions, followed by China with 9,630. China moved ahead of Cameroon, which recorded 8,810 admissions during the period.Also Read: Trump’s new immigration test: Legal visa applicants may now have to prove they won’t need US benefitsThe figures come as Canada seeks to stabilise immigration levels while placing greater emphasis on economic immigration and people already living in the country.Canada's 2026-28 Immigration Levels Plan sets a target of 3.80 lakh permanent resident admissions for each of the three years, within a range of 3.50 lakh to 4.20 lakh.Of the overall 2026 target, economic immigration accounts for 2.40 lakh admissions. By the end of the first half of the year, 89,200, or about 37%, of this target had been met, according to IRCC.Express Entry continues to play a key role in economic immigration. Recent draws have increasingly focused on the Canadian Experience Class, which covers applicants with at least one year of Canadian work experience, along with French-language proficiency and Provincial Nominee Program categories.Special PR initiatives for temporary workersCanada has also introduced two one-time initiatives for 2026 and 2027. PR admissions under these initiatives will be additional to the targets set under the 2026-28 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC said.Also Read: Seven Indian seafarers repatriated from Abu Dhabi after 11 months stranded on MV Sea Star 2One initiative aims to speed up permanent residence for temporary work permit holders already contributing to Canadian communities, particularly those working in sectors facing demand and those living in smaller communities.Canada plans to admit at least 20,000 workers through the initiative in 2026. Of these, 11,300 had already been admitted. The overall target is 33,000, with the remaining admissions planned for 2027.India's share declined from 2023India has remained the largest source of new Canadian permanent residents, but its share of total admissions has fallen over the past three years.Indian PR admissions peaked at nearly 1.40 lakh in 2023, accounting for almost 30% of total admissions. The number fell to 1.27 lakh in 2024, or nearly 26%, and then to 98,830 in 2025, accounting for about 25% of total admissions.The 2025 figure was around 29% lower than the 2023 peak.In 2025, the Philippines recorded 25,230 PR admissions and Cameroon 22,925, while China was fourth with 21,115.With 44,335 Indian citizens gaining permanent residence in the first six months of 2026, the total number of Indian citizens admitted as Canadian permanent residents during 2025 and the first half of 2026 has reached about 1.43 lakh.Despite Canada's efforts to moderate overall immigration, including temporary student numbers, Indian applicants continue to lead in permanent resident admissions. Immigration experts expect this position to continue.(With inputs from TOI)