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Chinese immigrants emerge as pivotal players in Canada’s property market amid foreign ban

Chinese permanent residents, exempted from the ban, are estimated to have bought US$4 billion worth of homes last year in Canada

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Ottawa bars most foreigners from purchasing homes, though students, foreign workers and permanent residents are exempt from the restriction. Photo: Shutterstock
Cheryl Arcibal
Mainland Chinese immigrants were estimated to have bought as much as C$5.7 billion (US$4 billion) worth of homes in Canada last year, making them a key group of non-local investors propping up the residential property market, according to one estimate.

Ottawa barred most foreigners from purchasing homes in 2023 to cool soaring prices, initially imposing the restriction for two years before extending it until 2027.

The ban, however, exempted students, foreign workers and permanent residents.

“A citizen of China or any other country who becomes a Canadian PR [permanent resident] is, for property-buying purposes, no longer foreign,” said Daniel Ho, managing director at Juwai IQI, a property portal with 7 million listings from 111 countries. “They can buy a home like anyone else. After all, they need a place to live.”

In 2025, mainland China was the fourth-largest source of new permanent residents in Canada, with 21,115 arrivals. India was the largest source with 98,830, followed by the Philippines with 25,230 and Cameroon with 22,925, according to official data.

The year before, India was the top source with 127,320 new permanent residents, followed by the Philippines with 32,300 and China with 29,950.

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