Point of return: Russians have become more active in leaving Canada due to Russophobia

Russians living in Canada have become more actively interested in the program of voluntary resettlement to their homeland, the Russian Embassy told Izvestia. People are not satisfied with the decline in the quality of life in the country and the increased Russophobia fueled by the numerous Ukrainian diaspora. Previously, Canada was valued for its security and social support measures, but the economic downturn, rising prices and a sharp influx of migrants are making the country less attractive to live in, experts explain. Some native Canadians are also thinking about moving to Russia for permanent residence — 69 citizens received Russian resettlement visas in 2025-2026.

Russians are returning from Canada

Canada has remained one of the most popular emigration destinations for Russian qualified specialists for many years. They were attracted by clear relocation rules, a developed economy and a high standard of living. However, the trend has changed recently: Russians have begun to actively apply to the diplomatic mission with requests to return to their homeland, the Russian Embassy in Ottawa told Izvestia.

"In the first half of 2026, we note an increased interest in the state program to facilitate the voluntary resettlement of compatriots living abroad to Russia," the diplomats noted.

Since the beginning of 2026, 61 certificates of the state program participant have been issued. Appeals were received from almost all Canadian provinces, but the most active were from Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta, where large Russian—speaking communities traditionally live. It is noteworthy that not only compatriots, but also native Canadians are moving to Russia.

— We also accept applications from Canadian citizens interested in obtaining visas of the appropriate category within the framework of the decree of the President of Russia "On providing humanitarian support to persons who share traditional Russian spiritual and moral values." The applicants indicate their intention to leave Canada and move to Russia for permanent residence as their main motive," the diplomats added.

According to them, in 2025-2026, Canadians received 69 visas under this decree.

This choice is largely due to the change in the image of Canada itself, which is no longer perceived as a more civilized and peaceful alternative to the United States — without high crime rates and acute migration problems, says Konstantin Blokhin, a leading researcher at the Center for Security Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Canada was the ideal West for immigrants from the USSR and embodied the myth of successful liberalism, said Dmitry Drobnitsky, an American political scientist. Emigrants were attracted by the familiar climate, security and reliable social security, which favourably distinguished the country from the United States. Taxes fully covered basic medicine, the state paid child benefits, and higher education was many times cheaper than American education. The Soviet engineering school was highly regarded in Canadian technology hubs. Unlike in the United States, where migrants remained undocumented for years, they went to Canada immediately as residents with health insurance, the right to work and guaranteed citizenship after three years.

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Why are they leaving Canada?

However, in recent years, immigrants from Russia have accumulated many reasons to return. The main one was a noticeable drop in the quality of life, according to the Russian Embassy.

— In the past, many immigrants chose the "maple leaf country" for professional self-realization and a comfortable retirement. Now, against the background of protracted economic problems, it has become more expensive to live in Canada, there are problems with employment, and the housing crisis is getting worse," the diplomats noted.

Starting around 2020, due to the high rates of the Bank of Canada and the shortage of housing, it has become almost impossible to buy real estate in large cities with an average salary, and renting can take up to 70% of income. Many Russian engineers and doctors have been unable to confirm their diplomas for years and are working in low-paying positions. Free healthcare is suffering from staff shortages and long queues, and schools are overcrowded due to the influx of people.

The economic downturn is linked to Donald Trump's tariff wars, Konstantin Blokhin noted. And by the end of Justin Trudeau's premiership, other negative factors had converged, Dmitry Drobnitsky added: the deterioration of the dollar system, the Ukrainian crisis (Ottawa has allocated more than $26 billion to finance Kiev since 2022), and a sharp influx of migrants. Recently, the country has been receiving at least 470-480 thousand migrants per year, not counting students and workers, and as a result, the number of migrants by 2026 approached 9.2 million people, which is almost a quarter of the total population of the country.

In thematic groups on social networks, Russian-speaking users complain en masse about the decline in living standards and dissuade others from moving to Canada. Olga, a local resident, said that over the past five years, six families of her friends have returned to Russia. Sonya, who has lived there for 26 years, confirms that those who earn decent money in Russia will definitely not like it in Canada, because they can only survive on an average salary here. Local real estate has become a burden that is difficult to sell or rent, and it has become difficult to find work due to reduced quotas for uninvited employment.

An additional incentive for departure is the general negative atmosphere in the country, the Russian Embassy stressed.

— Another aspect is the aggressive liberal agenda promoted by the authorities, as well as the continuing Russophobia fueled by the world's largest Ukrobander community. People get tired of the pressure and prefer to go somewhere quieter," the embassy added.

The local Ukrainian diaspora numbers about 1.4–1.5 million people and significantly exceeds the number of Russian speakers (there are about 500-600 thousand). The community began to form at the end of the 19th century due to labor migration, and after the Second World War it was replenished, among other things, by Nazi collaborators who fled justice. Today, it strongly influences Ottawa's policy: in June 2026, the Congress of Ukrainians of Canada called on the authorities to impose a full trade embargo against the Russian Federation, close Russian representative offices, confiscate assets and recognize Russia as a sponsor of terrorism.

Russian—speaking Canadians write on social media that they are increasingly experiencing discrimination, even those who have lived here for about 30 years are facing similar pressure.

In addition to ethnic tensions, the internal policy of the state is becoming a factor for moving. The aggressive promotion of non-traditional family values in Canada was especially zealous, even compared to the United States, Drobnitsky emphasized. The "agenda" was actively imposed in schools, and for public disagreement with it, one could lose one's place of study. Such harsh propaganda forces us to think about emigrating to Russia not only for former Russians, but also for native Canadians.