Chinese Buying Continues After Permanent Residency

Canada’s foreign buyer restrictions may have reduced direct purchases by non-residents, but they do not apply in the same way to permanent residents.

According to Juwai IQI Co-Founder and Group Managing Director Daniel Ho, Chinese buyers continue entering Canada’s housing market after obtaining permanent residency. Once they become Canadian permanent residents, they can purchase property under the same rules as other eligible buyers.

In 2025, 21,115 Chinese nationals became Canadian permanent residents, representing 5.4% of all new permanent residents. Their share increased to 5.6% in Q1 2026.

Across both periods, Canada welcomed 25,805 new Chinese permanent residents, making China the country’s fourth-largest source of new permanent residents. 

Annual Purchases Estimated at Up to US$4.98 Billion

There is no precise public figure showing how many new permanent residents purchase homes, how quickly they buy or how much they spend.

However, Juwai IQI estimates that one year’s intake of new Chinese permanent residents could generate between US$2.52 billion and US$4.98 billion in Canadian residential purchases. This is equivalent to approximately CA$3.6 billion to CA$7.1 billion.

The estimate reflects the group’s historic preference for real assets and homeownership. It also excludes Chinese buyers who received permanent residency in earlier years and purchased later, buyers using eligible work permits and those who have since become Canadian citizens.

Outlook

Chinese demand is likely to remain an important part of Canada’s residential market, even when it is not recorded as foreign buying.

Future activity will depend on immigration levels, affordability and the time new residents take to move from renting into ownership. Nevertheless, permanent residency will remain a significant pathway connecting Chinese families with Canadian housing demand.