Refugees by country of asylum in Canada
Canada: Refugees by country of asylum was 269,496 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Canada, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Canada recorded 269,496 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 59.0% on the previous year and up 80.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Canada peaked at 269,496 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9,980 people, in 1965.
That places Canada 27th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Canada, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 168,511 people | — |
| 1952 | 154,828 people | -8.1% |
| 1953 | 107,004 people | -30.9% |
| 1954 | 75,828 people | -29.1% |
| 1955 | 52,551 people | -30.7% |
| 1956 | 17,485 people | -66.7% |
| 1957 | 46,334 people | +165.0% |
| 1958 | 46,908 people | +1.2% |
| 1959 | 47,934 people | +2.2% |
| 1960 | 48,629 people | +1.4% |
| 1961 | 44,492 people | -8.5% |
| 1962 | 12,282 people | -72.4% |
| 1963 | 10,946 people | -10.9% |
| 1964 | 10,178 people | -7.0% |
| 1965 | 9,980 people | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 10,225 people | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 9,991 people | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 17,950 people | +79.7% |
| 1969 | 19,275 people | +7.4% |
| 1970 | 18,518 people | -3.9% |
| 1971 | 17,196 people | -7.1% |
| 1972 | 20,933 people | +21.7% |
| 1973 | 13,358 people | -36.2% |
| 1974 | 11,410 people | -14.6% |
| 1975 | 16,349 people | +43.3% |
| 1976 | 27,387 people | +67.5% |
| 1977 | 29,537 people | +7.9% |
| 1978 | 31,295 people | +6.0% |
| 1979 | 57,913 people | +85.1% |
| 1980 | 92,679 people | +60.0% |
| 1981 | 96,415 people | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 107,591 people | +11.6% |
| 1983 | 120,947 people | +12.4% |
| 1984 | 112,966 people | -6.6% |
| 1985 | 92,194 people | -18.4% |
| 1986 | 98,743 people | +7.1% |
| 1987 | 104,843 people | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 116,434 people | +11.1% |
| 1989 | 135,752 people | +16.6% |
| 1990 | 154,761 people | +14.0% |
| 1991 | 170,916 people | +10.4% |
| 1992 | 183,723 people | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 183,241 people | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 186,555 people | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 152,110 people | -18.5% |
| 1996 | 138,427 people | -9.0% |
| 1997 | 125,176 people | -9.6% |
| 1998 | 119,355 people | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 123,303 people | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 126,991 people | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 129,227 people | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 129,935 people | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 133,088 people | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 141,402 people | +6.2% |
| 2005 | 147,164 people | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 151,832 people | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 175,728 people | +15.7% |
| 2008 | 173,642 people | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 169,424 people | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 165,544 people | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 164,879 people | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 163,751 people | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 160,347 people | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 149,164 people | -7.0% |
| 2015 | 135,890 people | -8.9% |
| 2016 | 97,322 people | -28.4% |
| 2017 | 104,768 people | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 114,101 people | +8.9% |
| 2019 | 101,757 people | -10.8% |
| 2020 | 109,214 people | +7.3% |
| 2021 | 130,125 people | +19.1% |
| 2022 | 140,621 people | +8.1% |
| 2023 | 169,448 people | +20.5% |
| 2024 | 269,496 people | +59.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 269,496 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 26.7× the median. (67 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | +165.0% | 17,485 people | 46,334 people |
| 1979 | +85.1% | 31,295 people | 57,913 people |
| 1968 | +79.7% | 9,991 people | 17,950 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 79,709 people | 17,485 people | 168,511 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 19,395 people | 9,980 people | 48,629 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 24,390 people | 11,410 people | 57,913 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 107,856 people | 92,194 people | 135,752 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 153,757 people | 119,355 people | 186,555 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 147,843 people | 126,991 people | 175,728 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 135,752 people | 97,322 people | 165,544 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 163,781 people | 109,214 people | 269,496 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More population data for Canada
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.13 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2634 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 45,891 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7644 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.3863 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.3% (2100)
- Population density 6.1 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.33 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Canada?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Canada was 269,496 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 269,496 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,980 people in 1965.
- How does Canada rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Canada ranks 27th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 80.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.