Canada vs North America: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum over time
- Canada
- North America
How they compare
North America currently reports 4.03 million against 314,469 in Canada, a difference of 3.72 million.
That makes North America's figure about 12.8 times Canada's.
Across all 26 years both countries report, North America has been ahead every year.
Canada ranks 4th and North America ranks 5th of 179 countries.
North America has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Canada | North America | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39,454 | 269,728 | 230,275 | North America |
| 2010s | 43,554 | 367,996 | 324,441 | North America |
| 2020s | 177,674 | 2.45 million | 2.27 million | North America |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, Canada or North America?
- North America, at 4.03 million against 314,469 in Canada as of 2025.
- What is the difference in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum between Canada and North America?
- 3.72 million, with North America ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and North America?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do Canada and North America rank globally for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?
- Canada ranks 4th and North America ranks 5th of 179 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.