Canada vs United States of America: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum over time
- Canada
- United States of America
How they compare
United States of America currently reports 3.72 million against 314,469 in Canada, a difference of 3.40 million.
That makes United States of America's figure about 11.8 times Canada's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 26 shared years of data; in 2000 it was United States of America ahead.
Canada ranks 4th and United States of America ranks 1st of 179 countries.
United States of America has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Canada | United States of America | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39,454 | 230,275 | 190,821 | United States of America |
| 2010s | 43,554 | 324,441 | 280,887 | United States of America |
| 2020s | 177,674 | 2.27 million | 2.09 million | United States of 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 United States of America?
- United States of America, at 3.72 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 United States of America?
- 3.40 million, with United States of America ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and United States of America?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do Canada and United States of America rank globally for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?
- Canada ranks 4th and United States of America ranks 1st 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.