Forcibly displaced people in Canada
Canada: Forcibly displaced people was 730,497 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Forcibly displaced people in Canada, 2010–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Canada recorded 730,497 for forcibly displaced people in 2025. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of up 30.1% on the previous year and up 369.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forcibly displaced people in Canada peaked at 730,497 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 121,268, in 2016.
That places Canada 40th out of 180 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forcibly displaced people in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 216,542 | — |
| 2011 | 206,714 | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 196,398 | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 182,492 | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 165,863 | -9.1% |
| 2015 | 155,521 | -6.2% |
| 2016 | 121,268 | -22.0% |
| 2017 | 156,627 | +29.2% |
| 2018 | 192,867 | +23.1% |
| 2019 | 198,774 | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 194,566 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 193,269 | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 253,687 | +31.3% |
| 2023 | 367,409 | +44.8% |
| 2024 | 561,551 | +52.8% |
| 2025 | 730,497 | +30.1% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 730,497 is above the median for high income countries, which is 51,316, 14.2× the median. (65 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 179,307 | 121,268 | 216,542 | 10 |
| 2020s | 383,496 | 193,269 | 730,497 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More social development data for Canada
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 416,028 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 360 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 360 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.01 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forcibly displaced people in Canada?
- Forcibly displaced people in Canada was 730,497 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest forcibly displaced people recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 730,497 in 2025.
- What is the lowest forcibly displaced people recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 121,268 in 2016.
- How does Canada rank for forcibly displaced people?
- Canada ranks 40th out of 180 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forcibly displaced people rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 369.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Forcibly displaced people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Forcibly displaced people are represented by the sum of (1) refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), (2) refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), (3) asylum-seekers, (4) other people in need of international protection, and (5) internally displaced people (IDPs). Situations in which people are reported in more than one of these categories are accounted for, to the extent possible.