Canada's passport just slipped in a new global ranking but it's still stronger than the US
Over a dozen European countries are ahead of us.
If you've been daydreaming about your next international getaway, here's something to keep in mind before you book your flight: your Canadian passport just lost a bit of global power.
The latest Henley Passport Index, released this month, ranks Canada as the ninth most powerful passport in the world, giving Canadians visa-free access to 183 destinations.
That’s a small drop from earlier this year, when Canada placed seventh and allowed travel to 188 destinations without a visa. It trickled down to eighth place over the summer. In total, the Canadian passport has lost access to five destinations and slipped two spots since January.
Back in 2004, Canada had its strongest showing yet, ranking fourth overall in global passport power.
The ranking, compiled by London-based firm Henley & Partners using data from the International Air Transport Association, compares 199 passports across 227 travel destinations to measure how freely citizens can move around the world.
The updated top 10 features mostly European and Asian nations
The world's top 10 passports right now
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Japan
- Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland
- Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands
- Greece, Hungary, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden
- Australia, Czechia, Malta, Poland
- Croatia, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates, U.K.
- Canada
- Latvia, Liechtenstein
Singapore continues to dominate the list, with citizens able to visit 193 destinations visa-free (10 more than Canada).
The U.S. fell even further
While Canada slipped slightly, the United States dropped out of the global top 10 altogether for the first time since the index launched 20 years ago. The American passport now sits at 12th place, offering visa-free access to 180 destinations — three fewer than Canada.
So even with a small decline, Canadian travellers can still feel good knowing they hold one of the world's strongest passports — and a slight edge when it comes to crossing borders with ease.
