Asylum statistics, trends and data
Canada’s asylum system exists to protect people who are fleeing persecution, violence, or a risk to their life or safety in their home country. In recent years, Canada has seen a steady rise in the number of asylum claims received. This increase is driven by multiple factors, including:
- global instability
- armed conflict
- the growing number of people displaced worldwide
About the data on this page
Data on this page is updated monthly. It is considered preliminary and subject to change. It also includes people who were apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) between ports of entry seeking asylum. This is because claimants are counted based on the CBSA location the RCMP brings them to for processing.
The number of asylum claims changes from month to month for a variety of reasons, so it’s difficult to predict future trends. We often see an increase in land border claims in late spring and early summer when the school year ends and travel increases.
This data may include people whose asylum claim has since been sent to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), people who have become protected persons (as defined by the IRB), or people who have since become a permanent resident in the year in which their claim was made.
Please note that in the tables on this page, all values between 0 and 5 are shown as “--”. In the graphs, all values between 0 and 5 will be visualized as zero. This is done to prevent individuals from being identified when data is compiled and compared to other publicly available statistics. All other values are rounded to the closest multiple of 5 for the same reason; as a result of rounding, the data may not sum to the totals indicated.
A detailed breakdown and history is available on the Open Government Portal.
Our obligation
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Canada has an obligation to assess the eligibility of asylum claims made by individuals who arrive in the country seeking refugee protection (asylum).
- Claims are first assessed for eligibility to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). All eligible claims are determined by the IRB based on the evidence and arguments presented, and in line with Canadian laws.
- Asylum claimants must prove that they have a well-founded fear of persecution or face a risk of serious harm—such as torture, cruel and unusual treatment, or punishment—in the country where they are a citizen or where they have nationality. If they are stateless, this applies to the country where they usually live.
- Those whose claims are accepted become protected persons and may apply for permanent residence under the protected persons in Canada category. Those whose claims are denied may be subject to removal from Canada.
Learn more about how Canada’s refugee protection system works.
Strengthening the integrity of Canada’s asylum system
We’ve introduced important reforms to strengthen migration integrity and modernize the asylum system. These measures are designed to make the asylum process faster so that claims are processed more effectively while Canada’s commitment to protecting those in need continues to be upheld.
Measures to address the overall number of temporary residents in Canada and to improve the integrity of our temporary programs have also supported the integrity of the asylum system by helping reduce the number of claims entering the system.
What we’ve done
We’ve taken concrete steps to minimize unnecessary border volumes, increase information sharing, and reduce non-genuine visitors and crossings between ports of entry.
Implemented a partial visa requirement for Mexican nationals
Asylum claims made by Mexican citizens at airports across the country immediately fell by 97% between February 2024 and March 2024.
Introduced the Additional Protocol to the Safe Third Country Agreement
The number of asylum claims from people crossing between ports of entry has since dropped from an average of 165 people a day in March 2023 to 12 people a day.
Heightened scrutiny of temporary resident visa (TRV) applications
We saw a 65% drop in asylum claims from TRV holders in July 2025 compared to the same time last year.
34% fewer
people submitted an asylum claim between January 1 and July 31, 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.
Total number of claimants by month of submitted claim
Total claimants
Asylum claimants by province and territory of submitted claim
This graph shows the monthly number of people who submitted an asylum claim, both inside Canada and at the border.
Select a province or territory to focus on those numbers.
Asylum claimants by province and territory of submitted claim - Table
| Month | Newfoundland and Labrador | Prince Edward Island | Nova Scotia | New Brunswick | Quebec | Ontario | Manitoba | Saskatchewan | Alberta | British Columbia | Yukon | Northwest Territories | Nunavut | Province/Territory of claim not stated | Total claimants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-Jul | -- | -- | 25 | 5 | 4,895 | 5,510 | 70 | 5 | 495 | 555 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11,565 |
| 23-Aug | -- | 0 | 15 | 15 | 4,905 | 6,000 | 55 | 20 | 695 | 710 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 12,410 |
| 23-Sep | -- | 0 | 15 | 20 | 6,450 | 6,810 | 65 | 20 | 755 | 755 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 14,900 |
| 23-Oct | 10 | -- | 20 | 25 | 6,665 | 7,740 | 130 | 30 | 880 | 815 | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | 16,315 |
| 23-Nov | 10 | -- | 20 | 25 | 5,785 | 8,135 | 145 | 25 | 885 | 885 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 15,910 |
| 23-Dec | 5 | -- | 10 | 15 | 5,870 | 7,690 | 120 | 30 | 755 | 985 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 15,490 |
| 24-Jan | -- | 5 | 15 | 15 | 5,195 | 7,505 | 150 | 55 | 770 | 965 | 0 | -- | 0 | -- | 14,690 |
| 24-Feb | 5 | -- | 20 | 25 | 6,455 | 7,790 | 135 | 30 | 635 | 845 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15,950 |
| 24-Mar | -- | -- | 25 | 30 | 5,575 | 7,980 | 145 | 55 | 800 | 860 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15,470 |
| 24-Apr | -- | -- | 25 | 10 | 5,375 | 8,195 | 115 | 30 | 705 | 820 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15,290 |
| 24-May | 5 | -- | 25 | 20 | 5,330 | 8,655 | 155 | 35 | 830 | 860 | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 15,920 |
| 24-Jun | 10 | -- | 25 | 15 | 4,935 | 7,485 | 170 | 50 | 720 | 810 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 14,220 |
| 24-Jul | 10 | 0 | 45 | 30 | 4,660 | 7,770 | 180 | 55 | 830 | 805 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 14,385 |
| 24-Aug | 10 | 5 | 25 | 25 | 3,690 | 7,135 | 190 | 45 | 830 | 900 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 12,860 |
| 24-Sep | -- | -- | 35 | 55 | 4,315 | 7,095 | 205 | 65 | 915 | 970 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 13,670 |
| 24-Oct | 10 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 3,870 | 7,610 | 200 | 50 | 945 | 1,105 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | 13,860 |
| 24-Nov | -- | -- | 30 | 40 | 3,660 | 6,425 | 195 | 55 | 865 | 1,160 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12,435 |
| 24-Dec | 5 | -- | 20 | 30 | 4,180 | 6,445 | 215 | 60 | 835 | 1,290 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13,085 |
| 25-Jan | 5 | -- | 25 | 25 | 3,050 | 5,200 | 185 | 50 | 685 | 1,085 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10,310 |
| 25-Feb | -- | 10 | 35 | 35 | 2,880 | 4,350 | 145 | 50 | 540 | 910 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 8,955 |
| 25-Mar | 10 | -- | 40 | 25 | 3,225 | 4,395 | 95 | 30 | 480 | 920 | -- | -- | 0 | 0 | 9,230 |
| 25-Apr | 10 | -- | 30 | 35 | 4,520 | 4,345 | 105 | 50 | 565 | 870 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10,525 |
| 25-May | 15 | -- | 25 | 25 | 2,390 | 4,145 | 105 | 55 | 540 | 855 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 8,155 |
| 25-Jun | 10 | 5 | 35 | 30 | 3,455 | 4,650 | 145 | 50 | 640 | 1,070 | -- | -- | 0 | -- | 10,090 |
| 25-Jul | 5 | -- | 45 | 25 | 5,825 | 4,730 | 160 | 75 | 695 | 975 | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 12,545 |
Claimants at a port of entry
Asylum claimants at official ports of entry
When someone submits an asylum claim at an official port of entry, a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer will decide if their claim meets the eligibility requirements to be sent to the IRB.
The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA)
The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) between Canada and the United States (US) is an important tool for both governments to work together on the orderly management of asylum claims along our shared land border. All individuals crossing the Canada-US land border to seek asylum in Canada are subject to the STCA and are returned to the US to pursue an asylum claim there unless they qualify for an exception or exemption to the STCA.
Asylum claimants at official ports of entry by province and territory of submitted claim
This graph shows the number of people who submitted an asylum claim at different ports of entry over the last 24 months.
The data does not show how many asylum claimants are currently living in a province or territory, only where claims were originally submitted.
Select a province or territory to focus on those numbers.
Asylum claimants at official ports of entry by province and territory of submitted claim - Table
| Month | Newfoundland and Labrador | Prince Edward Island | Nova Scotia | New Brunswick | Quebec | Ontario | Manitoba | Saskatchewan | Alberta | British Columbia | Yukon | Northwest Territories | Nunavut | Total claimants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-Jul | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 3,195 | 2,075 | 10 | 0 | 65 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,430 |
| 23-Aug | 0 | 0 | -- | 10 | 2,955 | 1,460 | -- | -- | 75 | 135 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,640 |
| 23-Sep | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 4,430 | 2,540 | -- | 0 | 150 | 145 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7,275 |
| 23-Oct | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 4,205 | 2,590 | 10 | -- | 150 | 165 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7,125 |
| 23-Nov | 0 | 0 | -- | 5 | 3,485 | 2,490 | -- | -- | 85 | 205 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,280 |
| 23-Dec | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 3,545 | 2,470 | 10 | -- | 115 | 270 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,415 |
| 24-Jan | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 2,800 | 2,045 | 20 | -- | 65 | 225 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,160 |
| 24-Feb | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 4,100 | 2,425 | -- | 0 | 65 | 250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,845 |
| 24-Mar | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 3,345 | 2,345 | 10 | -- | 115 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,975 |
| 24-Apr | 0 | 0 | 5 | -- | 3,295 | 2,670 | -- | -- | 90 | 140 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,210 |
| 24-May | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 3,130 | 2,780 | 10 | 0 | 115 | 120 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,165 |
| 24-Jun | -- | 0 | 5 | -- | 3,035 | 2,430 | 10 | 0 | 55 | 120 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,665 |
| 24-Jul | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 2,585 | 1,995 | -- | 5 | 90 | 130 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,820 |
| 24-Aug | 5 | 0 | 5 | -- | 1,600 | 1,365 | 15 | -- | 55 | 120 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,165 |
| 24-Sep | 0 | 0 | -- | 10 | 2,155 | 1,515 | 10 | 10 | 60 | 110 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,880 |
| 24-Oct | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 1,560 | 1,565 | 15 | -- | 65 | 95 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,295 |
| 24-Nov | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 1,645 | 1,185 | 15 | -- | 65 | 105 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,020 |
| 24-Dec | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2,185 | 1,445 | 20 | -- | 60 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,850 |
| 25-Jan | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 1,300 | 875 | 15 | 5 | 35 | 120 | -- | 0 | 0 | 2,360 |
| 25-Feb | 0 | 0 | -- | 5 | 1,290 | 745 | 20 | 0 | 45 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,190 |
| 25-Mar | 0 | 0 | -- | 5 | 1,905 | 805 | 10 | 0 | 40 | 105 | -- | 0 | 0 | 2,875 |
| 25-Apr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 3,340 | 925 | 10 | -- | 65 | 105 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,465 |
| 25-May | 0 | 0 | -- | -- | 1,100 | 730 | 10 | 5 | 40 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,935 |
| 25-Jun | 0 | 0 | 5 | -- | 2,095 | 835 | 10 | -- | 45 | 65 | -- | 0 | 0 | 3,065 |
| 25-Jul | -- | 0 | 5 | -- | 4,075 | 1,060 | 25 | 15 | 35 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,305 |
Where people submit claims
This table shows the number of claimants at each type of port of entry.
| Port of entry | January to July 2023 | January to July 2024 | January to July 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airports | 17,835 | 31,440 | 7,270 |
| Land ports | 21,670 | 9,390 | 14,915 |
| Marine ports | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| All ports | 39,525 | 40,840 | 22,195 |
Claimants inside Canada
Asylum claimants inside Canada
When someone submits an asylum claim from inside Canada (online or at an inland office), an IRCC official or a CBSA officer will decide if their claim meets the eligibility requirements to be sent to the IRB.
By province and territory of submitted claim
People can submit claims for asylum from within any province or territory. This graph shows the number of people who submitted claims over the past 24 months.
The data doesn’t show how many asylum claimants are currently living in a province or territory, only where their claims were originally submitted.
Select a province or territory to focus on those numbers.
By province and territory of submitted claim - Table
| Month | Newfoundland and Labrador | Prince Edward Island | Nova Scotia | New Brunswick | Quebec | Ontario | Manitoba | Saskatchewan | Alberta | British Columbia | Yukon | Northwest Territories | Nunavut | Province/Territory of claim not stated | Total claimants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-Jul | -- | -- | 25 | 5 | 1,700 | 3,435 | 60 | 5 | 430 | 470 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,135 |
| 23-Aug | -- | 0 | 10 | -- | 1,950 | 4,540 | 50 | 15 | 620 | 575 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 7,765 |
| 23-Sep | -- | 0 | 15 | 15 | 2,020 | 4,275 | 65 | 20 | 605 | 605 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 7,625 |
| 23-Oct | 10 | -- | 15 | 20 | 2,460 | 5,150 | 120 | 25 | 730 | 650 | -- | 0 | 0 | -- | 9,185 |
| 23-Nov | 10 | -- | 20 | 15 | 2,300 | 5,645 | 140 | 20 | 795 | 680 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 9,630 |
| 23-Dec | 5 | -- | 10 | 15 | 2,330 | 5,220 | 110 | 25 | 645 | 715 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 9,075 |
| 24-Jan | -- | 5 | 15 | 15 | 2,390 | 5,460 | 130 | 55 | 705 | 740 | 0 | -- | 0 | -- | 9,530 |
| 24-Feb | 5 | -- | 15 | 20 | 2,355 | 5,365 | 135 | 30 | 570 | 600 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9,105 |
| 24-Mar | -- | -- | 25 | 30 | 2,230 | 5,635 | 135 | 50 | 685 | 705 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9,495 |
| 24-Apr | -- | -- | 20 | 10 | 2,080 | 5,525 | 115 | 30 | 615 | 680 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9,080 |
| 24-May | 5 | -- | 20 | 15 | 2,195 | 5,875 | 145 | 35 | 720 | 740 | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 9,755 |
| 24-Jun | 5 | -- | 20 | 10 | 1,900 | 5,055 | 155 | 50 | 665 | 685 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 8,555 |
| 24-Jul | 10 | 0 | 45 | 30 | 2,070 | 5,775 | 175 | 45 | 745 | 670 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 9,565 |
| 24-Aug | -- | 5 | 15 | 20 | 2,090 | 5,775 | 175 | 45 | 780 | 780 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 9,695 |
| 24-Sep | -- | -- | 30 | 45 | 2,155 | 5,580 | 195 | 55 | 855 | 865 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 9,790 |
| 24-Oct | 10 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 2,310 | 6,050 | 185 | 45 | 880 | 1,010 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | 10,565 |
| 24-Nov | -- | -- | 30 | 40 | 2,015 | 5,235 | 180 | 55 | 800 | 1,055 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9,415 |
| 24-Dec | 5 | -- | 15 | 25 | 1,995 | 4,995 | 195 | 55 | 775 | 1,165 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9,235 |
| 25-Jan | 5 | -- | 20 | 25 | 1,750 | 4,325 | 170 | 40 | 650 | 965 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7,950 |
| 25-Feb | -- | 10 | 35 | 30 | 1,590 | 3,605 | 125 | 50 | 500 | 820 | 0 | 0 | -- | 0 | 6,765 |
| 25-Mar | 10 | -- | 35 | 20 | 1,320 | 3,590 | 85 | 30 | 440 | 815 | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 6,355 |
| 25-Apr | 10 | -- | 30 | 15 | 1,180 | 3,420 | 90 | 45 | 500 | 760 | -- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,060 |
| 25-May | 15 | -- | 20 | 25 | 1,290 | 3,420 | 95 | 50 | 495 | 805 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 6,220 |
| 25-Jun | 10 | 5 | 25 | 30 | 1,360 | 3,815 | 135 | 45 | 590 | 1,005 | 0 | -- | 0 | -- | 7,025 |
| 25-Jul | -- | -- | 40 | 20 | 1,750 | 3,670 | 140 | 60 | 660 | 895 | 0 | -- | 0 | 0 | 7,240 |
Asylum claimants apprehended between ports of entry
These numbers refer to people apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) crossing the border somewhere other than official ports of entry, who stated their intent to claim asylum. The RCMP then brings them to a CBSA location for processing. Note: These values are not rounded, as in other graphs.
These numbers may be included in the total count of claimants shown in the “Claimants at a port of entry” or “Claimants inside Canada” graphs on this page, because claimants are counted based on the CBSA location to which the RCMP brings them for processing.
Select a province or territory to focus on those numbers.
Asylum claimants apprehended between ports of entry - Table
| Month | New Brunswick | Quebec | Ontario | Manitoba | Saskatchewan | Alberta | British Columbia | Total - RCMP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-Jul | 0 | 42 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 83 |
| 23-Aug | 1 | 53 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 97 |
| 23-Sep | 0 | 59 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 88 |
| 23-Oct | 0 | 36 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 75 |
| 23-Nov | 0 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 95 |
| 23-Dec | 0 | 90 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 226 |
| 24-Jan | 5 | 79 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 91 | 191 |
| 24-Feb | 0 | 75 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 94 | 178 |
| 24-Mar | 3 | 90 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 149 |
| 24-Apr | 2 | 55 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 85 |
| 24-May | 6 | 60 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 105 |
| 24-Jun | 1 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 67 |
| 24-Jul | 1 | 51 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 98 |
| 24-Aug | 0 | 40 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 79 |
| 24-Sep | 0 | 37 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 90 |
| 24-Oct | 0 | 26 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 62 |
| 24-Nov | 0 | 33 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 79 |
| 24-Dec | 0 | 74 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 119 |
| 25-Jan | 0 | 73 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 122 |
| 25-Feb | 0 | 99 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 40 | 168 |
| 25-Mar | 0 | 63 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 108 |
| 25-Apr | 8 | 94 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 140 |
| 25-May | 0 | 54 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 75 |
| 25-Jun | 0 | 58 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 90 |
| 25-Jul | 0 | 239 | 0 | 17 | 16 | 0 | 20 | 292 |
More statistics about asylum claimants
If a claim is determined eligible, it’s sent to the IRB. The IRB is an independent administrative tribunal that assesses each case individually to determine if the claimant qualifies as a Convention refugee or a person in need of Canada’s protection.
Find out what happens to these asylum claims, including by country of origin.
Additional resources
Get detailed data
Download detailed monthly reports on asylum claimants on the Open Government Portal.
Immigration and Refugee Board data
Get access to the IRB’s data on asylum claims, including claim data by country of origin.
Asylum claimants processed by year (archived)
Access the archived pages for data posted on our site between 2016 and 2025.
2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan
Each year, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tables the Immigration Levels Plan, a forward-looking snapshot of immigration targets for the next three years.
Student and temporary worker numbers in Canada
Snapshot of international student and temporary foreign worker numbers in Canada, as part of our broader effort to manage migration to Canada sustainably.