CIMM – Asylum Statistics, Trends and Data – May 04, 2026
Canada's asylum system exists to protect people who are fleeing persecution 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 people who have submitted asylum claims. This increase is driven by multiple factors, including:
- global instability
- armed conflict
- the growing number of people displaced worldwide
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).
An Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) official or a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer first assesses each claim for eligibility to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).
All eligible claims are then determined by the IRB based on the evidence and arguments presented, and in line with Canadian laws. glum 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.
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 claims a day in March 2023 to 13 claims a day.
Heightened scrutiny of temporary resident visa applications
We saw an 80% drop in asylum claims from temporary resident visa (TRV) holders in February 2026 (1,810) compared to February 2024 (8,975). This was the lowest number of claims by TRV holders since April 2023.
64% fewer people submitted an asylum claim between January and February 2026 compared to the same period in 2024
Asylum claimants at official ports of entry
When someone submits an asylum claim at an official port of entry, a CBSA officer will decide if their claim meets the eligibility, requirements to be sent to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
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.
Where people submit claims
This table shows the number of claimants at each type of port of entry.
| Period | Airports | Border | Marine | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January to February 2024 | 8,925 | 3,075 | 5 | 12,005 |
| January to February 2025 | 2,300 | 2,235 | 0 | 4,535 |
| January to February 2026 | 885 | 1,570 | 0 | 2,455 |
Asylum claimants in 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 requirements to be sent to the IRB.
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.
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.
Students and temporary workers
Information on the total population of students and workers in Canada
IRCC's application inventory
Information on how many applications are within or exceeding our service standards, as well as how many we've processed
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