Canadian passport jumps in rankings among most powerful in the world
Canada has inched higher in the latest passport rankings, highlighting how widely the passport is accepted worldwide.
Canada remains one of the most powerful passports in the world, according to the Henley Passport Index.
“With historical data spanning 20 years, the Henley Passport Index is the only one of its kind based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA),” states the Henley & Partners website.
The Henley Passport Index looks at how many destinations passport holders can travel to visa-free. The index compares 199 passports and 227 destinations.
“Updated monthly, the Henley Passport Index is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum,” reads the site.
So, where does the Canadian passport rank this month?
Canada.ca
According to the latest ranking, Canada has jumped up one spot and is now among the seventh most powerful passports in the world, a position it shares with six other countries: Australia, Czechia, Latvia, New Zealand, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Canadians also now have visa-free access to 182 countries, up from 181 in January, when it ranked number eight alongside Iceland and Lithuania.
The bump in rankings is no doubt due to the recent government announcement that Canadians can now travel to China visa-free until Dec. 31.
Canadians also have visa-free access to countries such as Australia, El Salvador, Iceland, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many more.
The American passport remains in 10th place, with visa-free access to 179 countries.
In comparison, Southeast Asian countries continue to dominate the top spots.
Canada.ca
Singapore is the only country in the number one spot, with citizens enjoying visa-free travel to 192 countries. The second spot is shared by Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Sweden is the third most powerful passport in the world.
Currently, Canadians require a visa or an e-visa to travel to the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Yemen.
According to the Henley Passport Index, at its lowest, the Canadian passport ranked ninth in 2010, 2011, and 2020; however, its highest ranking came in 2014, when it reached second place.
And Canadians applying for a passport might want to do so soon, as fees are set to go up starting March 31.
Visit the Henley Passport Index for the full list of countries that Canadians can travel to without a visa.
With files from Isabelle Docto