Among the world's most powerful passports, here's where Canada ranks

Jan 10 2023, 5:00 pm

Assuming you can actually get your Canadian passport with all the mail-in backlog, the blue and gold travel document certainly gets you places — 185 destinations to be precise.

Henley Passport Index, a London-based investment migration consulting company, ranks 199 passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The company uses data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

According to the latest Henley Global Mobility Report, the Canadian passport is the eighth most powerful passport in the world for the third year, with Canadians able to travel visa-free to 185 destinations. In comparison, the US passport is in seventh place, with Americans able to travel visa-free to 186 locations.

Henley Passport Index/henleyglobal.com

The Japanese passport remains in the top spot for the sixth consecutive year, granting citizens visa-free access to 193 destinations. By contrast, Afghanistan “remains firmly at the bottom of the Henley Passport Index” with a score of just 27. With 166 few visa-free access compared to Japan, the report notes that it’s “the widest global mobility gap in the index’s 18-year history.”

South Korea and Singapore share second place, each with visa-free access to 192 visa-free destinations. Although Asian countries dominate the top spots, the most impressive “passport strength” growth comes from the Middle East. The UAE passport, which was in the 64th spot in 2013 has risen swiftly up the ranks. Along with Liechtenstein, it’s now the 15th most powerful passport with Emiratis able to travel visa-free to 178 destinations.

Henley Passport Index/henleyglobal.com

Only 6% of the passports from around the world give their holders visa-free access to over 70% of the destinations around the world.

“For global citizens, a better measure of economic mobility and fiscal opportunity afforded by their passports is to look at the percentage share of global GDP accessible to them visa-free,” said Chairman of Henley & Partners Dr. Christian H. Kaelin. “Our latest research into how much global economic access each passport provides is a useful tool for investors and gives new insight into the ever-widening inequality and wealth disparity that defines our world.”

Check here to compare how different passports rank.

Irish Mae SilvestreIrish Mae Silvestre

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