The updated Canadian passport was revealed during an event held at Ottawa International Airport on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. The Canadian Press
Canada’s passport is now ranked eighth in the world. It allows Canadians to visit 184 countries without needing a visa. This number is out of a possible 227.
The ranking comes from the latest global passport report. Canada now shares the eighth spot with Estonia and the United Arab Emirates. Just a short while ago, Canada held the seventh place.
Falling Behind Other Nations
This year, Canada dropped one more point. Over the last ten years, it has lost a total of four points. Experts say this drop is part of a bigger trend affecting many countries.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, and Vanuatu also saw fast drops in their passport scores.
The passport index ranks 199 passports using travel data. The report says that countries like the U.S. and U.K., once strong in global travel access, are slowly falling behind.
Shift in Global Power
“Traditional mobility champions are losing ground in an increasingly multi-polar world,” said the report.
Emerging countries are opening up and making visa-free travel easier. Meanwhile, older powers are becoming more closed off with stricter travel rules.
Both the U.K. and U.S. dropped one spot this year. The U.K. is now in sixth place. The U.S. has dropped to 10th and is close to leaving the top 10 list for the first time in 20 years.
Not long ago, both countries had the top passports. The U.K. was number one in 2015. The U.S. held the top spot in 2014.
Asia-Pacific Takes the Lead
Asian countries now lead the list. Singapore, Japan, and South Korea hold the top three positions.
They are followed by 15 European nations. The Asia-Pacific region is helping drive more global travel.
Between January and May 2025, air travel grew 5.8% worldwide. Airlines in Asia-Pacific saw even bigger growth, rising by 9.5%.
What Your Passport Now Means
Experts say a passport is more than just a travel document.
“Your passport is no longer just a travel document — it’s a reflection of your country’s diplomatic influence and international relationships,” said Dr. Juerg Steffen, CEO of the firm behind the index.
He added that with growing global issues and unfairness, having better travel options is becoming very important for people and countries.
