Canadian Passport Moves Up In The Latest Global Ranking

Canadian passport moves up in the latest global ranking. According to the Henley Global Passport Index, the Canadian passport has moved up from eighth place to seventh place worldwide since the beginning of the year.

This improvement means Canadian passport holders can now travel to 182 destinations without needing to obtain a visa in advance. In many cases, travellers can either enter visa-free or receive a visa on arrival.

Canada continues to hold the strongest passport ranking in North America. The United States passport currently ranks lower, remaining in tenth place globally since the start of the year.

Singapore continues to hold the number one position as the world’s strongest passport, offering the highest level of travel freedom for its citizens.

During 2025, Canada’s passport ranking experienced several changes. It began the year in seventh place but dropped to eighth place by July. By the end of the year, it had fallen slightly further to ninth place.

However, since the start of 2026, the Canadian passport has been steadily improving again. The latest ranking reflects this positive upward movement.

Top 10 Passports In The World

Since the start of 2026, several countries have experienced changes in their passport rankings.

In total, 38 countries appear within the top ten rankings because many countries share the same rank due to having the same number of visa-free destinations.

Most of the strongest passports belong to European countries. In fact, 29 of the passports in the top ten come from Europe.

Asia also plays a strong role in the rankings, contributing four of the strongest passports and five passports overall within the top ten.

North America and Oceania each contribute two passports to the list.

The difference between the first and tenth positions in the ranking remains relatively small. There are only 13 visa-free travel destinations separating the strongest passport from the tenth-ranked passport.

One of the biggest changes in the latest rankings comes from the United Arab Emirates. The UAE passport has moved up significantly and is now tied with Japan and South Korea for the second-strongest passport in the world. At the start of 2026, the UAE was ranked fifth.

Malaysia also saw strong improvement this year. Its passport moved from ninth place to sixth place in the global rankings.

Another noticeable change involves Sweden. Sweden now holds third place alone, whereas earlier rankings showed Sweden sharing the position with Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, and Switzerland. Those countries now appear in fourth place in the updated rankings.

How The Passport Rankings Are Calculated?

The Henley Passport Index measures the strength of passports based on how many destinations their holders can visit without needing a visa before travelling.

The ranking mainly uses travel data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This information is then supported by research conducted by Henley & Partners as well as publicly available sources.

The index currently compares 199 different passports around the world.

These passports are evaluated against 227 travel destinations. Each destination is assessed to determine whether travellers require a visa before arrival, can obtain a visa on arrival, or can travel without any visa requirement.

The rankings are updated every month in order to reflect new visa policies, diplomatic agreements, and travel rules.

Because of these frequent updates and large data sources, the Henley Passport Index is considered one of the most detailed and widely used measures of global travel freedom.

Recent Travel Agreements Strengthen Canada’s Passport

Canada’s improved ranking in the March update was partly supported by new travel access for Canadian citizens.

One of the most important developments was the introduction of visa-free travel to China for Canadian passport holders.

Starting February 17, 2026, Canadian citizens can enter China without a visa for short stays of up to 30 days.

This visa-free access applies to several types of visits, including tourism, business travel, personal visits, exchange trips, and transit.

Before this change, Canadians usually needed to apply for a visa before travelling to China. This process often required documentation and could take time for approval.

The new visa-free policy has increased the number of destinations that Canadians can access without a prior visa.

Previously, Canadian passport holders had access to 181 destinations without a visa. The number has now increased to 182 destinations, helping Canada move up to seventh place in the rankings.

Steps To Obtain A Canadian Passport

For most foreign nationals, obtaining a Canadian passport requires completing several steps related to immigration and citizenship.

The process generally includes the following stages:

• Becoming a permanent resident of Canada
• Meeting the physical presence requirement for citizenship, which requires living in Canada for at least 1,095 days within the previous five years
• Applying for Canadian citizenship and completing the citizenship test along with the citizenship oath ceremony
• Receiving a Canadian citizenship certificate as proof of citizenship
• Using the citizenship certificate to apply for a Canadian passport

In some cases, individuals may qualify for Canadian citizenship through family connections.

Foreign nationals with Canadian parents or grandparents may be eligible to apply for citizenship by descent instead of going through the standard immigration process.

Recent legislative changes have also expanded eligibility in certain cases. The passing of Bill C-3 has widened the rules related to citizenship by descent, allowing more individuals with Canadian family connections to apply for proof of citizenship.

CWRVisa, a Canadian immigration leader, promises excellence and tailored pathways for your Canadian journey. Get in touch with us at CWRVisa.ca.