Canada recorded over 107,000 asylum claims in 2025, with tens of thousands of applicants seeking protection across multiple countries of origin according to Nairametrics.
This is according to data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, which tracks claims by country of alleged persecution.
The data highlights both rising demand for asylum and a growing backlog of pending cases across the system.
What the data shows
Between January and December 2025, a total of 107,802 cases were referred for processing.
Out of these, 50,067 claims were accepted, while 14,619 were rejected. The data also shows 7,944 abandoned cases and 6,832 withdrawn or administratively closed cases, bringing total finalized cases to 79,462.
Rejection data shows India recorded the highest number of rejected claims at 2,309, followed by Mexico with 1,836, and Nigeria with 1,377. Haiti and Bangladesh also posted significant rejection figures at 1,274 and 867, respectively.
Top 10 countries by the number of accepted asylum seekers (January to December 2025)
- Haiti- 4,511 claims
Haiti recorded the highest number of approved asylum claims in Canada in 2025, with 4,511 applications accepted.
The data shows that 14,192 cases were referred, while a significant backlog remains, with 29,349 claims still awaiting a decision.
- Türkiye- 4,057 claims
Türkiye recorded 4,057 approved asylum claims in Canada in 2025. Data shows 1,337 cases were referred, with 227 rejected, while 4,106 claims remain pending, indicating sustained demand despite a relatively smaller referral base.
- Nigeria- 3,463 claims
A total of 6,765 applications were submitted by Nigeria in 2025, with 3,463 approved asylum claims in Canada.
A further 1,377 applications were rejected, while a significant 21,573 cases remain pending
- Iran- 3,456 claims
Iran recorded 3,456 approved asylum claims in Canada in 2025. A total of 7,114 applications were submitted, with no rejections listed, while 11,448 cases are still pending.
- Mexico- 3,012 claims
Out of 5,385 applications from Mexico in 2025, 3,012 were approved, while 1,836 were rejected, with a significant 24,059 cases still pending in addition to previous years.
- Pakistan- 2,763 claims
Pakistan recorded 2,763 approved asylum claims in 2025 out of 3,650 applications that were submitted. A total of 462 applications were rejected, while 8,727 cases remain pending.
- Colombia-2,264 claims
Colombia recorded 2,264 approved asylum claims in 2025 out of 2,094 applications submitted. A total of 574 applications were rejected, while 8,704 cases remain pending.
- Uganda- 2,089 claims
Uganda recorded 2,089 approved asylum claims in 2025 out of 547 applications submitted. A total of 206 applications were rejected, while 2,665 cases remain pending.
- India-2,040 claims
India recorded 2,040 approved asylum claims in 2025 out of 17,835 applications submitted. A total of 2,309 applications were rejected, while 45,687 cases remain pending.
- China- 1,811 claims
China recorded 1,811 approved asylum claims in 2025 out of 4,489 applications submitted. A total of 141 applications were rejected, while 7,224 cases remain pending.
What you should know
Canada’s asylum trends come amid a broader immigration crackdown, with authorities stepping up enforcement and deportations.
According to data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), 974 Nigerians are currently facing deportation, placing Nigeria among the top five nationalities with the highest number of individuals in Canada’s removal pipeline.
The data shows that most deportations are linked to failed asylum claims, with about 83% of those removed being applicants whose refugee claims were rejected.
Canada is now deporting nearly 400 foreign nationals weekly, the fastest pace in over a decade, with 18,048 people removed in the 2024–2025 fiscal year.