Canada's Passport Was Named Among The Most Powerful In The World & It's Getting Stronger

A ranking of the most powerful passports in the world for 2022 has been updated and Canada's passport actually fared pretty well.

The Passport Index, an online tool that ranks the world's best passports in real-time, has just published its latest update, where it notes that "global mobility is rapidly rising."

According to the report, Canada ranks in the fifth position globally, which it shares with four other countries — Singapore, Malta, Slovakia and Lithuania.

Each country's ranking is given by considering their mobility score, that is, the number of countries that allow passport holders to arrive visa-free or visa-on-arrival.

So, the higher the country's mobility score, the more "global mobility" passport holders have — and the easier it is for them to travel.

And, according to the latest ranking, Canada's passport has a mobility score of 171.

This means Canadians can enter 110 countries without needing a visa at all, and can get an on-arrival visa for a further 54 countries.

This includes some bucket list-worthy spots like Austria, Barbados, Costa Rica, Mauritius, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, the U.K., the U.S., and more.

In seven countries, including Sri Lanka, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand, electronic travel authorization is required for those travelling with a Canadian passport, which is still pretty impressive.

In fact, Canadians only need to apply for visas to visit 27 countries worldwide, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Bhutan, India, China, Congo, Ghana, Iran and Libya, among others.

According to the report, Canada's mobility score went up this year too. It reached a peak of 169 in 2019 before plunging to 77 during the pandemic and rising back up to 148 in 2021.

This means, in 2022, Canadian passport holders have access to 23 more countries than they did last year. So, if you've been looking for a sign to book your next faraway vacation, this might just be it.

And, if you're wondering which country nabbed the top spot on the Global Passport Power Rank for 2022, that credit went to the United Arab Emirates.

Those holding a passport from the UAE can get into 122 countries visa-free, with a further 59 countries requiring visas on arrival.

Eleven countries are tied in the second spot on the ranking with a mobility score of 174. Among those in second are Germany, Sweden, Spain, Italy and South Korea.

The United States ranks in the third position, and is tied with eight other countries.

Along with the strongest, the report also ranks the weakest passports globally, too. In 2022, it is Somalia (with a mobility score of 45), Pakistan (44), Iraq (41), Syria (40) and Afghanistan (39) which round out the bottom of the list.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.