The Canadian passport has been ranked among the most powerful in the world, according to a new report.
Henley & Partners has released its October 2021 ranking and the passport from the Great White North was included in the top 10 countries.
Each quarter, the Henley Passport Index presents its ranking of passports according to the number of countries their holders can enter without the bother of applying for a visa in advance. The renowned London-based consultancy, which helps governments develop citizenship-by-investment programs, bases the ranking on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and additional in-house research.
The index also shows many countries "with high-ranking passports have enforced some of the most stringent inbound COVID-19-related travel restrictions, while many countries with lower-ranking passports have relaxed their borders without seeing this openness reciprocated."
Report authors add that the index results "show how proliferating barriers to entry over the past 18 months of the pandemic have resulted in the widest global mobility gap in its 16-year history." While passport holders in the top positions may enter close to 200 countries visa-free, Afghan nationals, who sit at the bottom of the index, have access to a mere 26 countries without requiring a visa in advance.
In those top positions, Japan continues to hold the world's most powerful passport, offering visa-free access to 192 destinations worldwide. Singapore tied Japan this quarter for the top spot, also offering its citizens access to 192 countries.
Germany and South Korea tied for second, with their passports offering access to 190 countries around the world. Four countries tied for the third spot: Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain. The four countries have visa-free access to 189 countries worldwide.
Austria and Denmark shared the fourth spot, with visa-free access to 188 countries globally. France, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Ireland tied for fifth, with visa-free access to 187 destinations.
The sixth spot was shared by Belgium, New Zealand, and Switzerland, with each country having access to 186 countries visa-free. The Czech Republic, Malta, Greece, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States tied for seventh, with visa-free access to 185 countries globally.
Canada tied Australia for the number eight spot with visa-free access to 184 countries.
