Maple News reports that Canada now ranks 7th on the Henley Passport Index, ahead of the United States, which sits 10th as of July 21, 2026. The shift reinforces Canada’s position in global mobility and travel convenience.
Canada climbed from 8th to 7th in January 2026, while the U.S. has remained at 10th.
Since the index’s 2006 launch, Canada has consistently appeared in the top 10, peaking at 2nd place in 2014 before stabilizing within a 6th-to-9th band as global competition intensified.
The United States’ ranking has followed a different arc, dipping to 12th in October 2025—the lowest point in the index’s history—before rebounding to 10th in January 2026.
The ranking is based on the number of destinations passport holders can visit visa-free. Henley notes the United States remains one of the few top-ranked passports whose citizens still require a visa to visit China, whereas Canadians gained visa-free entry to China for short stays (up to 30 days) as of February 2026.
According to the updated index, the Canadian passport provides visa-free travel to 183 destinations, compared with 180 for the U.S. In total, 38 countries appear in the top 10 for July 2026, with 29 European nations and the remainder spread across Asia, North America, and Oceania.