Asylum claimants by year – 2023

The data posted to the IRCC website is considered preliminary and subject to change. Updated data for previous months is published to our website on a monthly basis as it becomes available and according to the monthly data release schedule.

About this data

These numbers reflect asylum claimant numbers for 2024 and are still subject to change.

This data should not be used as an indication of the number of asylum claimants presently residing in a province or territory. The table pulls data on number of asylum claimants who have submitted a valid claim by year and province of claim. The data may include individuals who have claimed asylum and since obtained a referral to the IRB, have become protected persons (as defined by the IRB), or have since become a permanent resident in the year in which their asylum claim was made

Backgrounder: Claiming asylum in Canada – what happens?

Refugee protection claims statistics (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada)

Asylum claimants processed and interceptions

Monthly report - Calendar year 2023

RCMP Interceptions
ProvincesJanFebMarAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptOctNovDecTotal
New Brunswick0000000100001
Quebec4,8754,5174,08769463042535936589013,962
Ontario0000020020004
Manitoba1951593183270577
Saskatchewan0000000003003
Alberta0000000000000
British Columbia10461732630273340252937131616
Total - RCMP4,9944,5814,1731047960839788759522614,663

Numbers are manually verified and subject to change.

The number of “RCMP interceptions” refers to asylum seekers apprehended between the ports of entry and does not reflect other border crossings. These numbers may be included in either CBSA or IRCC processing results as the asylum seekers are turned over by the RCMP to these agencies if a claim of refugee status is made.

Asylum Claimants processed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), January - December 2023

Air Ports of Entry
Provinces/TerritoriesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Newfoundland and Labrador0000--0000000--
Prince Edward Island0000000000000
Nova Scotia0--0005------------20
New Brunswick0000000000--0--
Quebec9309801,0101,4951,7652,6702,5402,2603,4153,3852,7802,51525,755
Ontario4004605207159001,5751,4109151,8402,0001,8751,73014,345
Manitoba000--0000000--5
Saskatchewan0000--0000000--
Alberta102035302040255090955080540
British Columbia2525304065603570859510055685
Yukon0000000000000
Northwest Territories0000000000000
Nunavut0000000000000
Total - Air Ports of Entry1,3701,4901,5952,2852,7504,3504,0103,3005,4355,5754,8104,38541,350
Land Ports of Entry
Provinces/TerritoriesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Newfoundland and Labrador0000000000000
Prince Edward Island0000000000000
Nova Scotia00000000----00--
New Brunswick00----0--010----5--30
Quebec4,9654,5404,3356156155556506951,0158307051,03020,545
Ontario4703655858859455606655456955956107407,670
Manitoba20102510----10----10--10100
Saskatchewan00----0--0--0------10
Alberta102560404520402560554035460
British Columbia135105110606570506565651002151,115
Yukon0000000000000
Northwest Territories0000000000000
Nunavut0000000000000
Total - Land Ports of Entry5,6055,0455,1201,6101,6701,2151,4201,3451,8451,5601,4702,03529,935
Marine Ports of Entry
Provinces/TerritoriesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Newfoundland and Labrador0000000000000
Prince Edward Island0000000000000
Nova Scotia--0------0--00----010
New Brunswick010--0--000--00015
Quebec0000----------00--10
Ontario0000000000000
Manitoba0000000000000
Saskatchewan0000000000000
Alberta0000000000000
British Columbia0000--0000--00--
Yukon0000000000000
Northwest Territories0000000000000
Nunavut0000000000000
Total - Marine Ports of Entry--10----5------5------35
All Ports of Entry (Air, Land and Marine)
Provinces/TerritoriesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Newfoundland and Labrador0000--0000000--
Prince Edward Island0000000000000
Nova Scotia----------5------------30
New Brunswick010--------010----5--45
Quebec5,8955,5205,3502,1102,3803,2303,1952,9554,4354,2103,4853,54546,315
Ontario8758251,1101,6051,8452,1302,0751,4602,5402,5902,4902,47022,015
Manitoba20102510----10----10--10105
Saskatchewan00--------0--0------10
Alberta2045957565606575150150851151,000
British Columbia16013514095130130851351501652052701,800
Yukon0000000000000
Northwest Territories0000000000000
Nunavut0000000000000
Total - Ports of Entry6,9756,5456,7203,8954,4305,5655,4304,6457,2807,1356,2806,41571,320
Inland Offices
Provinces/TerritoriesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Newfoundland and Labrador0000000000000
Prince Edward Island0000000000000
Nova Scotia00000------00--05
New Brunswick000000000--00--
Quebec15705452025101030101515270
Ontario303530354025403035603535430
Manitoba0000------0520202075
Saskatchewan0000000000000
Alberta0000010----00----15
British Columbia251520151010251015201020195
Yukon0000000000000
Northwest Territories0000000000000
Nunavut0000000000000
Total - Inland Offices701205510070758055851059090995
Summary of Asylum Claimants processed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), January - December 2023
CBSA designated ports of entry/inland officesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Air Ports of Entry1,3701,4901,5952,2852,7504,3504,0103,3005,4355,5754,8104,38541,350
Land Ports of Entry5,6055,0455,1201,6101,6701,2151,4201,3451,8451,5601,4702,03529,935
Marine Ports of Entry--10----5------5------35
All Ports of Entry (Air, Land and Marine)6,9756,5456,7203,8954,4305,5655,4304,6457,2807,1356,2806,41571,320
Inland Offices701205510070758055851059090995
Total - CBSA Land, Air and Marine port of entry and Inland Offices7,0456,6656,7753,9954,5005,6405,5154,7007,3657,2456,3706,50572,315

These statistics include asylum claimants intercepted by the RCMP and brought to a CBSA designated port of entry or inland office, and do not include asylum claims made at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada offices. Figures may vary slightly depending on the date when the claim was received.

Please note that all values between 0 and 5 are shown as “--”. This is done to prevent individuals from being identified when data is compiled and compared to other publicly available statistics. All other values are rounded to the closest multiple of 5 for the same reason; as a result of rounding, data may not sum to the totals indicated.

Asylum Claimants processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), January - December 2023
Provinces/TerritoriesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Newfoundland and Labrador----0--55--0--1010545
Prince Edward Island0000------00------15
Nova Scotia--20--5510201015152010130
New Brunswick--------1555--15201515100
Quebec1,0408508908101,2101,1901,6901,9351,9902,4502,2852,31018,665
Ontario2,0601,7451,9101,6252,4552,7953,3954,5104,2405,0955,6055,19040,625
Manitoba10101510204055506010012090580
Saskatchewan10--5--101051520252025155
Alberta1751751501602053504306206057307956405,030
British Columbia3703203402453654554455655956306706955,685
Yukon00000000----00--
Northwest Territories00000000--000--
Nunavut0000--00----000--
Outside Canada00000000--------5
Total - IRCC3,6703,1203,3152,8604,2954,8656,0557,7157,5459,0809,5408,99071,055

Please note that all values between 0 and 5 are shown as “--”. This is done to prevent individuals from being identified when data is compiled and compared to other publicly available statistics. All other values are rounded to the closest multiple of 5 for the same reason; as a result of rounding, data may not sum to the totals indicated.

Total Asylum Claimants processed by the CBSA and IRCC, January - December 2023
Provinces/TerritoriesJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Newfoundland and Labrador----0--55--0--1010545
Prince Edward Island0000------00------15
Nova Scotia--20--51015251515202010165
New Brunswick--10----151051520252515145
Quebec6,9506,4406,2452,9653,6154,4454,8954,9056,4556,6705,7855,87565,250
Ontario2,9652,6053,0453,2654,3404,9555,5106,0006,8157,7458,1307,69563,070
Manitoba351540202545655565130145120760
Saskatchewan10--5--101552020302530170
Alberta1952202452352704204957007558808857556,050
British Columbia5554705003555055955557107558158859857,680
Yukon00000000----00--
Northwest Territories00000000--000--
Nunavut0000--00----000--
Outside Canada00000000--------5
Total - CBSA & IRCC10,7159,78510,0906,8558,79510,51011,56512,41014,91016,32515,91015,495143,365

Please note that all values between 0 and 5 are shown as “--”. This is done to prevent individuals from being identified when data is compiled and compared to other publicly available statistics. All other values are rounded to the closest multiple of 5 for the same reason; as a result of rounding, data may not sum to the totals indicated.

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