North America Refugee Statistics 1990-2024

Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of asylum is the country where an asylum claim was filed and granted.
  • North America refugee statistics for 2023 was 578,650.00, a 14.88% increase from 2022.
  • North America refugee statistics for 2022 was 503,680.00, a 7.32% increase from 2021.
  • North America refugee statistics for 2021 was 469,304.00, a 4.28% increase from 2020.
  • North America refugee statistics for 2020 was 450,060.00, a 1.49% increase from 2019.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Refugees Granted Asylum
World 37,573,655.00
OECD members 11,900,293.00
Sub-Saharan Africa 7,849,918.00
European Union 7,362,082.00
Euro Area 5,458,655.00
South Asia 3,267,867.00
North America 578,650.00
Latin America & Caribbean 507,916.00
East Asia & Pacific 306,485.00
North America Refugee Statistics - Historical Data
Year Refugees Granted Asylum Annual % Change
2023 578,650.00 14.88%
2022 503,680.00 7.32%
2021 469,304.00 4.28%
2020 450,060.00 1.49%
2019 443,472.00 3.77%
2018 427,343.00 9.04%
2017 391,903.00 5.84%
2016 370,285.00 -9.49%
2015 409,088.00 -1.75%
2014 416,378.00 -1.80%
2013 424,000.00 -0.41%
2012 425,757.00 -0.90%
2011 429,631.00 -0.10%
2010 430,049.00 -3.32%
2009 444,817.00 -1.83%
2008 453,110.00 -0.83%
2007 456,882.00 -54.09%
2006 995,266.00 89.04%
2005 526,494.00 -6.35%
2004 562,190.00 -4.00%
2003 585,624.00 -4.79%
2002 615,108.00 -4.65%
2001 645,078.00 1.56%
2000 635,200.00 -1.43%
1999 644,437.00 -1.36%
1998 653,306.00 -5.18%
1997 688,989.00 -7.57%
1996 745,432.00 -3.86%
1995 775,389.00 -5.16%
1994 817,601.00 1.40%
1993 806,297.00 5.58%
1992 763,661.00 11.52%
1991 684,801.00 10.51%
1990 619,648.00 10.51%