Canada Welcomes 5.5M International Arrivals in June 2026

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If you track travel trends between Canada and the rest of the world, the June 2026 numbers from Statistics Canada paint a detailed picture. Total international arrivals are climbing, driven by road trips from the US, a global sporting event, and recovering overseas travel. But underneath the headline growth, some patterns tell a more complicated story, especially when you compare today's numbers to where things stood two years ago.

Statistics Canada released these preliminary figures on July 13, 2026. The data covers international arrivals by air and automobile only. It does not include rail or marine travel. Complete counts covering all modes will be published on August 20, 2026, in the full "Travel between Canada and other countries" report. For now, these leading indicators give the clearest early read on how Canada's borders moved in June.

This guide breaks down every key figure from the release: who came, how they got here, where they came from, and what drove the biggest spikes. If you are a researcher, a newcomer curious about travel trends, or simply someone who follows Canadian border data, here is what the numbers actually say.

The June 2026 Headline: 5.5 Million Arrivals

The preliminary count of international arrivals to Canada in June 2026 reached 5.5 million. That figure combines three groups: Canadian residents returning from abroad, US residents visiting Canada, and overseas residents arriving in Canada. Compared to June 2025, that total is up 3.6%.

To put that in context, the June number reflects a summer peak. Travel to Canada typically picks up in June as weather improves and tourism season begins. The 3.6% year-over-year gain suggests that 2026 is continuing a gradual recovery in cross-border movement, though the pace differs significantly depending on which group you look at.

The data comes from two main sources. Air arrivals are counted using Primary Inspection Kiosk (PIK) data from the Canada Border Services Agency. In 2025, PIKs captured 86.2% of all commercial air arrivals. Automobile arrivals are counted through land ports using the CBSA's automated Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) system, which captured 87.9% of all automobile entries in 2025. These are strong coverage rates, meaning the preliminary figures are a reliable early signal even before complete counts arrive in August.

The busiest single day for Canadian residents returning from abroad was Sunday, June 28, which recorded 138,500 return trips. For US residents arriving in Canada, the peak day was Friday, June 19, with 119,600 arrivals. That date is a federal holiday in the United States, which explains the spike. For overseas residents, the single busiest day was Friday, June 26, with 27,700 arrivals.

Canadian Residents Returning from Abroad

Canadian residents made 2.6 million return trips from abroad in June 2026, up 2.0% from June 2025. That total covers both trips from the United States and trips from overseas countries.

Trips from the US accounted for 1.7 million of those returns. That is a 3.2% increase from June 2025, and it marks the third consecutive month of year-over-year growth for this category. The growth was driven almost entirely by automobile travel. Return trips by car from the US rose 5.2% in June 2026. Air was the opposite story: return trips from the US by air dropped 3.8% compared to June 2025.

The pattern suggests Canadian travellers are still driving across the border more willingly than they are flying. That may reflect cost differences between road and air travel, or it may reflect the longer-term shift in travel behaviour that took hold during the political tensions between Canada and the US starting in early 2025. People who are hesitant about cross-border air travel may still make shorter road trips across the border.

Canadian-resident return trips from overseas countries totalled 873,200 in June 2026. That is a slight decrease of 0.4% from June 2025. The figure is small enough to be within normal monthly variation, but it does mean overseas leisure and business travel by Canadians has not grown meaningfully year over year. That is worth watching in coming months.

US Residents Visiting Canada: Five Straight Months of Growth

US-resident trips to Canada totalled 2.2 million in June 2026, up 5.1% from June 2025. This was the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year growth, making it the strongest consistent trend in the entire report.

Of those 2.2 million trips, 1.5 million were by automobile, which grew 7.6% year over year. Air travel by US residents was essentially flat: 663,900 trips, down just 0.3% from June 2025. So the growth in US visitor numbers is almost entirely road-driven. Americans are choosing to drive to Canada in greater numbers, while the number flying has barely moved.

The peak arrival day for US residents was Friday, June 19, with 119,600 arrivals. That day is the Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday in the United States. A long weekend for Americans naturally produces a spike in cross-border road travel, and the data reflects exactly that.

Five consecutive months of year-over-year increases for US arrivals is a meaningful signal. Even with broader geopolitical friction between the two countries, Americans are still crossing into Canada by road in growing numbers. Whether that trend continues into July and August will become clearer when the July leading indicator is released on August 11, 2026. You can explore current and historical travel data through Statistics Canada's travel and tourism statistics portal.

Overseas Visitors and the FIFA World Cup Effect

Overseas-resident trips to Canada rose 5.1% in June 2026 compared to June 2025. Most of those arrivals came by air: 620,800 overseas residents flew to Canada, up 5.8% year over year. Automobile arrivals from overseas were smaller at 53,500, and actually fell 2.0% from June 2025.

The biggest single driver of overseas arrivals in June was the FIFA World Cup. Canada is hosting matches in Vancouver and Toronto, with 13 games scheduled between June 11 and July 19, 2026. In June, teams from 15 overseas countries played in those cities. Total air arrivals from those 15 countries jumped 32.5%, or an additional 29,500 arrivals, compared to June 2025. That is a substantial lift that would not have appeared in any normal June.

The data shows clearly how specific matches drove country-level spikes. Air arrivals from Australia peaked on Friday, June 12, ahead of Australia's match in Vancouver. Arrivals from Panama peaked on Tuesday, June 16, the day before Panama's match in Toronto. German arrivals peaked on Friday, June 19, the day before Germany played in Toronto on June 20. These are not coincidences. They are direct evidence of World Cup fans flying in for specific match days, then likely departing shortly after.

For cities like Vancouver and Toronto, the World Cup represents a concentrated tourism boost that is visible right in the border arrival data. The effect will likely continue into July data as well, given that matches ran through July 19.

The overseas numbers also matter for businesses, tourism operators, and anyone tracking demand for services in Canada's major cities. A 5.8% rise in air arrivals from overseas is not just a travel statistic. It reflects more people using airports, hotels, transit, restaurants, and local services throughout June.

The Canada-US Travel Gap: Year-Over-Year vs. Two Years Ago

One of the most important findings in this release is hidden inside the Canada-US travel section. On the surface, Canadian-resident return trips from the US rose 3.2% in June 2026 compared to June 2025. That sounds like recovery. But Statistics Canada adds a critical caveat: when you compare June 2026 to June 2024, the picture looks very different.

Compared to June 2024, Canadian-resident return trips from the US fell 28.7%. Automobile trips dropped 29.6%. Air trips dropped 25.0%. Those are significant declines. The reason the year-over-year comparison with June 2025 looks positive is a base-year effect. June 2025 was already a depressed baseline because of the Canada-US political tensions that began in early 2025. So the 3.2% gain is measured against a low starting point, not against normal pre-tension levels.

This distinction is worth understanding clearly. Travel between Canada and the US has not returned to where it was before the political friction. Canadian residents are crossing the border far less often than they did two years ago. The three consecutive months of year-over-year gains are real, but they reflect recovery from a low base, not a return to 2024 norms.

Meanwhile, US-resident arrivals to Canada actually grew 5.1% in June 2026 from June 2025. That is a stronger performance than the Canadian return trip numbers and suggests the asymmetry in cross-border travel behaviour may be continuing. Americans are visiting Canada at increasing rates, while Canadians are still well below their 2024 travel pace when it comes to trips to the US. For the latest data and official tourism statistics, visit the Government of Canada's official resources.

June 2026 Arrivals at a Glance

Automobile travel is clearly the mode driving growth on both sides of the border. Whether for Canadians returning from US road trips or Americans driving north to Canada, cars dominate the growth story in June 2026. Air travel, by contrast, is mostly flat or slightly negative across several categories. That split may narrow as summer tourism peaks in July and August.

The next release of this leading indicator, covering July 2026 arrivals, is scheduled for August 11, 2026. The full detailed report with complete travel counts across all modes will follow on August 20. You can access official Government of Canada data portals for the latest published figures as they become available.

FAQ: Canada International Arrivals, June 2026

Where does Statistics Canada get this data?
Air arrivals come from Primary Inspection Kiosk data collected by the Canada Border Services Agency. In 2025, PIKs captured 86.2% of all commercial air arrivals. Automobile arrivals come from CBSA's automated IPIL system at land ports, which captured 87.9% of all automobile entries in 2025.

Why are Canadian return trips from the US still below 2024 levels if they grew year over year?
The year-over-year growth of 3.2% compares June 2026 to June 2025, which was already a depressed month because of Canada-US political tensions that began in early 2025. Compared to June 2024, Canadian return trips from the US are actually down 28.7%. Automobile trips are down 29.6% and air trips are down 25.0% from that two-year-ago baseline.

How much did the FIFA World Cup affect arrivals?
Teams from 15 overseas countries played in Vancouver or Toronto in June 2026. Air arrivals from those 15 countries combined were up 32.5% compared to June 2025, adding approximately 29,500 additional arrivals. Country-specific peaks aligned directly with match days, including spikes from Australia, Panama, and Germany on their respective travel days.

When will final June 2026 travel numbers be published?
Complete counts for June 2026 will be published on August 20, 2026, in the full "Travel between Canada and other countries" report. The leading indicator for July 2026 comes out on August 11, 2026.

Are US residents visiting Canada more or less than before?
US-resident trips to Canada grew 5.1% in June 2026 compared to June 2025, marking the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year growth. Automobile trips by US residents rose 7.6%, while air trips dropped 0.3%. The trend suggests Americans are crossing the border by car in growing numbers even as cross-border air travel stays flat.

Sources: Government of Canada (canada.ca), Statistics Canada, Canada Border Services Agency. Last verified: July 23, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Consult official Statistics Canada publications or a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.

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