Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Canada
Canada: Foreign direct investment, net inflows was 3.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Canada, 1970–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Canada stood at 3.0%.
The figure is up 7.1% on the previous year and down 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net inflows in Canada peaked at 9.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1982.
That places Canada 76th out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.1% | — |
| 1971 | 2.3% | +10.2% |
| 1972 | 1.9% | -18.5% |
| 1973 | 2.4% | +29.9% |
| 1974 | 2.3% | -4.3% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -16.1% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | -39.1% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | +34.3% |
| 1978 | 1.7% | +7.4% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | +27.6% |
| 1980 | 2.1% | -2.8% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | -89.8% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -86.8% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +4619.9% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | +17.8% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -78.4% |
| 1986 | 0.7% | +108.3% |
| 1987 | 2.0% | +177.6% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -28.8% |
| 1989 | 1.3% | -10.5% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | +11.5% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | -59.3% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | +105.8% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | -38.9% |
| 1994 | 1.6% | +128.0% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | +37.0% |
| 1996 | 1.4% | -38.0% |
| 1997 | 2.3% | +65.8% |
| 1998 | 3.9% | +70.0% |
| 1999 | 4.0% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 9.2% | +126.6% |
| 2001 | 3.8% | -58.1% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | -16.2% |
| 2003 | 0.8% | -75.7% |
| 2004 | 0.1% | -81.9% |
| 2005 | 2.2% | +1439.7% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | +123.8% |
| 2007 | 8.2% | +68.3% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | -44.9% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | -66.2% |
| 2010 | 1.8% | +20.5% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | +16.4% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | +26.3% |
| 2013 | 3.6% | +34.4% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 3.9% | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | -41.9% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -31.3% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | +60.6% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | +13.7% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | -37.3% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | +69.2% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -22.5% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | -13.4% |
| 2024 | 2.8% | +39.0% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | +7.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.0% | 1.2% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 0.6% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.8% | 0.1% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.7% | 1.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 1.8% | 3.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More economy & growth data for Canada
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.8812 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.66 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1752 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 9,759 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 0.7104 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3218 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 17,922 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 2.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.4499 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net inflows in Canada?
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows in Canada was 3.0% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 9.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net inflows recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1982.
- How does Canada rank for foreign direct investment, net inflows?
- Canada ranks 76th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net inflows rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics and Balance of Payments databases, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Foreign direct investment is the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest (10 percent or more of voting stock) in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in the balance of payments. This series shows net inflows (new investment inflows less disinvestment) in the reporting economy from foreign investors, and is divided by GDP.