Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Canada
Canada: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 2.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Canada, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Canada stood at 2.5%.
The figure is down 37.4% on the previous year and down 54.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Canada peaked at 6.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1972.
Canada ranks 18th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.1% | — |
| 1971 | 0.5% | -56.4% |
| 1972 | 0.1% | -84.6% |
| 1973 | 0.9% | +1152.2% |
| 1974 | 0.8% | -4.7% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | -15.0% |
| 1976 | 0.5% | -32.5% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | +58.8% |
| 1978 | 1.0% | +35.1% |
| 1979 | 1.6% | +51.2% |
| 1980 | 1.5% | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 1.8% | +21.2% |
| 1982 | 0.8% | -58.2% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | +103.7% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | -16.3% |
| 1985 | 1.0% | -20.0% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | -13.6% |
| 1987 | 1.8% | +97.7% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -17.8% |
| 1989 | 1.1% | -21.6% |
| 1990 | 1.0% | -10.3% |
| 1991 | 1.1% | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | -8.8% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | +106.3% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | +42.6% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -25.4% |
| 1997 | 4.1% | +109.4% |
| 1998 | 5.7% | +40.5% |
| 1999 | 2.9% | -48.8% |
| 2000 | 6.3% | +113.2% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -20.4% |
| 2002 | 3.8% | -22.9% |
| 2003 | 2.6% | -31.9% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | +66.9% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | -46.7% |
| 2006 | 3.8% | +64.1% |
| 2007 | 4.4% | +16.2% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | +28.8% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | -51.9% |
| 2010 | 2.2% | -18.2% |
| 2011 | 2.8% | +24.3% |
| 2012 | 3.4% | +21.9% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | -13.4% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | +22.0% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | +49.8% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | -17.9% |
| 2017 | 4.7% | +7.1% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | -23.3% |
| 2019 | 4.4% | +19.7% |
| 2020 | 2.9% | -34.2% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | +80.8% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | -22.0% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | -5.6% |
| 2025 | 2.5% | -37.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.3% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 0.9% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1% | 2.3% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 2.2% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 2.5% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 15 Andorra 2.9% compare
- 16 Macau, China 2.5% compare
- 17 Papua New Guinea 2.5% compare
- 19 Spain 2.4% compare
- 20 Chile 2.4% compare
- 21 Switzerland 2.4% compare
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)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -0.4076 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2674 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 14,895 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -371.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -381.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 36.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 0.0252 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 1,421 current LCU per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Canada?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Canada was 2.5% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 6.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1972.
- How does Canada rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Canada ranks 18th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world, and is divided by GDP.