Nepal-Canada Relations

Bilateral Relations

Nepal and Canada established diplomatic relations on 18 January 1965 and have since enjoyed cordial and friendly relations. Nepal opened its Embassy in Ottawa on 1 October 2009. Nepal has also established Honorary Consulates in Montreal and Victoria. The High Commission of Canada in New Delhi is concurrently accredited to Nepal. Canada maintains an Honorary Consulate in Kathmandu.

Exchange of Visits

Bilateral relations have been further strengthened through the exchange of high-level visits.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Hon. Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, paid an official visit to Canada from 17-21 September 2024. This marked the first-ever visit of a Nepali Foreign Minister to Canada. During the visit, she met with her Canadian counterpart, H.E. Mélanie Joly, in Ottawa and participated in the Women Foreign Ministers" Meeting in Toronto. She also held a meeting with the Canada-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship Group and its Chair, Hon. Sonia Sidhu.

Earlier, the Speaker of the Senate of Canada, Mr. George J. Furey, Q.C., paid an official visit to Nepal on 10-11 February 2020, leading a delegation of Canadian Senators. The Prime Ministers of Nepal and Canada met in New York on the sidelines of UN General Assembly in 2019.

Bilateral Consultation Mechanism

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and Canada have institutionalized regular dialogue through the Nepal-Canada Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM), established in 2018. To date, three meetings of the BCM have been held.

Development Cooperation

Canada has been an important development partner of Nepal since 1952, when Nepal joined the Colombo Plan. Official bilateral development assistance began in 1970 through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Canadian cooperation has contributed significantly to the establishment and strengthening of institutions in areas such as civil aviation, cadastral survey, hydropower development, and wastewater management. Canada has also supported Nepal in sectors including rural development, health, education, agriculture, poverty alleviation, and food security. Canada has extended generous humanitarian assistance to Nepal during difficult times, including the 2015 earthquake, the 2017 floods and landslides, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 2013, Canadian development cooperation to Nepal has largely been channelled through multilateral institutions and non-governmental organizations.

Trade

The current volume of bilateral trade between Nepal and Canada remains modest, although there exists significant potential for expansion. As a Least Developed Country (LDC), Nepal enjoys duty-free and quota-free market access to Canada for most of its products; however, this opportunity remains largely underutilized. Nepal"s major exports to Canada include hand-knotted carpets, woolen products, pet food (dog or cat food), felt articles, garments, essential oils, tea, coffee, spices, and ethnic food items popular among the diaspora community. Nepal"s imports from Canada include oilseeds, dried peas, lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, paper, aircraft parts, and machinery. The table below gives an overview of Nepal"s trade with Canada.

Investment

Canada"s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock in Nepal as of mid-July 2024 is as follows:

(Source: Nepal Rashtra Bank)

Tourism

Nepal remains an attractive destination for Canadian outdoor adventure tourists, and there is considerable potential for further growth in this sector. The number of Canadian tourists visiting Nepal has shown a gradual increase in recent years.

Tourist Arrivals from Canada

(Source: Nepal Tourism Board; Department of Immigration)

People-to-People Relations

With the growth of the Nepali diaspora in Canada, people-to-people contacts between the two countries have expanded significantly. Canada hosts a highly educated, skilled, and qualified Nepali diaspora, contributing to diverse fields such as science, technology, education, health, and other professions. The Nepali community serves as a vital cultural bridge, enriching Canada"s multicultural mosaic while promoting Nepali language, literature, art, music, culture, and cuisine. Various Nepali diaspora community organizations, including the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), also play an important role in fostering connections between the peoples of the two countries.

Nepali Students in Canada

Canada has emerged as one of the popular destinations for Nepali students in recent years. In FY 2080/81, approximately 15,982 Nepali students obtained No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Government of Nepal to pursue higher education in Canada, making it the second-largest destination country for Nepali students.

March 2026