Australia vs Canada: Life science patents granted, by filing office
Australia
4,775 patents
in 2023
Canada
5,904 patents
in 2023
Australia rank
6th
Canada rank
5th
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- Australia
- Canada
How they compare
Canada currently reports 5,904 patents against 4,775 patents in Australia, a difference of 1,129 patents.
That makes Canada's figure about 1.2 times Australia's.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Canada ahead.
Australia ranks 6th and Canada ranks 5th of 70 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Australia averaged higher in 4 and Canada in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Australia | Canada | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 790.5 patents | 1,278 patents | 487.4 patents | Canada |
| 1990s | 2,323 patents | 1,221 patents | 1,102 patents | Australia |
| 2000s | 3,274 patents | 2,306 patents | 967.2 patents | Australia |
| 2010s | 5,541 patents | 4,565 patents | 976.2 patents | Australia |
| 2020s | 5,196 patents | 4,778 patents | 417.5 patents | Australia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by filing office, Australia or Canada?
- Canada, at 5,904 patents against 4,775 patents in Australia as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by filing office between Australia and Canada?
- 1,129 patents, with Canada ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and Canada?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Australia and Canada rank globally for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Australia ranks 6th and Canada ranks 5th of 70 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Life science patents granted, by filing office. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Patents granted within the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals by filing office. These patents cover a wide range of innovations, such as medical devices, diagnostic methods, genetic engineering techniques, biotechnological processes and new drugs.