Passport holders from 13 countries will now be able to travel to Canada by air without requiring a temporary resident visa. However, this only applies to travelers from these countries who have held a Canadian visa within the past 10 years or who currently hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa.
It was Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, who announced the news, this Tuesday, June 6 from Winnipeg, in southern Canada, at the border with the United States where he was delivered that same day. Travelers from these countries who have had a Canadian visa within the past 10 years or who currently hold a valid U.S. visa issued for non-immigration purposes may apply for an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) instead of applying for a visa if they are traveling to Canada by air.
Eligible travelers include passport holders from the Philippines, Morocco, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.
Fraser says Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been working to make the pre-travel screening process easier, faster and more affordable. And to clarify that this decision will allow IRCC to process visa applications more efficiently. A similar pilot program was introduced in Brazil in 2017.
Travelers are encouraged to visit Canada.ca/eTA to find out if they are eligible for the eTA and how to apply.
