Earlier this week, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the addition of 13 countries to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program. Passport holders from 13 countries will now be able to travel to Canada by air without requiring a Temporary Residence Visa.
Effective as of June 6, 2023, this applies to travellers from these countries who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a United States non-immigrant visa.
The countries included are as follows:
-
Antigua and Barbuda
-
Argentina
-
Costa Rica
-
Morocco
-
Panama
-
Philippines
-
St. Kitts and Nevis
-
St. Lucia
-
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
-
Seychelles
-
Thailand
-
Trinidad and Tobago
-
Uruguay
TIAO is hopeful that this is a step in Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada being able to process visa applications more efficiently and will help grow Canada’s economy by facilitating more travel and tourism.
Currently, there are more than 50 countries that can enter Canada without a visa, although most require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if they are arriving by air.
United States citizens do not require an eTA or a visa to enter Canada unless they are moving to Canada to work or study.
Nationals of countries that are not exempt from obtaining a visa, must apply for a Temporary Residence Visa (TRV), also known as a visitor visa.
Read more here.