Visa policy of Canada

In December 2013, the Canadian government announced intention to introduce a system named Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), similar to the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), as part of an action plan to establish a common approach to screening visa-exempt foreign nationals.[87] The Privacy Commissioner of Canada expressed concern over the plan.[88] Travellers were able to apply as early as August 1, 2015 and the scheme went into full effect on 10 November 2016.

Visitors can apply through the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and are required to pay a cost recovery fee of CA$7.[89] Visitors have to provide biographic details, passport and background information which includes additional citizenship, available funds, employment information and contact details. Applicants also have to answer questions about their health, immigration history and on any convictions they may have. Unlike a visa application, there are fewer questions in general and no question on their detailed travel plan.[90] Following a risk assessment of the applicant, an eTA valid for multiple entries to Canada over a period of up to five years or until the passport's expiration date, whichever is shorter, should be issued.

An eTA is mandatory for all visa-exempt nationals (except for U.S. citizens and nationals) and U.S. permanent residents who are not otherwise visa-exempt when arriving by air regardless of purpose of entry or whether they have a valid study or work permit. Holders of a lawful permanent resident (LPR) card of the U.S. who do not have a passport can apply for an eTA with a valid U.S. refugee travel document (I-571).[91] However, an eTA is not necessary for overland entry via one of the land border crossings with the U.S. or entry by sea.[92] Following arrival at a port of entry, admission into Canada is given at the discretion of the Canada Border Services Agency.

Citizens of Brazil who hold a valid non-immigrant U.S. visa or who have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years can apply for eTA when arriving by air.[93] They may not enter Canada by land or sea unless holding a valid visa. Brazilian citizens who do not meet this criteria also must hold a valid Canadian visa.

Most people using a UN refugee travel document to travel to Canada need a visitor visa.[94]

The following persons are exempted from obtaining an eTA:[8]

• holders of a valid Canadian refugee travel document are exempt from both the visa and eTA requirements.[95]
• French citizens who reside in Saint Pierre and Miquelon and enter Canada directly from the territory;
• holders of Canadian visas;
• visitors, students or workers with a valid study, work or temporary resident permit who only visit the United States or St. Pierre and Miquelon, provided that they return to Canada before their period of authorized stay expires;
• Foreign nationals who transit through a Canadian airport under the Transit Without Visa or China Transit Program.
• crew members;
• visiting armed force members from a designated state;
• holders of diplomatic acceptances;
• members of the Canadian royal family;
• persons who are conducting inspections of flight operation procedures or cabin safety of a commercial air carrier operating international flights and holding valid documentations.

In addition, persons on a flight that originates from or travels to the United States and stops in Canada for refuelling do not need an eTA, nor do those on a flight that has made an emergency landing in Canada.

The following persons do not require an eTA to enter Canada by air, and are in fact barred from applying for the eTA:

• Permanent residents of Canada (including those who have not formally renounced their permanent residency).[96]
• U.S. citizens and nationals;

A Canadian citizen who also has citizenship or nationality of a visa-exempt country (except United States) and does not have a valid Canadian passport are barred from applying for an eTA and are required to enter Canada with a Canadian passport when arriving in Canada by air. However, those who have a flight to Canada in 10 days and meet the requirements can apply for a one-time special authorization online, which is valid for a maximum of 4 days from the applicants' travel starting date and a single entry to Canada. To be eligible, the person must meet one of the following requirements:[97]

• have previously held a Canadian passport;
• have received a certificate of Canadian citizenship; or,
• have been granted Canadian citizenship after becoming a permanent resident (i.e., a naturalized citizen).

The special authorization does not apply to Canadian citizens who do not meet the requirements, or those who are entering Canada by land or sea. As U.S. passport holders are not required to apply for an eTA under any circumstances, this measure also does not apply to them, and they can continue to travel to Canada with their U.S. passports by air even if they do not have a Canadian passport.[97]

Permanent residents of Canada from visa-exempt countries are also barred from applying for an eTA and must travel with their valid PR card or a one-time permanent resident travel document (PRTD) when travelling to Canada by air unless holding a U.S. passport.[98] Those without valid PR cards or PRTDs are not allowed to board a flight to Canada and, if they no longer wish to maintain their permanent resident status, must renounce it first in order to be eligible for an eTA.[96] Alternatively, they may enter Canada by land or sea.

Canadian citizens, travelling without Canadian or US passport, and permanent residents regularly have issues checking in for flights to Canada on-line as the airline systems can't find the eTA confirmation. These travellers are thus forced to check in at the airport. In some cases travellers are denied boarding due to incorrect implementation of the eTA exemptions by airlines.[99][100]

1. ^ – including British citizens holding Guernsey passport, Manx passport or Jersey passport; British Overseas Territories citizens holding Anguillan passport, Bermudian passport, British Virgin Islands passport, Caymanian passport, Gibraltar passport, Montserratian passport, Pitcairn Islands passport, Saint Helena passport or Turks and Caicos Islands passport; British National (Overseas) holding British National (Overseas) passport; and if stating the holder's right of abode in the UK — British Overseas citizens holding British Overseas citizen passport and British subjects holding British subject passport. Visa-free travel is not applicable to British Overseas citizens and British subjects with indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom; British protected persons; and British subjects and British Overseas citizens who are subject to immigration control in the United Kingdom.[101]
2. ^ – for Romanian citizens, visa free travel is only applicable to holders of biometric passports.[102]
3. ^ – visa free travel for holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports only.
4. ^ – visa free travel for holders of national Israeli passports only.
5. ^ – visa free travel only for holders of the ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes their national identification number.
6. ^ – Including persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their valid U.S. permanent resident card (Green card) or a valid alien documentation identification and telecommunication (ADIT) stamp. U.S. nationals can enter with any proof of citizenship or nationality. U.S permanent residents, however, are required to have an eTA with proof of permanent residence and a valid passport, U.S. re-entry permit or U.S. refugee travel document.[103]

Nationals of visa-exempt countries and U.S. permanent residents are eligible to transit through Canada without a visa regardless of final destination and modes of transport, however all visa-exempt travellers except Americans are required to have an eTA for transit if arriving by air.[2]

Brazilian citizens may transit through Canada without a visa only when holding a valid eTA and arriving by air if they meet the requirements for an eTA.[93]

The Transit Without Visa Program (TWOV) and the China Transit Program (CTP) allow certain non-visa-exempt nationals to transit through Canada on their way to and from the United States without a Canadian transit visa and without applying to obtain the eTA. To be eligible, they must fulfill the following criteria:[1][106]

• hold a U.S. visa,
• travel on an approved airline (Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Westjet, Xiamen Airlines as well as Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz Air and Sky Regional Airlines only; codeshare flights operated by an airline not on the list are not eligible),
• transit through a participating Canadian international airport:
  • Vancouver International Airport
  • Calgary International Airport
  • Terminal 1 of Toronto Pearson International Airport
  • Montreal-Trudeau International Airport: for CTP participants only; when travelling to the U.S. from one of the permitted airports on any Air Canada, Air Canada Express and Air Canada Rouge flight via Montreal, or traveling from the U.S. on any Air Canada, Air Canada Express and Air Canada Rouge flight to Montreal and leaving Montreal on a nonstop Air Canada flight to either Tokyo-Narita or Shanghai-Pudong,[1]
• clear U.S. immigration and customs at the airport during CBP's preclearance operating hours on the same calendar day, if arriving from outside the U.S. There are no time limitations for passengers arriving from the U.S. as long as they leave Canada on the same calendar day.

In addition, passengers must remain in the sterile international transit area when arriving from the U.S., or the post-preclearance area when arriving from a third country and have cleared U.S. immigration and customs. Leaving the designated area is not permitted.

When travelling to the U.S., the passenger must hold a valid, unexpired U.S. visa in order to clear U.S. immigration and customs. However, an expired U.S. visa is acceptable for transit when travelling from the U.S. to a third country if the passenger has not overstayed the authorized period in the U.S. and is not under a removal or deportation order.

Nationals of the following countries are eligible for TWOV:[107]

•  Indonesia
•  Philippines
•  Taiwan (only for those whose passport does not contain a personal identification number)
•  Thailand

For CTP, the travellers must hold the Chinese passport and leave from one of the following airports as last points of embarkation when travelling to the U.S.: Beijing-Capital, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Harbin, Shanghai-Pudong, Shanghai-Hongqiao, Shenyang and Xiamen in Mainland China, as well as Hong Kong, Manila, Seoul-Incheon, Taipei-Taoyuan, Nagoya-Chubu, Osaka-Kansai, Tokyo-Haneda, and Tokyo-Narita outside Mainland China. There are no point of embarkation or disembarkation restrictions when the passenger is travelling from the U.S. to a third country unless transiting through Montreal-Trudeau.[108][1]

Under Canadian government definitions, a temporary resident, as opposed to a permanent resident, is "a foreign national who is legally authorized to enter Canada for temporary purposes".[109] Temporary residents are subjected to a number of conditions, such as the length of stay, and the ability to work or study while in Canada.

There are four types of temporary residents:

• Visitors,
• Students,
• Temporary foreign workers (TFWs),
• Temporary resident permit (TRP) holders.

Except for visitors who may enter Canada with proof of citizenship, an eTA or a temporary resident visa depending on their nationality, all other temporary residents must hold valid permits while in Canada, which must be applied before arrival, on arrival or after arrival. They may also need an eTA or a temporary resident visa in order to re-enter Canada.[110]

Persons with temporary resident status in Canada can apply to extend their stay by filling an application at least 30 days before their authorized periods of stay expire.[111][112][85]

Holders of passports issued by Greenland and the United States, permanent residents of the United States, and French citizens residing in St. Pierre and Miquelon are eligible to apply for a study permit on arrival if holding sufficient documentations.[113]

Nationals of Mexico and the United States whose professions are covered under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) are able to apply for a work permit on arrival.[114]

Canada's working holiday scheme, International Experience Canada (IEC), provides non-Canadian citizens the opportunity to work in Canada as TFWs on an IEC work permit.[115] IEC is divided into three tiers:[116]

• Working Holiday,
• Young Professionals,
• International Co-op Internship.

Depending on the agreements with the respective countries, non-Canadian citizens may be eligible to participate in all three tiers, or one or two tiers out of the three. To be eligible, they have to be a citizen of the following countries within the age limit:

Nationals other than those countries can still participate through a Recognized Organization.[117]

Citizens of the majority of countries need a temporary resident visa to enter Canada. They need to apply either online, or on paper at one of the Visa Application Centres (VACs).[118][119]

Canada has introduced a program known as CAN+ for visitors of some countries who have been to Canada in the last 10 years or who possess a valid U.S. visa. When applying through CAN+, the applicant only needs to submit his or her proof of travel to U.S. or Canada and can submit fewer proof of financial support. The program is only available at certain visa offices or for nationals of certain countries.[120][121][122][123][124][125]

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents can apply for the parent and grandparent super visa which allows them to stay for up to two years in Canada without renewing their status. Citizens of a visa-exempt country and U.S. permanent residents may also apply and receive the same benefit, but will not be given a visa label in their passport. Instead, they must also apply for an eTA after their application is approved in order to travel to Canada.[126]

Canada expanded its biometrics (fingerprint and photograph) requirements in 2018 and 2019. Applicants for a visitor visa, a study permit, a work permit or permanent residence after the relevant dates must submit their biometrics at one of the VACs if outside Canada the United States, at one of the Application Support Centers (ASCs) manned by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) if in the United States, or at a designated Service Canada location if in Canada. For persons who are either eligible to receive a work permit or a study permit on arrival or seeking asylum, biometrics will be collected at a port of entry.[127]

Biometrics collection expansion was done in three stages:

• Since 31 July 2018, applicants with citizenship in European, Middle Eastern and African countries must provide biometrics.
• On 31 December 2018, the requirement was expanded to citizens of Asian, Oceanian, North American and South American countries except for persons already in Canada.
• On 3 December 2019, the requirement was expanded to foreign nationals located within Canada, thus completing the expansion.[128]

Biometrics are collected once every 10 years and will be shared with governments of other Five Eyes countries. Applicants must pay a fee as a part of their application.[129]

Canadian citizens and persons who have been granted permanent residency (unless they have formally lost their permanent residence) are exempt from biometrics collection. The following categories of persons are also exempt:[129]

• U.S. citizens and nationals (not exempt if applying for permanent residence);
• Citizens of visa-exempt countries and U.S. lawful permanent residents visiting Canada temporarily and holding a valid eTA;
• Persons under 14 or over 79 years of age (not exempt for asylum applicants over 79);
• Diplomats, cabinet ministers and heads of state;
• Eligible persons transiting through Canada under the TWOV or CTP and holding a U.S. visa.

The following persons are no longer required to have their biometrics recollected, providing that their biometrics have already been submitted as a part of their application:[129]

• Asylum seekers applying for a work or study permit;
• Permanent residence applicants applying for any form of temporary residence while their permanent residence application is in process.

Countries whose citizens had to undergo a mandatory biometrics collection for a Canadian visa prior to the worldwide implementation date.

Before 31 July 2018, applicants from the following 30 countries had to continue to provide biometrics as a part of a pilot requirement from 2013. Those who applied for a visa before 31 July 2018 had to provide their biometrics every time they submit an application. However, those who submitted an application after the date will no longer need to give biometrics if they have given them in the past, and their biometrics would be valid for 10 years from the most recent time they gave them.[129]