The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced on Tuesday that travellers from the following countries who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air:
- 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
This decision will divert thousands of applications from Canada’s visa caseload, allowing IRCC to process visa applications more efficiently, which will benefit all visa applicants.
Individuals who already have a valid visa can continue to use it to travel to Canada. Those who are not eligible for an eTA, or who are travelling to Canada by means other than air (for example, by car, bus, train and boat—including by cruise ship), will still need a visitor visa.
Click here to read the official news release from the Government of Canada >
