FILIPINOS planning to visit Canada for either business or leisure can now breathe a sigh of relief after the recent addition of the Philippines to Canada’s electronic travel authorization (eTA) program.
In an announcement posted on Canada’s government website, Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, bared the addition of 13 countries, including the Philippines, to the electronic travel authorization (eTA) program.
The announcement said that “travellers from these 13 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.”
These are 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
Introducing visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of travelers to visit Canada for up to six months for either business or leisure. It will also help grow Canada’s economy by facilitating more travel, tourism and international business, and by strengthening Canada’s relationships with these countries while keeping Canadians safe.
This decision will also divert thousands of applications from Canada’s visa caseload, allowing us to process visa applications more efficiently, which will benefit all visa applicants, the same announcement said.
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. Travellers can visit Canada.ca/eTA to find out whether they’re eligible for an eTA and how to apply for one.
“This exciting development means that more individuals from around the world can now embark on unforgettable adventures, explore our diverse landscapes, reunite with family and friends, and immerse themselves in our vibrant culture without the hurdle of visa requirements. This expansion not only enhances convenience for travellers, it will also increase travel, tourism and economic benefits, as well as strengthen global bonds with these 13 countries,” said Fraser.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly added that the addition of countries like the Philippines in an important part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.
“Canada is a destination of choice for so many around the world. We’re making it easier for more people to visit Canada, whether they’re coming to do business, sightsee or reunite with family and friends. Expanding the eTA program to include countries like the Philippines is also an important part of our Indo-Pacific Strategy, as we look to further engage in the region, build on people-to-people ties and make travel to Canada easier, faster and safer for everyone,” Joly said.
QUICK FACTS
- The eTA is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need in order to travel to or transit through Canada by air.
- The eTA application is used by Canadian officials to conduct light-touch, pre-travel screening of air travellers. It costs CAN$7 to apply, and most applications are automatically approved within minutes.
- To apply for an eTA, travellers need only a valid passport, a credit card, an email address and access to the Internet.
- Almost 20.9 million eTAs have been issued since the eTA program was introduced on August 1, 2015.
- IRCC first expanded its eTA program in April 2017 to include eligible Brazilians, Bulgarians and Romanians. Canada lifted the visa requirement for all citizens of Bulgaria and Romania later that year. Today, eligible Brazilian nationals continue to enjoy visa-free air travel to Canada.
- Within the next year, Canada expects to receive 200,000 (or 20%) more visitors from these 13 countries. Within a decade, increased travel from these countries is expected to bring almost $160 million in additional tourism revenue.
