Canada introducing visa-free travel to 13 countries
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, was in Winnipeg today to make an announcement about visa-free travel.
Passport holders from 13 countries will now be able to fly to Canada without a Temporary Resident Visa. However, this only applies to citizens of these countries who have held a Canadian visa within the past ten years or who currently possess a valid non-immigrant visa from the United States. Passport holders from the following countries are eligible:
- Philippines
- Morocco
- Panama
- Antigua and Barbuda
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Argentina
- Costa Rica
- Uruguay
- Seychelles
- Thailand
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According to Fraser, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is aiming to make the pre-travel screening process easier, faster, and less expensive. According to him, this move will redirect thousands of visa applications off Canada’s backlog, allowing IRCC to process visa applications more effectively.
In 2017, Brazil launched a similar experimental programme. According to the minister, the programme was effective in increasing Brazilian visitors by 40% and decreasing caseload at IRCC’s Sao Paulo office by 60%, allowing IRCC officials to focus on more difficult applications.
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