Canada to enables visa-free travel for 13 countries. Today, Sean Fraser, Minister of IRCC, made an announcement in Winnipeg concerning visa-free travel.
Travelers with passports from 13 nations will no longer need a visa for temporary residence in Canada. As well as, guests from these countries must hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa or have recently held a Canadian visa.
You can apply if you have a passport from one of the following countries:
- Thailand
- Philippines
- Seychelles
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Argentina
- Morocco
- St Kitts and Nevis
- Uruguay
- Costa Rica
- St Lucia
- Antigua and Barbuda
- St Vincent and Grenadines
- Panama
The pretravel screening procedure is being simplified, expedited, and lowered in cost by IRCC. As a result of IRCC’s decision, thousands of visa applications will be diverted from Canada’s docket, allowing them to process visa applications faster.
The Brazilian government launched a pilot program similar to this in 2017. IRCC employees were able to work on more complex applications because of the program. It increased Brazilian visitors by 40% and reduced their workload at the Sao Paulo office by 60%.
Canada’s visa-free travel
Visa-free travel to Canada is available to more than 50 nations, but most of them require travel authorization in order to fly into the country.
Citizens of the United States do not need an eTA or a visa to enter Canada unless they are doing business or going to school there.
Temporary Residence Visas (TRV) are often referred to as guest visas and foreign nationals are required to obtain one if not exempt.
Moreover, it is possible for foreigners with TRVs to travel to Canada for six months (other foreign nationalities may have different travel requirements).
If a TRV holder is asked at their port of entry to provide evidence of transitory status (such as travel or family visits). They will probably be required to provide this proof. TRV holders do not have authorization to work or study in Canada just because they arrive in the country with a TRV.
TRV applications are currently backlogged at IRCC. Based on the latest backlog data from the IRCC, 50% of TRV applications are not being processed within the required 14 days.
TRV applications were affected by the recent strike by the Public Service Alliance of Canada, according to Minister Fraser. Reporters were informed by Fraser that 100,000 applications would have been handled during the 12-day strike. But weren’t due to the strike occurring from April 19 to May 1. Furthermore, he expects IRCC to be able to catch up within a few weeks or months with pre-pandemic processing norms.
