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VISA...

From page 1 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.

“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, but it will also increase travel, tourism, and economic benefits, as well as strengthen global bonds with these 13 countries,” said Minister

Fraser.

Introducing visa-free air travel will make it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of travellers 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 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. Travellers can visit Canada.ca/eTA to find out whether they’re eligible for an eTA and how to apply for one.

• What is an eTA? An eTA is a digital travel document, an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air. It is electronically linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If one gets a new passport, they need to get a new eTA. With a valid eTA, one can travel to Canada as often as they want for short stays (normally for up to six months at a time). They do not need an eTA for travel within Canada. An eTA doesn’t guarantee entry to Canada. Upon arrival, a border services officer will still ask to see passport and other documents.

• Only apply for an eTA on the official Government of Canada website. Applying for an eTA is a simple online process that takes just a few minutes to complete. It costs $7.00 CDN to apply, and most applications are automatically approved and most applicants get their eTA approval (via an e-mail) within minutes. However, some requests can take several days to process if they’re asked to submit supporting documents. It is best to get an eTA before booking the flight to Canada.

• To apply for an eTA, travellers need only a valid passport, a credit card, an e-mail address and access to the Internet. One can only apply and pay for one person at a time. Check that the passport number included in your eTA approval e-mail matches the number in your passport. If they don’t match, you need to apply for a new eTA.

• What to bring to the airport. When your eTA is approved, it will be linked to the passport that was used to apply. The airline staff will scan the passport to confirm that it has a valid eTA. If it’s not valid, you won’t be able to board your flight.

• Almost 20.9 million eTAs have been issued since the eTA program was introduced on August 1, 2015.

• Within the next year, Canada expects to receive 200,000 (or 20 per cent) 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.

Source: IRCC, Government of Canada

Recently, a family friend invited us and our common close friends to a birthday dinner celebration in a restaurant, adding the statement “Thanks, COVID is now over.”

Indeed, it is not uncommon to hear such comment since the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared on May 4th, 2023, that COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) – the highest level of global public-health alarm.

Historical context

Then new respiratory coronavirus infection –subsequently given the name COVID-19 – was designated a PHEIC nearly three and a half years ago on January 30, 2020, for three reasons:

1. it was an extraordinary rapidly spreading contagious disease in China;

2. it posed a public health risk to many other countries through international travel, and;

3. it required a coordinated global response on many fronts:

• public health advisories

• use of face masks

• emergency diagnostic test kits

• daily tracking, reporting and availability of accumulating data on a global scope

• worldwide efforts to repurpose some existing medications and to develop new medications

• speedy developments of vaccines, and their emergency