Canada imposes new travel arrangements for visa exempt countries

[smokijoe]

All nationals of visa exempt countries now have to have a special travel permit to enter Canada.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/acts-regulations/forward-regulatory-plan/eta.asp

 

[MissRepresentation]

They're doing the same as the US with their ESTA system. My question is, if and when it gets implemented, how much are they going to charge for the joke? We'll see.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[Ponga]

Looks like the fee will be $7.00 and will be implemented in April, 2015:
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/many-visitors-to-canada-will-pay-7-fee-beginning-next-year-under-security-plan-1.1879146

U.S. citizens will be exempt.

This will only apply to those traveling by air...for now.

 

[Rob_TO]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Better to find out you're criminally or otherwise inadmissible to Canada before getting on your flight, rather than at the Canadian airport and having to go right back home.

Should theoretically also make the immigration process at any Canadian airport much quicker, as everyone will have been pre-screened for certain things so less people should need to go for secondary inspections.

 

[mesos12]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Better to find out you're criminally or otherwise inadmissible to Canada before getting on your flight, rather than at the Canadian airport and having to go right back home.

Should theoretically also make the immigration process at any Canadian airport much quicker, as everyone will have been pre-screened for certain things so less people should need to go for secondary inspections.

Why pay for it though? Immigration is quicker + easier => less cost + fees paid by travellers = $$$

 

[MissRepresentation]

Sounds like a good idea to me. Better to find out you're criminally or otherwise inadmissible to Canada before getting on your flight, rather than at the Canadian airport and having to go right back home.

Should theoretically also make the immigration process at any Canadian airport much quicker, as everyone will have been pre-screened for certain things so less people should need to go for secondary inspections.

The thing is that if they follow the US model, having been pre-approved doesn't guarantee entry anyway. So it'll be at the discretion of the border official to let you in or not regardless of whether you have an ESA or not. Money-making scheme, that's what it is.

 

[Rob_TO]

Why pay for it though? Immigration is quicker + easier => less cost + fees paid by travellers = $$$

Why should Canadian tax payers pay for it? Compared to the price of a flight, $7 seems like a non-issue and won't deter anyone wanting to visit Canada from not coming.

The thing is that if they follow the US model, having been pre-approved doesn't guarantee entry anyway. So it'll be at the discretion of the border official to let you in or not regardless of whether you have an ESA or not. Money-making scheme, that's what it is.

Nothing guarantees entry. Even in the current system if you have a TRV, work or study permit in hand, you could still be denied entry.

This just adds another level of pre-screening, and will cut down significantly on the number of travelers denied entry due to criminality issues. Currently some people that are inadmissible to Canada are not even aware of it until they land at the airport and are told by CBSA.

I have no problem at all with them charging $7 from each traveler for the advance online check, as its money coming in from somewhere other than myself as a tax-payer.

 

[screech339]

I wonder if this would help reduce potential bogus refugees as well since this is part of the pre-screening before being allowed on the plane. Have a statement like "By submitting the permit, you accept that you are from a "SAFE" country and have no claim to refugee status upon landing at Canada border". This way you can't show up and file for refugee status by skipping a few countries, violating UN refugee proper procedure.

It will be nice to add a statement like. "You will never travel to Canada in your last trimester of pregnancy during the 5 year validation process" This would help reduce "birth tourism". It is said that it is valid for up to 5 years or when passport expires.

 

[canvis2006]

I wonder if this would help reduce potential bogus refugees as well since this is part of the pre-screening before being allowed on the plane. Have a statement like "By submitting the permit, you accept that you are from a "SAFE" country and have no claim to refugee status upon landing at Canada border". This way you can't show up and file for refugee status by skipping a few countries, violating UN refugee proper procedure.

It will be nice to add a statement like. "You will never travel to Canada in your last trimester of pregnancy during the 5 year validation process" This would help reduce "birth tourism". It is said that it is valid for up to 5 years or when passport expires.

what pisses me off that good citizens face numerous "document checks" like 3 or 4 times for a flight to Canada from another country. Last one being at the boarding gates.

Yet these refugees still keep showing up at the borders and claiming refuge/asylum. How do they pass those "document checks" that we ordinary citizens face so much scrutiny with those hard looks and scans and all. Surely there is a way these people are still getting through unchecked and stopped at those security points rather than ending up at CBSA primary

 

[smokijoe]

For all citizens of St Kitts & Nevis

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/trinidad_and_tobago-trinite_et_tobago/visas/index.aspx?menu_id=2&_ga=1.121348111.680538106.1416763464&lang=eng

 

[PMM]

Hi

I wonder if this would help reduce potential bogus refugees as well since this is part of the pre-screening before being allowed on the plane. Have a statement like "By submitting the permit, you accept that you are from a "SAFE" country and have no claim to refugee status upon landing at Canada border". This way you can't show up and file for refugee status by skipping a few countries, violating UN refugee proper procedure.

It will be nice to add a statement like. "You will never travel to Canada in your last trimester of pregnancy during the 5 year validation process" This would help reduce "birth tourism". It is said that it is valid for up to 5 years or when passport expires.

Who it will really effect is PRs of Canada who have failed to meet their Residency requirements and are attempting to return as visitors. When they apply for the ETA their PR status is going to pop up.

 

[zardoz]

Hi


Who it will really effect is PRs of Canada who have failed to meet their Residency requirements and are attempting to return as visitors. When they apply for the ETA their PR status is going to pop up.

So, they will only have the "crossing the land border" loophole now...

 

[truesmile]

Hi


Who it will really effect is PRs of Canada who have failed to meet their Residency requirements and are attempting to return as visitors. When they apply for the ETA their PR status is going to pop up.

Oh, I like that actually.

 

[Rob_TO]

In the US, many green card holders (like all from visa-exempt countries) are exempt from ESTA. The program is more for pre-screening visitors/tourists. As such I would expect Canadian PR holders (at least those with visa-exempt passports) will be exempt from this new eTA requirement. They have yet to announce if just some or all PRs will be exempt. So not sure how many PRs not meeting RO it will catch.