By Amelia Chan, CHRP

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is implementing new travel regulations for foreign nationals who do not otherwise require a visa to come to Canada. The new Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program will pre-screen air travelers for admissibility concerns prior to arrival in Canada.  The program will be enforced as of March 15, 2016, but travelers may obtain an eTA as soon as August 1, 2015.

Why the eTA?
Under the current system, visa-exempt foreign nationals are not examined for admissibility until they arrive at the Canadian port of entry. The eTA program enables CIC to assess admissibility concerns before an individual appears at a Canadian port of entry.

How it Works
Applicants will apply via an online system and pay a $7.00 processing fee which will be lodged through an electronic system administered by the Federal Government.  The eTA will be approved and issued in most cases within minutes of the application.  Cases which require further review will be completed within 72 hours; CIC must provide an “approval,” “refusal,” “request for additional information” or advise the foreign national that his or her application has been “sent for additional screening.”

Once issued, the eTA will be valid for up to five years or until the applicant’s passport or travel document expires.  If a foreign national obtains a new passport, a new eTA will be required before traveling to Canada.

Who is Affected?
The eTA program will only apply to individuals who can enter Canada without a visa arriving by air. It is not required when entering at a land border or by sea.

With these new requirements, almost everyone flying into Canada will be required to go through a pre-screen.  The main exceptions are the citizens of the US and temporary resident visa (TRV) countries who will have already been pre-assessed at a visa office.

Starting on March 15, 2016, visa-exempt work and study permit holders who are already in Canada will be required to obtain an eTA if they leave Canada and re-enter by air.  Future permit applications will automatically be issued with an eTA at no additional charge.

As with any new CIC program, there isn’t a lot of information available and there will be quite a bit to work out—from the practical process to the amount of information a visitor will be asked and whether medical and security checks will be a part of the process. In addition, there may be new issues to consider around information-sharing between countries, namely the United States.

These changes will impact global mobility—affecting leisure and business alike. How greatly remains to be seen as yet.

Amelia Chan, CHRP, RCIC is a global mobility specialist with Higher-Options Consulting Services, providing a wide range of HR and immigration services for small to mid-sized businesses.