Major Travel Update: Canada Lists 17 Countries Eligible For Easier eTA Entry

The Canadian government has identified 17 countries whose citizens may be eligible to travel to Canada by air with an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) instead of applying for a visitor visa, provided they meet specific eligibility requirements.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the arrangement allows eligible travellers from selected visa-required countries to apply for an eTA when travelling to or transiting through a Canadian airport by air. However, eligibility is not automatic, as applicants must satisfy all the conditions set by the Canadian government.

To qualify, travellers must have held a Canadian visitor visa within the past 10 years or currently possess a valid United States non-immigrant visa. They must also be travelling to Canada for a temporary stay, normally of up to six months, and must hold a valid passport from one of the eligible countries while flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport.

The 17 countries whose eligible citizens may apply for an eTA are Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. Indonesia and Malaysia are the latest additions to the programme, with the expanded eligibility taking effect in May 2026.

The eTA option applies specifically to air travel. Citizens of the listed countries who do not meet the eligibility requirements must still obtain a Canadian visitor visa.

Travellers arriving in Canada by car, bus, train or boat, including cruise ships, are also required to have a valid visitor visa, even if they are citizens of one of the 17 countries and would otherwise qualify for an eTA when flying.

Those who already have a valid Canadian visitor visa do not need to obtain an eTA to travel by air and can continue using their visa until it expires.

Travellers approved for an eTA must also travel with the same passport used during their application. Anyone who obtains a new passport after receiving an eTA will need to apply for a new authorization linked to the new passport. Canadian authorities also recommend that travellers carry an old passport containing an expired Canadian visitor visa or a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa where applicable.

The Canadian government further clarified that Canadian citizens, including dual nationals, cannot apply for an eTA and must travel to Canada by air with a valid Canadian passport. Canadian permanent residents are similarly not eligible to use an eTA and must travel with a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document.

The eTA is therefore not a blanket visa waiver for citizens of the 17 countries. It is an alternative travel authorization available only to qualifying travellers who meet Canada’s specified conditions and enter the country by air.