Stakeholders and public input welcomed on the Electronic Travel Authorization

02/20/2014

In another step toward improving border security, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) recently released a Notice of Intent for the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) requirement. The notice give public and stakeholders the opportunities to learn more about and to provide input into this new initiative as part of the joint Canada-United States (U.S.) Beyond the Border Action Plan. The eTA program will be implemented in 2015. Under the eTA initiative, citizens from countries other than the United States who do not require a visa to enter Canada will need to obtain online authorization before flying to Canada.

As eTA will apply to close to three million international air travellers who visit Canada every year, CIC is working closely with stakeholders, including the air industry as well as the travel and tourism sectors, to inform international travellers of this new requirement. Toward this goal, the Notice of Intent will allow the public to give their initial input into and feedback on the eTA requirement.

While the eta concept is new to Canada the U.S. and Australia have successfully implemented similar programs, so visitors from countries who require a travel authorization for those two countries will already be familiar with the program.

CIC is making every effort to ensure that Canada's eTA does not greatly inconvenience travellers. The eTA application process will be quick, easy and low-cost. For a small fee, travellers will apply online and provide basic biographic information similar to what is currently collected when they arrive in Canada. In the vast majority of cases, the eTA will be granted within minutes of applying. As well, by having been pre-screened, eTA travellers could enjoy faster processing upon arrival in Canada.

So what benefits will eTA offer Canadians?

eTA will improve safety and security for all of us, while protecting the integrity of our immigration system. In particular, CIC will be able to systematically pre-screen travellers who would otherwise only be screened upon entry to Canada. As a result, we will be able to identify inadmissible foreign nationals, including those with criminal records, and prevent them from boarding a plane to travel to Canada. This, in turn, will also generate cost savings, as the Government will not have to carry out costly enforcement action, such as removing these individuals from the country.

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