Expansion of Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to Select Low-Risk Nationals of Brazil, Bulgaria, and Romania (SOR/2017-53)

Policy effect

Amends the IRPR to allow citizens of Brazil, Bulgaria, and Romania who have held a Canadian temporary resident visa in the past 10 years or who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) when traveling to Canada by air, rather than needing a Temporary Resident Visa. Phase scope: Operative phase 1 for Brazil, Bulgaria, and Romania visa facilitation.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations Amendments 1 The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (see footnote 1) are amended by adding the following after section 7: Nationals of certain countries 7.01 (1) Despite subsection 7(1), a foreign national who is a citizen of one of the following countries and who is seeking to enter Canada by air may not enter Canada to remain on a temporary basis without first obtaining a temporary resident visa or an electronic travel authorization: (a) Brazil; (b) Bulgaria; and (c) Romania. Application for electronic travel authorization — conditions (2) A foreign national referred to in subsection (1) may only make an application for an electronic travel authorization if they (a) have held a temporary resident visa at any time during the 10-year period immediately preceding the day on which they make their application; or (b) hold a valid United States nonimmigrant visa on the day on which they make their application. 2 Subsection 7.1(1) of the Regulations is replaced by the following: Electronic travel authorization 7.1 (1) A foreign national referred to in paragraph 7(2)(a) who is exempt from the requirement to obtain a temporary … Description: The regulatory amendments expand electronic travel authorization (eTA) eligibility to travellers from Brazil, Bulgaria and Romania who have held a Canadian temporary resident visa at any time during the last 10 years, or who, at the time of application, hold a valid nonimmigrant visa from the United States. The amendments also enable a new immigration information-sharing connection with the United States to confirm the validity of a visa issued by the other country. Cost-benefit statement: The cost associated with expanding eTA eligibility to low-risk travellers from visa-required countries … low-risk foreign nationals from the visa-required countries of Brazil, Bulgaria and Romania. For the purposes of expanded eTA eligibility, low-risk travellers are defined as those who have held a Canadian temporary resident visa (TRV) at any time during the last 10 years, or who, at the time of application, hold a valid U.S. nonimmigrant visa. Effective implementation of expanded eTA eligibility must balance travel facilitation objectives with the need to maintain the integrity of the immigration program. This includes ensuring that only those who meet established eligibility criteria are, when … the visa-required population. By tailoring screening requirements based on the risks posed by individual travellers, the Government will also be able to focus resources on higher-risk travellers. Reducing the processing workload for IRCC officers will allow them to focus more time on complex visa applications, thereby increasing IRCC’s oversight capacity to improve the safety and security of Canadians. Description As of May 1, 2017, the IRPR are amended to permit foreign nationals from Brazil, Bulgaria and Romania to apply for an eTA for travel to Canada by air if they meet any of the following … baseline is compared with the regulatory amendments, which will, on May 1, 2017, expand eTA eligibility to travellers from Brazil, Bulgaria and Romania who have held a TRV in the last 10 years or who, at the time of application, hold a valid U.S. nonimmigrant visa. Of note, an eTA may only be used when entering Canada by air. Consequently, travellers entering Canada from land and sea ports will continue to require a visa. The first year of impacts will be in 2017, noting that impacts are prorated for a May 1, 2017 program launch. Therefore, all implementation, development and transition costs as well …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other Canada changes operative in 2017

• 2017-01-01Randomized Intake and Selection System for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP)
• 2017-03-10Establishment of Formal Regulatory Application Process for Ministerial Relief (SOR/2017-38)
• 2017-04-13Repeal of Conditional Permanent Residence for Sponsored Spouses and Partners (SOR/2017-56)
• 2017-05-05Formal Regulatory Repeal of the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) and Enactment of Transitional Provisions (SOR/2017-78)
• 2017-05-05Regulatory Framework for Automated Information-Sharing with Five Country Conference Partners (SOR/2017-79)
• 2017-06-06Ministerial Instructions Amending the Ministerial Instructions Respecting the Express Entry System, 2017-1
• 2017-09-06Regulations Amending the Citizenship Regulations, No. 2
• 2017-10-24Increasing the Maximum Age of Dependent Children under the IRPR (SOR/2017-60)
• 2017-12-01Full Visa Exemption for Citizens of Bulgaria and Romania (SOR/2017-246)