Canadian Mobility: Immigration alert
On 29 February 2024, the Government of Canada announced that, with almost immediate effect, Mexican citizens will require a Canadian temporary resident visa for travel to Canada. There are some important exemptions to this new visa requirement for Mexican nationals, so some Mexican travellers will still be able to rely on the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada.
Background
On 1 December 2016 the Government of Canada had lifted all visa requirements for citizens of Mexico travelling to Canada for temporary purposes such as work, study, or tourism. Since then, Mexican citizens have only been required to obtain the less burdensome eTA to travel to Canada. For policy reasons, and with certain important exemptions, the government is now re-imposing the visa requirement on Mexican citizens traveling to Canada for temporary purposes. Some of the stated underlying factors which are driving this policy change include the increase in asylum claims by Mexican citizens in Canada, many of which are ultimately denied or abandoned.
On 29 February 2024 the Government of Canada announced the following changes that came into effect at 11:30 PM EST the same day:
- Mexican nationals traveling by air now require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada, unless they possess a valid US non-immigrant visa, a Canadian work or study
permit tied to their passport or have held a Canadian TRV within the last 10 years - Mexican nationals travelling by land will normally require a Canadian TRV to enter Canada unless another exemption applies
- All eTAs issued to Mexican passport holders before 11:30 PM EST on 29 February 2024 will be cancelled, except for those with a valid a Canadian work or study permit tied to their passport
- Mexican visitors currently in Canada on an eTA are permitted to stay for the duration they are authorized. However, should they choose to depart and return to Canada, they must possess a valid TRV, unless they are eligible to enter Canada on an eTA
- Canada intends to extend its assortment of Visa Application Centres in Mexico to enhance customer service and handle the surge in application volumes
- The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) will now include year-round primary agriculture along with seasonal fish, seafood, and primary food processing