Canada loosens visa rule

Thailand is among 13 countries newly added to Canada’s electronic travel authorisation (eTA) programme by its Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, the country announced on Wednesday.

Travellers who have either held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or who currently hold a valid United States non-immigrant visa can now apply for an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air, according to the website canada.ca.

Effective from Tuesday, eligible travellers from Thailand and the following countries can now benefit from the programme: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

“By making travel to Canada more accessible, we are enhancing opportunities for collaboration, trade and investment, thus invigorating our economy,” said Kevin Lamoureux, Canada’s MP for Winnipeg North.