'Electronic Travel Authorization' Implementation Date Postponed
by Benjamin A. Kranc
As readers will know, we have been anticipating the implementation of the mandatory Electronic Travel Authorization (“eTA”) requirement on March 15, 2016. eTAs are applications required by travellers to Canada from countries where a visa is not required. Subject to limited exceptions (notably US citizens), anyone boarding an airplane starting March 15 would require an eTA. For details about the program, its requirements, and its impact on travellers to Canada, please see http://www.kranclaw.com/2016/01/electronic-travel-authorizations-beware-the-ides-of-march/.
However, the Canadian government has just announced that the implementation of the mandatory eTA requirement is being postponed until the fall of 2016. No specific date has been provided.
Please note that, though not mandatory, it is still possible to obtain an eTA at this time, which will be valid for 5 years. Frequent travellers may still be well-advised to seek an eTA now to avoid difficulties in the future.
We will of course provide further information about the program as soon as it becomes available.
The information in this article is for general purposes only, and not intended as legal advice for any particular situation.
This post originally appeared on Kranc Associates. Copyright © 2016 Kranc Associates. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
About The Author
Benjamin A. Kranc is senior principal of Kranc Associates, a leading Canadian corporate immigration law firm. He has many years of experience assisting clients in connection with Canadian immigration and business issues. Ben is certified by the Law Society of Upper Canada as a Specialist in Immigration Law. He is also on the ‘Who’s Who Legal’ list of foremost practitioners in Canadian corporate immigration, as well as rated as AV Preeminent® in a Martindale-Hubbell peer review. Ben has spoken at numerous conferences, seminars, and information sessions – both for professional organizations and private groups – about issues in Canadian immigration law, and has also taught immigration law at Seneca College in Toronto. In addition, Ben has written extensively. He is the author of a leading text on Canadian immigration law entitled “North American Relocation Law” (Thomson Reuters) and contributing immigration author to the “The Human Resources Advisor” (First Reference Books). Ben can be contacted at (416) 977-7500 ext. 226, or bkranc@kranclaw.com.