Philippines Rejoins Canada’s Visa-Free Air Travel Program
- Joanna Garingarao
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Filipinos are once again included in Canada’s visa-free air travel program, allowing eligible travelers to visit and stay for up to six months. The news has generated excitement across Canadian news outlets, official government channels, and popular travel blogs, offering a new opportunity for easier travel to North America.
Under the program, only those arriving by air qualify. Travelers entering Canada through other means—such as cruise ships, buses, trains, or private vehicles—must still obtain a visitor visa. Eligibility also requires that travelers have previously held a Canadian visa within the last 10 years or currently possess a valid non-immigrant U.S. visa. In addition, an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is required before departure.
The program currently applies to nationals from 13 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Costa Rica, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser emphasized that visa-free air travel will make visiting the country “faster, easier, and more affordable, whet
her for business or leisure.”
The initiative was first introduced in 2023 and has returned with the same goal of promoting tourism, trade, and international relations.
It is important to note that temporary foreign workers and those seeking to join the Canadian labor market still need separate work permits. Visitor visas, whether single-entry or multiple-entry, remain valid for up to six months at the discretion of immigration officers. Super visas are also available for parents and grandparents of Canadian residents.
Extensions may be applied for before a visa expires, allowing travelers to stay under implied status while awaiting a decision.
This renewed visa-free program offers Filipinos a smoother, more accessible way to explore Canada, opening doors for travel, business, and family visits without the usual visa requirements.