In a bid to reduce the number of Mexicans making asylum claims in Canada, the Canadian government has reinstated visa requirements that were lifted in 2016.
Canada has been under pressure from the U.S., due to a sharp increase in illegal crossings by Mexican citizens from Canada into the United States. In recent years, Mexicans didn’t need a visa to travel to Canada, while the U.S. requires one for Mexican citizens to enter.
AeroMexico flights to Canada could be impacted by new visa requirements. (Photo Credit: Photo via: Aeroméxico)
Asylum claims made by Mexicans reached a record high in 2023 at a time when Canada’s asylum system was already under significant strain. In 2023, asylum claims from Mexican citizens accounted for 17% of all claims made that year. Since the visa restriction was first lifted in 2016, the number of claims has soared from 260 in 2016 to 23,995 in 2023.
Officials say the changes will only affect about 40% of visitors from Mexico. Effective immediately, Mexican citizens who hold a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years and are travelling by air on a Mexican passport will be able to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA). As a result, the government says the majority on Mexicans will continue to enjoy visa-free travel to Canada. Those who do not meet these conditions will need to apply for a Canadian visitor visa.
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada is responding with concern.
“While we understand the government’s objective to streamline the process and ensure a robust immigration system, the potential repercussions on the tourism sector, still recuperating from the effects of previous travel restrictions, cannot be overlooked,” said president and CEO Beth Potter in a statement.
TIAC says Mexican visitors spent more than $750 million in Canada last year. It is calling on the Canadian government to implement service standards that guarantee prompt visa processing.
Some visitors to Canada from Mexico will now require visas. (Photo Credit: Alex Temblador)
For its part, the government says it is expanding its network of visa application centres in Mexico.
“Canada supports ongoing travel, tourism and business with Mexico. We will continue to work with the Government of Mexico to strengthen our regular pathways to immigration, and with our provincial and territorial counterparts to support a system of managed migration as well as to support those in need of protection,” a statement read.
The eTA is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need in order to travel to or transit through Canada by air. IRCC first began expanding its eTA program to eligible citizens from visa-required countries in 2017. Mexico will now be among 15 countries whose citizens can to fly to Canada on an eTA, instead of a visa, if they meet certain requirements.
All eTAs issued to Mexican passports before 11:30 pm Eastern time on February 29, 2024, will no longer be valid -- except for eTAs linked to Mexican passports with a valid Canadian work or study permit. Mexican citizens travelling to Canada without a valid work or study permit will need to apply for a visitor visa or reapply for a new eTA—if they are eligible.
There’s another possible repercussion from the new visa requirement, which is already being discussed within the industry: if the number of Mexicans travelling to Canada declines significantly – as it did when visa requirements were in place from 2008 to 2016 – there could be a negative impact on carriers including AeroMexico and Air Canada that fly frequently between the two nations. It’s quite possible that frequency and capacity levels could be reduced, resulting in higher fares.
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