Canada has announced plans to accelerate the processing of certain visitor visas as part of a broader immigration strategy aimed at addressing the country’s evolving economic and demographic needs. The initiative, revealed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in its report “An Immigration System for Canada’s Future,” focuses on streamlining the visa process for individuals attending major conferences and events in Canada.
The IRCC emphasized its commitment to prioritizing the processing of visas for international visitors who are attending registered conferences and events. This move aligns with the government’s goal of enhancing the national immigration system and improving the overall service experience for newcomers.
This decision follows several steps already taken to facilitate visa applications. Earlier this year, IRCC added 13 more countries to its “partial visa-exempt” list, allowing travelers from 67 countries to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) instead of a traditional visitor visa. The advantage of eTA is its faster approval time, often within minutes, compared to the lengthier processing time for visitor visas.
Visitor visa applications have been on the rise, with Canada processing more than 260,000 applications in November 2022 alone, a significant increase compared to pre-pandemic numbers. The new expedited visa processing initiative is expected to benefit many future visitors seeking to come to Canada for tourism or business purposes.