Mexico TRV Requirement Reintroduced

Summary#

These final regulations change how Mexican citizens travel to Canada. As of February 29, 2024 at 11:30:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, most Mexican travellers will need a temporary resident visa (TRV) to visit Canada unless they meet a narrow eTA exception.

What it does#

• Removes Mexico from the list of countries whose citizens are automatically exempt from a TRV under the Regulations Amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Electronic Travel Authorization).
• Allows some Mexican citizens to keep using an electronic travel authorization (eTA) if they are travelling by air and either:
  • have held a Canadian TRV in the last 10 years, or
  • hold a valid U.S. non‑immigrant visa.
• Cancels existing eTAs held by Mexican nationals except for those who, at the coming-into-force time, hold a valid Canadian work permit or study permit; those eTAs remain valid until they expire.
• Sets the effective date as February 29, 2024 (see Summary).

Who's affected#

• Mexican citizens who plan to visit Canada by air or otherwise. Many who previously travelled with an eTA will now need to apply for a TRV unless they meet the eTA exceptions above.
• Mexican students and temporary workers in Canada. Their existing eTAs remain valid if they hold a current Canadian study or work permit.
• Airlines and travellers’ service providers, who may see more document checks and customer questions at airports.
• Canadian tourism and hospitality businesses, because the government expects fewer Mexican visitors — about 1 million visitors over 10 years — and a drop in tourism spending estimated at $997 million (present value) over 10 years.
• Government agencies involved in immigration and border services, including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), which will handle different flows of visa and asylum processing.

Why it matters#

• The government says the change aims to reduce a large increase in unfounded asylum claims from Mexican nationals (over 24,000 claims in 2023) and to protect the integrity of the immigration and asylum systems.
• For many Mexican travellers, the change means more paperwork, longer processing times, and application fees to obtain a TRV. That can make short trips, family visits, or tourism harder or more expensive.
• The government estimates the rules will cost about $1.0 billion (present value) to implement but yield about $6.6 billion (present value) in avoided asylum and enforcement costs over 10 years, for a net benefit of around $5.6 billion (present value).
• The rule protects existing students and workers so they can continue to leave and return to Canada without a new visa. It may, however, make it harder for some genuine asylum seekers—especially lower-income or rural applicants—to make a claim in Canada.