Canada Publishes 2 Countries Whose Citizens Can Use an Alternative to Visitor Visas
- Canada's government has amended its Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations to expand access to the Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme
- Citizens of two countries were added to the eTA eligibility list, offering an alternative route to the traditional visitor visa
- The amendment was published in the Canada Gazette and takes effect under an official regulatory update signed in 2026
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Canada has officially expanded its Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) programme to include citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia, giving nationals of both countries a new way to visit Canada without applying for a traditional visitor visa.
The change comes through an amendment to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, published in the Canada Gazette on 3 June 2026. The regulatory update adds Indonesia and Malaysia to the table under subsection 7.01(1), which lists the countries whose citizens are eligible to obtain an eTA instead of a visa when travelling to Canada by air.
Source: UGC
What eTA means for eligible countries
An eTA is a lighter-touch travel authorisation that allows eligible foreign nationals to board flights to Canada without going through the full visitor visa application process. It is linked electronically to a traveller's passport and is generally faster and less expensive to obtain than a standard visa. Applicants apply online, and approvals typically come through within minutes, though some cases take longer.
Before this amendment, citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia were required to apply for a visitor visa to enter Canada. Adding them to the eTA list places them alongside nationals of dozens of other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and several European nations, that already benefit from the scheme.
Canada's eTA expansion
The move is part of Canada's broader management of who qualifies for streamlined entry. The eTA system was introduced in 2016 and has since been extended to travellers from a growing number of countries as part of efforts to facilitate legitimate travel while maintaining border security.
For Indonesian and Malaysian passport holders, the change reduces a key administrative hurdle to visiting Canada, particularly for short-term trips such as tourism, family visits, or transit through Canadian airports.
The amendment added Indonesia and Malaysia to the table in alphabetical order, formally listing them as eTA-eligible countries under the updated regulations.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that Canada released a list of two countries whose citizens can fly in under special visa rules.
Canada: Industries seeking skilled foreign workers
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Canada listed six industries seeking skilled foreign workers, including STEM, health care, skilled trades, defence and cybersecurity, critical minerals, and education.
The country also offers several immigration pathways, settlement support, and access to safe communities for workers and their families. Could your skills help you build a permanent future in Canada?
Source: Legit.ng
