Tourism to Canada improved last year but has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels after suffering from the temporary public health and travel restrictions imposed when the COVID-19 virus first made its way into the country, reports Statistics Canada. “In 2023, Canada welcomed 74.5 million international arrivals (non-resident visitors and returning Canadian residents), almost 1.5 times more compared with 2022, and over four-fifths (84.1 per cent) the number of arrivals in 2019,” noted the statistical and demographic services agency. Ahead of World Tourism Day on Sept. 27, Statistics Canada released its snapshot of the current state of the tourism industry and international visitors in Canada. It paints a picture of an industry still in recovery but gradually improving with employment rising by 0.3 per cent in the second quarter of this year alone with most of the increase due to more jobs in recreation and entertainment, air transportation and food services. “In the second quarter, the tourism sector contributed 1.6 per cent to Canada’s economic activity,” notes Statistics Canada. During that quarter, tourism spending in Canada grew by 0.7 per dent in but spending remained 6.4 per cent below the pre-pandemic levels reported during the fourth quarter of 2019. Tourism’s gross domestic product rose by 0.8 per cent during the second quarter, a faster pace than the economy overall which saw 0.5 per cent growth during the same period. With that growth in the tourism sector, more visitors are coming to Canada from other countries and the Canadian Border Security Agency (CBSA) notes the preliminary number of international arrivals to the country by air and automobile increased nine per cent year over year to 7.7 million in August. “By automobile, there were 2.9 million Canadian-resident return trips from the United States in August 2024 and 1.9 million US-resident trips to Canada,” notes Statistics Canada. “US-resident trips to Canada by automobile were up 12.9 per cent year over year in August 2024 to reach 84.4 per cent of the pre-pandemic level observed in August 2019.” Canadians are also travelling more by air to other countries with a 10 per cent bump up in that travel, year-over-year, as of August, 2024. “The number of non-resident arrivals by air was up 11.9 per cent year over year to 1.2 million in August 2024, reaching 93.9 per cent of the August 2019 pre-pandemic level,” notes Statistics Canada. “These air arrivals were almost evenly split between U.S. residents and residents of countries other than the United States.” Citizens of visa-required countries must obtain a Canada visitor visa before traveling to Canada. These countries include most nations in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. The visa is necessary regardless of the visitor’s intended duration of stay, whether it is for a few days or several months (up to a maximum of six months per visit). However, citizens of certain countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and many European Union member states, are visa-exempt. Foreign Nationals Of Some Countries Only Need An eTA To Visit Canada Instead of a visa, they may need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if traveling to Canada by air. The eTA is a simpler process, usually applied for online, and allows visa-exempt travelers to enter Canada for short visits. Citizens of visa-exempt countries still need a visa if they plan to work, study, or stay longer in Canada. In addition to nationality, other factors such as the purpose of the visit, previous travel history, and overall eligibility may influence the requirement for a visa. Visitor visa applicants must meet specific requirements to demonstrate their eligibility. These requirements are designed to ensure that visitors intend to stay in Canada temporarily, have the means to support themselves, and pose no risk to Canadian society. Applicants for visitor visas must indicate they have: a valid passport; a valid purpose of to visit Canada; proof of financial support; ties to their home country; an invitation letter, if applicable; a clear criminal record check; a medical examination if required, and; their biometric information. The Canada visitor visa fee varies depending on several factors, including the type of visa and additional services required. As of 2024, the standard application fee for a single or multiple-entry visitor visa is $100 per person. In addition to the visa application fee, some applicants may need to pay a fee for biometric data collection, which includes fingerprints and a photograph. The biometric fee is $85 per person or $170 for a family applying together at the same time. The entire processing time for a visitor visa can range from a few weeks to several months. On average, applicants can expect a processing time of around two to four weeks, but this can extend to three months or more in some cases. Foreign nationals can determine whether they need a visitor visa or an eTA depending on: the type of travel document they are using to travel; the country that issued that travel document; their nationality, and; the method of travel to Canada for this trip. https://immigration.ca/canada-records-increase-in-visitor-numbers/
