As of today, Canada will impose a Visa on Mexican nationals who want to visit the country by air.
According to Liberal Immigration Minister Marc MIller, only those who have a valid US non-immigrant visa or who have had a Canadian visa in the past 10 years will be eligible for an electronic travel authorization.
The rest of the visitors will have to apply for a regular Canadian visitor visa, which takes longer to process and has more stringent requirements.
“Mexico is an important partner to Canada. We will continue to welcome Mexican temporary workers, students, visitors and immigrants who bring diverse skills and important contributions to our economy and communities,” said Miller in a press release.
“We strive for balance between the movement of people between our two great countries, and the need to relieve pressure on our immigration system so we can provide protection to those who need it the most.”
Miller said that this decision was made to address the high number of asylum claims from Mexican nationals, which have increased dramatically since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lifted the visa requirement for Mexico in 2016.
The government said that most of these claims are rejected, withdrawn or abandoned, and that they put a strain on the country’s immigration and asylum systems.
Miller also said the governmentwants to maintain the mobility and economic ties between Canada and Mexico, which are important trading partners.
The new rules will not affect Mexican citizens who already have a valid work or study permit in Canada, or who are already in the country with an eTA.
They will also not affect those who travel by land or sea. The government said that it will continue to monitor the situation and work with Mexico to find solutions to the migration challenges.
The announcement came after reports that the US government had pressured Canada to re-impose the visa on Mexico, citing security concerns.
As reported by True North, Mexican cartels were using the lax rules to smuggle fentanyl and other drugs into North America.
Despite these concerns, in 2022, the Canadian government defended its visa-free policy for Mexico.
