U.S.
President
Joe
Biden,
Mexican
President
Andres
Manuel
López
Obrador
and
Canadian
Prime
Minister
Justin
Trudeau
speak at
the
conclusion
of the
North
American
Leaders'
Summit
in
Mexico
City,
Mexico,
January
10,
2023.
López
Obrador
has
threatened
not to
attend
the next
summit
if he
feels
Mexico
is not
being
treated
fairly.
(Kevin
Lamarque/Reuters) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Canada
reintroducing
visa
requirements
for
Mexican
nationals
as
measure
to
restrict
number
of
asylum
seekers
By
Patricia
Romero
tellusmexico.mx
TORONTO
- Canada
and
Mexico
have
maintained
a
positive
diplomatic
relationship
for more
than 80
years.
The two
countries
have
collaborated
to
ensure
that
North
America
remains
the
world's
most
competitive
economic
region
with
robust
bilateral,
regional
and
multilateral
cooperation.
In order
to
preserve
travel
and
people-to-people
connections
between
Canada
and
Mexico
while
maintaining
the
integrity
of the
immigration
system,
the
Canadian
Government
is
modifying
its
travel
requirements
for
Mexican
citizens.
Starting
February
29,
2024, at
11:30
p.m. ET,
Mexican
citizens
who
travel
by air
on a
Mexican
passport
and
possess
a valid
US
non-immigrant
visa or
have
previously
held a
Canadian
visa
within
the past
10 years
will be
permitted
to apply
for an
electronic
travel
authorization
(eTA).
Although
most
Mexican
citizens
who hold
US visas
will
still be
able to
travel
to
Canada
without
a visa,
those
who do
not meet
the
mentioned
conditions
will
have to
apply
for a
Canadian
visitor
visa.
This
modification
is in
response
to the
increasing
number
of
asylum
claims
made by
Mexican
citizens
that are
either
refused,
withdrawn,
or
abandoned.
The goal
is to
ensure
the
efficient
management
of our
immigration
and
asylum
systems
while
preserving
mobility
for
hundreds
of
thousands
of
Mexican
citizens.
The
process
for
Mexican
citizens
who wish
to
obtain a
work or
study
permit
in
Canada
will
remain
unchanged.
Mexican
citizens
will
still
have
access
to a
variety
of labor
pathways,
including
the
Temporary
Foreign
Worker
Program
and the
International
Mobility
Program,
if they
wish to
work in
Canada.
Canada
is
committed
to
supporting
travel,
tourism,
and
business
with
Mexico.
We will
continue
working
closely
with the
Government
of
Mexico
to
enhance
regular
pathways
to
immigration
and
collaborate
with our
provincial
and
territorial
counterparts
to
assist
individuals
who
require
protection.
Canada
is also
expanding
its
network
of visa
application
centers
in
Mexico
to
improve
our
services
for
clients.
These
measures
will
help
alleviate
pressure
on our
borders,
immigration
system,
housing,
and
social
services,
while
maintaining
mobility
for
Mexican
citizens
who want
to visit
Canada.
The
Seasonal
Agricultural
Worker
Program
(SAWP)
is an
excellent
example
of
mutually
beneficial
migration
that
Canada
aims to
promote
globally
and
regionally.
Canada
is
willing
to work
with
Mexico
to
enhance
this
program
by
modernizing
a new
SAWP
bilateral
agreement.
This
agreement
will
offer
new
opportunities
to
Mexican
workers
by
incorporating
year-round
primary
agriculture
and
seasonal
fish,
seafood,
and
primary
food
processing
into the
program.
By doing
so, both
sides of
the
Canada-Mexico
relationship
will
benefit,
including
the
workers
and
businesses.
Canada
constantly
monitors
the
effects
of its
visa
policies
on both
visa-exempt
and
visa-required
countries,
as well
as
trends
in
asylum
claims.
These
challenges
are not
restricted
to a
single
country.
Any
changes
to
Canada's
travel
requirements
are
implemented
to
ensure
the
integrity
and
sustainability
of our
asylum
and
immigration
systems.
For
further
information
regarding
these
changes,
including
for
individuals
in
transit
or with
upcoming
flights,
please
visit
the IRCC
website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|