In order to improve the competitiveness of Canadian airports, the Canadian government has programs so that people who are transiting to Canada to get to the United States do not need to apply for temporary resident visas.
The Transit Without Visa Program
The Transit Without Visa Program (“TWOV Program”) allows certain foreign nationals with valid United States visas, traveling to and from the United States, to transit through Canada without having to first obtain a Canadian visa.
Qualifying nationalities include Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, China and Taiwan.
The TWOV Program operates at both Vancouver International Airport and Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
The program only applies to nationals of Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand.
In order to be eligible to travel under the TWOV Program, nationals of these countries must:
- be in possession of a valid visa issued by the United States;
- be in possession of a valid passport issued by the authorities of a participating country;
- hold a confirmed onward ticket for a connecting flight that departs Canada immediately (foreign nationals transiting Canada under the TWOV Program may not seek entry to Canada as temporary residents);
- arrive in Canada on an eligible airline; and
- transit through either Vancouver International Airport or Toronto Pearson Airport.
The eligible airlines are Cathay Pacific Airways, Philippine Airways, Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Jazz Air, Air China, Air Georgian, China Airlines, Sky Regional Airlines Inc., China Southern Airlines, WestJet, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.
The China Transit Trial Program
The China Transit Trial Program (“CCT Program”) allows nationals of the Peoples’ Republic of China with valid United States visas, traveling to and from the United States, to transit through Canada without having to first obtain a Canadian visa.
The TWOV Program operates at both Vancouver International Airport and Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
Chinese nationals participating in the CTT Program must have as their last embarkation point one of the following six cities:
- Beijing;
- Hong Kong;
- Shanghai;
- Guangzhou;
- Manila;
- Taipei;
- Tokyo;
- Seoul;
- Xiamen;
- Fuzhou;
- Chengdu;
- Shenyang;
- Harbin;
- Nagoya; and
- Osaka.
As well, in order to be eligible to travel under the TWOV Program, nationals of these countries must:
- be in possession of a valid visa issued by the United States;
- be in possession of a valid passport issued by the authorities of a participating country;
- hold a confirmed onward ticket for a connecting flight that departs Canada immediately (foreign nationals transiting Canada under the TWOV Program may not seek entry to Canada as temporary residents);
- arrive in Canada on an eligible airline; and
- transit through either Vancouver International Airport or Toronto Pearson Airport.
The eligible airlines are Cathay Pacific Airways, Philippine Airways, Air Canada, and Jazz Aviation LP.
Statistics
In 2022, the average refusal rate for transit visas was 68%.
Memorandum
More information about the program can be found in the memo here:
A-2022-31881