Canada eTA for Ukrainians: Process Begins for Air Travel

Canada eTA for Ukrainians is an announced future option, not a current entry rule. If Canada implements its existing conditional eTA framework, qualifying air travelers could eventually pay CAN$7 rather than at least CAN$100 for a visitor visa.

What changed

Canada and Ukraine announced on September 10, 2026, that Canada had begun the process of adding Ukraine to the conditional eTA program. No implementation date, Ukraine-specific instructions, or final eligibility rules have been published. As of September 19, 2026, Ukraine was not on the official list of eligible visa-required countries, so the existing visitor-visa requirement remains in place.

Who is affected

Any future measure concerns Ukrainian passport holders with ordinary passports, subject to final rules. Under Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada‘s current conditional framework, applicants must travel by air or transit through an airport and either have held a Canadian visitor visa within the past 10 years or hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa. Temporary visits are normally up to 6 months. These conditions have not been formally confirmed for Ukrainian passport holders. The eTA is normally valid for up to 5 years or until passport expiry and allows multiple air trips. Arrivals by car, bus, train, or boat still need a visitor visa. The declarations also do not say whether all ordinary passports or only biometric passports will qualify, or whether Canada will alter those conditions.

Why Canada made the change

Global Affairs Canada said the initiative is intended to increase mobility and strengthen people-to-people ties, while supporting Ukraine’s recovery and the long-term Canada-Ukraine partnership.

What travelers should do

Ukrainian travelers should continue applying for and traveling with a Canadian visitor visa, unless exempt under existing rules. They should not apply for an eTA based on the announcement or book travel on the proposed change. Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents, plus Ukrainians who already hold a valid Canadian visitor visa, continue to follow existing document requirements. Travelers should wait for IRCC to add Ukraine to its eligibility list and publish an effective date.

Sources

1. 1Canada-Ukraine Declaration for a 100-Year PartnershipGlobal Affairs Canada · international.gc.ca
2. 2Joint Statement by Prime Minister Carney and President ZelenskyyPrime Minister of Canada · pm.gc.ca
3. 3eTA for Citizens from Some Visa-Required CountriesImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · canada.ca
4. 4Electronic Travel Authorization: About the ProcessImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · canada.ca
5. 5Visitor VisaImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · canada.ca