Canadians to have visa-free travel to China under new trade deal

Canadians will have access to visa-free travel to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), per statements made by Prime Minister Mark Carney during a news conference in Beijing on January 16.

As of the time of this writing, it has not been announced when Canada will formally join China’s list of visa-exempt countries, nor have the exact terms of visa-free travel been specified.

The recent announcement of expanded visa-free travel is a significant step in relations between the two countries and comes as part of Prime Minister Carney’s recent visit to China.

As part of the terms agreed to by the two countries, Carney also hinted at greater opportunities for collaboration between Chinese and Canadian creatives in both countries. More details regarding specific terms and possible travel facilitations are expected in the future.

What will Canadian travelers be able to do in China under the new agreement?

While the terms of the new travel agreement with China are not currently known, if Canada were to join the existing list of unilateral visa-free travel to the PRC, Canadian travelers in China would have the ability to

• Travel for leisure;
• Attend business meetings and events (such as conferences or trade fairs);
• Visit family or friends;
• Participate in short exchange activities; and
• Transit through China within the permitted stay period.

Under these terms, Canadian travelers would not be able to

• Take up paid employment or other work that would normally require a work visa/residence permit;
• Enroll in long-term or degree studies; or
• Remain in China beyond 30 days without proper authorization.

The current state of Canadian travel to China

Aside from the forthcoming visa exemptions, Canadian travelers already benefit from certain facilitations when travelling to China, particularly:

• The ability to travel visa-free and remain in China for up to 240 hours (10 days), when transiting through the country to a third country or region (if entering from select ports of entry); and
• The ability to travel visa-free and remain in China for up to 30 days, when visiting the special administrative region of Hainan province—for various purposes associated with tourism, business visits, family visits, and medical treatments.

The above travel facilitations are expected to continue after the visa-exemption announced on January 16 comes into effect.