CAN+ program fast-tracks visas for Mexican nationals

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Canada has introduced the CAN+ program to give qualified Mexican nationals expedited visa processing.

What does the change mean? Nationals of Mexico who have traveled to Canada or the U.S. within the previous 10 years qualify for faster visa processing.

• Implementation timeframe: Immediate.
• Visas/permits affected: Visitor visas, work permits/visas and study permits/visas.
• Who is affected: Mexican nationals who have visited Canada or the U.S. in the previous 10 years.
• Impact on processing times: Under a six-month pilot of the CAN+ program, visas were issued in seven days or less, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
• Business impact: The expedited processing will facilitate business travel and trade between Mexico and Canada.

Background: Yesterday, CIC Minister Chris Alexander announced that the CAN+ program will speed up visa processing for qualified Mexican travelers to Canada. CAN+ will provide expedited service to Mexican travelers who have visited Canada or the U.S. within the previous 10 years. The faster processing time is expected to be seven days or less. In addition, the Canadian government estimates that by fast-tracking approximately half of Mexican visa requests, the program will benefit all Mexican visa applicants, who will enjoy faster processing times of 10 days or less.

BAL Analysis: The program is intended to boost travel and trade with Mexico. In the first four months of this year, the number of work, study and visitor visas issued to Mexican nationals grew by 20 percent over the same period last year.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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