Recently, CBN-TV has reported that the Canadian government has scrapped visa requirements for Asian visitors.
Under a new proposal, Asian visitors planning to arrive on Tourism and Business grounds can stay for up to 90 days.
The 2016 Tourist Arrivals and Receipts report noted that Asians were 80% contributors to Canada’s tourism revenue with only 2% immigration risk. (Latest tourism statistics and figures can be found on Destination Canada website).
CBN-TV reported that Bardish Chagger, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism of Canada, said - “… we expect the immigration risk to reduce and also have revenue contributed increased in the coming years. Allowing them free on visas would make it more attractive, hence increase in arrivals and receipts.”
CBN-TV reported that this new visa free travel for Asians "would take effect from 1 December 2016."
The Canadian immigration website does not have any official update on this yet and we have emailed the concerned Minister's office for a comment.
But if it happens as proposed and reported by CBN-TV then it will mark the third phase of Canada’s visa policy.
Now the question is - should Australia also follow this reportedly proposed Canadian policy to improve tourism from Asian countries?
UPDATE
We emailed concerned Canadian minister and the immigration department for clarification on this story. As our sources in migration business told that this is not true and as of now they are not aware of any such visa proposal especially for Asian tourists.
In an email to SBS Hindi, Ryan Kleinau, Constituency Assistant to Hon. Bardish Chagger, P.C., M.P., replied that "The story you are asking about is false and the quote attributed to the Minister is fabricated. We are asking the website in question to remove this fake article."
