Canada Opens eTA for Some Travelers from Indonesia and Malaysia: What Changed from May 26

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Marta Skylar
Aviation News Editor
04.06.2026 02:13

Canada Opens eTA for Some Travelers from Indonesia and Malaysia: What Changed from May 26

Canada, starting May 26, 2026, has simplified air travel for some citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia: instead of a standard visitor visa, they can apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) if they have held a Canadian temporary resident visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid non-immigrant US visa. This is not full visa-free travel and not an automatic right of entry, but for tourists, business travelers, and transit passengers from Southeast Asia, this change may significantly reduce preparation for a trip to Canada.

The update was announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The Government of Canada explains the decision as part of a broader course toward strengthening ties with the Indo-Pacific region, particularly with Indonesia and Malaysia, which remain important partners of Canada in Southeast Asia. For the tourism market, this news is important because it removes some of the visa complexity for already verified travelers: people who have previously passed Canadian visa screening or hold a valid US visa.

The main practical conclusion is simple: citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia have not automatically become visa-free travelers to Canada for all types of trips. The new procedure applies only to those who meet clear criteria and are flying to or through Canada by plane. Passengers who do not meet these conditions, as before, must obtain a visitor visa, meaning a temporary resident visa.

What Exactly Changed

Previously, citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia mostly required a visitor visa for short-term trips to Canada. This visa is affixed or entered into the passport as confirmation that the person meets the basic requirements for traveling to Canada. From May 26, some of these travelers can, instead of a full visa application, obtain an eTA - an electronic travel authorization linked to the passport and verified by the airline before boarding.

Official Canadian rules state two main conditions. Citizens of Indonesia or Malaysia who are flying to Canada or transiting through a Canadian airport and who either held a Canadian temporary resident visa within the last 10 years, or at the time of application hold a valid non-immigrant US visa, can apply for an eTA. This prior verification by Canada or the United States is the basis for the simplified route.

The government page Canada.ca also clarifies that citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia who already have a valid Canadian visitor visa can continue to use it until its expiration date. In other words, those who have already received a visa do not need to urgently change the document to an eTA just because a new option has appeared.

Who the New Rule Does Not Apply To

The most important restriction is the method of arrival. The eTA works for flights to Canada or transit through a Canadian airport. If a person enters Canada by car, bus, train, or ship, the new procedure does not give them the right to replace the visa with an electronic authorization. Canada.ca explicitly states that citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia who do not meet the conditions or are traveling by land or sea route continue to require a visitor visa.

This is especially important for travelers planning combined routes through the USA. For example, a tourist may fly to New York or Seattle and then wish to cross the border into Canada by land transport. Having an eTA in such a situation is not a universal replacement for a visa. Before booking a complex route, it is worth checking the requirements specifically for the method of border crossing that will be used in the actual trip.

Similarly, an eTA does not replace a work or study permit. If the trip is not related to a short visit, tourism, a business meeting, or transit, but to study or work, the traveler must check separate rules for a study permit or work permit. Canada emphasizes that an eTA or visitor visa does not guarantee entry: the final decision is made during the border check.

Why This Is Important for Tourists

For a tourist, the difference between a visitor visa and an eTA is felt primarily in speed, cost, and the psychological simplicity of planning. The official eTA page indicates that the application is submitted online and costs 7 Canadian dollars. For a standard visitor visa, Canada.ca lists a starting fee of 100 Canadian dollars, and processing times depend on the country, completeness of the application, biometrics, and other factors. This does not mean that an eTA is always approved instantly or without additional questions, but the mechanism itself is significantly easier for a short air trip.

For families planning a vacation in Canada, the simplification may make booking more predictable. Instead of waiting for a traditional visa procedure, some travelers will be able to move faster to buying tickets, choosing hotels, and planning the itinerary. This is especially relevant for trips to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, the nature of British Columbia, Niagara Falls, or winter destinations in Alberta and Quebec.

However, editorially it is important not to exaggerate the effect. This is not a mass opening of the border for all citizens of the two countries. It applies specifically to those whom Canada considers already verified through a previous Canadian visa or a valid American non-immigrant visa. For a first trip without such a history, the standard visa procedure remains relevant.

What This Means for Airlines and Transit

A separate practical part of the news is transit. Canada is an important aviation hub for flights between Asia, North America, and Europe. If a citizen of Indonesia or Malaysia meets the eTA conditions, they can use this authorization not only for entry into Canada but also for transit through a Canadian airport. This may make routes through Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal more attractive for passengers comparing layovers in different countries.

For airlines, the change is also significant because the verification of the right to board occurs before departure. If a passenger requires an eTA, its absence may be a reason for denial of boarding, even if the person does not plan to leave the transit zone. Therefore, travelers should obtain the authorization in advance, use only the official Canada website, and carefully check that the eTA is linked specifically to the passport they are flying with.

For those already planning routes through large Canadian hubs, it is useful to separately check airport logistics. For flights through Ontario, you can check information about Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) and its online flight board. For the West Coast, the pages for Vancouver Airport (YVR) will be relevant, and for trips to Quebec - Montreal-Trudeau Airport (YUL). If the layover is long or the flight arrives late, it is worth checking hotels near Toronto Pearson or transfer options from Vancouver Airport in advance.

Why Canada Took This Step Now

In the Canadian explanation, the change is presented not only as a tourism simplification, but as part of the policy toward the Indo-Pacific region. Canada is trying to diversify trade ties, support business mobility, investment, innovation, and people-to-people contacts. Indonesia and Malaysia in this context are important not only as tourism markets, but also as economic partners through which Canada builds a broader presence in the ASEAN region.

For the tourism sector, this means that visa policy is increasingly used as a tool for destination competitiveness. Countries that reduce barriers for already verified travelers can more quickly restore long-haul air traffic, stimulate repeat visits, and facilitate trips for families, student groups, conference participants, and short business tours. In Canada's case, this is also a way to make Canadian airports more convenient for transit against the competition from American, Asian, and European hubs.

At the same time, Canada emphasizes the security part of the decision. Travelers using an eTA undergo electronic screening, and then an additional assessment at the border. The government also reminds that it has strengthened mechanisms for canceling eTAs, visas, and permits in certain cases. That is, the simplification does not mean a waiver of control, but rather a shift of part of the verification to a digital and risk-oriented format.

What to Do Before the Trip

Travelers from Indonesia and Malaysia planning Canada in the summer or autumn of 2026 should start with a basic check of their eligibility for an eTA. It is necessary to ensure that the passport is valid, that the previous Canadian TRV was indeed issued within the last 10 years, or that the American non-immigrant visa is valid at the time of application. If the passport is about to expire, it is worth considering that the electronic authorization is linked to a specific passport.

  • Check requirements on the official Canada.ca website before buying tickets.
  • Apply for an eTA only through the government portal of Canada, not through random intermediary sites.
  • Ensure that the route actually involves arrival or transit by plane.
  • Do not cancel a valid visitor visa: it can be used until its expiration date.
  • If the purpose of the trip is study or work, check separate permits, not just an eTA.

For tourists from other countries, this news is also useful as a reminder: Canadian rules depend not only on citizenship, but also on the method of arrival, the history of previous visas, and the purpose of the trip. The same route may require different documents depending on whether a person flies through a Canadian airport, crosses the border from the USA by car, or stays in Canada for a longer period.

Conclusion

The Canadian decision from May 26 is a targeted but noticeable relief for some tourists and transit passengers from Indonesia and Malaysia. It does not completely replace the visitor visa and does not cancel border control, however, it makes Canada more accessible for travelers who already have a history of Canadian or American visa verification. For the market, this is a signal that countries are again more actively adjusting visa rules for air mobility, tourism, and business trips, but doing so selectively, with an emphasis on security and digital verification.

Sources: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Canada.ca: Visitor visa, Canada.ca: eTA, The Star Malaysia.