Are you looking to travel to China anytime soon? If so, you may be pleasantly surprised by the recent Canada-China immigration news. Last month, the announcement was made that a 10 year China visa will be available for Canadians looking to visit China, as reported by Canada Business Review.
Below, we’re going to take a look at what the latest reciprocal visa agreement between China and Canada could mean for you.
A Welcome Decision
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently stated that China and Canada will both be offering visas to their respective citizens that will last up to 10 years – although this is actually something Canada began offering to Chinese visitors in 2012.
According to Canada Business Review: “In the past, the Canadian travelers who were conducting business were often put on a graduating scale – a single-entry visa was presented for the first trip, followed by multiple-entry visas with longer periods of allotted time with the occurrence of more frequent visits. Though business travelers were rarely denied entry into the country, obtaining a visa was still quite hassling or inconvenient.”
What It Means for You
The good news is that if you are a Canadian citizen who may have to travel to live in or conduct business in China, you may find your life will soon become a lot easier, without all the hassle of having to obtain a separate visa every time you make the trip.
For companies, there won’t be as much red tape to get around, and it will also mean some cost savings too, according to trade minister for Canada, Ed Fast.
However, the new China 10 year visa doesn’t just apply to business travelers; whether you’re going to China to visit family or simply see sights such as the Great Wall, you’ll also be able to take advantage of the new visa.
A Great Step Forward
Jennifer Humphries from the Canadian Bureau for Education said of the deal (via The Pie News): “It’s a great step forward and will make it much easier for international education professionals, faculty and students from Canada to travel to China.”
She continued: “Most likely it will increase the frequency of visits because Canadians will no longer need to go through processes and fee payments on a regular basis.”
It’s predicted the new deal will benefit the “vast majority” of Canadian travelers.
Ulterior Motive?
So, what’s brought on this amazing change in attitude from China – could there be an ulterior motive to the new China 10 year visa? According to Business Insider, there certainly could be.
Apparently China is hoping that Ottawa may change its stance on a free-trade agreement, which if accepted, could leave Canada at a disadvantage if a Sino-Australian free-trade agreement is also put into place. As a result, there would be an end to Chinese tariffs on Australian imports, however the same tariffs would remain on Canadian products.
Are You Interested in Getting Your China 10 Year Visa?
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President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
