Independent, plain-language guides to visiting Canada — the eTA, entry requirements, airports, and what to do when something goes wrong. Written for real travellers and checked against official sources.
Consent Letter for a Child Travelling to Canada: What It Must Say, Who Signs, and Whether to Notarize
The short answer: Canadian law does not make a consent letter compulsory for a child entering the country, but a border officer can ask for one, and a child may not be let in if the officer is not satisfied that the parents agree to the trip. The letter comes from the parent (or both parents) staying at home, with a copy of that parent’s passport or national ID attached. Every child who flies in also needs an eTA of their own. ...
What Visitors Can Bring into Canada Duty-Free: Alcohol, Tobacco, Gifts, Cash and the Cannabis Rule
The short answer: a visitor can bring one of four alcohol amounts (1.5 L of wine, 1.14 L of spirits, 1.14 L of wine and spirits combined, or 8.5 L of beer or ale) and 200 cigarettes plus set amounts of other tobacco, though CBSA says duties and taxes could still apply to them; gifts worth up to CAD 60 each are the part that is truly duty-free. Cash of CAD 10,000 or more must be reported, and cannabis cannot cross the border without a Health Canada permit, which a visitor will not have. None of this is part of your travel authorisation, so if you still need to apply for a Canada eTA before flying, do that first; it is a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...
Working Remotely from Canada on an eTA: What the Visitor Rules Actually Allow
The short answer: yes. A visa-exempt visitor may work remotely from Canada for an employer or clients based outside Canada for up to six months at a time, on ordinary visitor status, with no work permit and no special visa. The eTA is the document that lets you board the flight, and you can apply for a Canada eTA through a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. What you may not do is work for a Canadian employer or Canadian clients without a permit. ...
Bringing Food into Canada for Personal Use: What a Tourist Can Pack and What to Declare
The short answer: a visitor can bring most packaged food into Canada for personal use, generally up to 20 kg per person per category, as long as every item is declared. Bread, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, tea, coffee, spices, honey and sealed baby formula are fine from anywhere. Fresh or cured meat, eggs and unpasteurised cheese from outside the United States are the items that get taken away. The food rules are separate from your travel authorisation, so if you still need to apply for a Canada eTA before the flight, do that first; it is a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...
Canada eTA Occupation: Retired, Self-Employed or Unemployed
The short answer: if you are retired, unemployed, a student or a homemaker, choose the list entry with that exact name. Self-employed people and freelancers will not find an entry for them, so they pick the category closest to the kind of work they do, then the nearest job title. You can apply for a Canada eTA and fill in the form in one sitting; it’s a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...
Urgent Canada eTA: Flying in 48 Hours and No Approval Yet
The short answer: apply for the eTA right now, because most decisions come back within minutes, and write the urgent reason for your trip in the additional-details box. There is no rush option to buy or request, and a pending application will not get you on the plane, so the plan is to apply, watch your inbox, and decide about the flight early rather than at the check-in desk. You can apply for a Canada eTA in one sitting; it’s a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...
Stateless or on a Refugee Travel Document: eTA, Visa or Neither?
The short answer: if you are stateless or travel on a refugee travel document, you generally cannot get an eTA; you need a visitor visa to visit Canada, or a visa to change planes there. The rule applies by any method of travel. There are two exceptions where you need neither: a valid Canadian refugee travel document, and U.S. permanent residents who travel on a U.S. refugee travel document or re-entry permit with proof of their status. If you have since become a citizen of a country on the eTA list, you can apply for a Canada eTA on that new passport through a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...
Flying Private or Charter to Canada: Who Needs an eTA, From Passengers to Crew
The short answer: yes. If your passport needs an eTA for a flight on an airline, it needs one on a private jet, a business jet or a charter too, because the rule covers arriving in Canada by air, whatever the aircraft. The exceptions are about who you are, not what you fly: U.S. citizens and green card holders, travellers with a Canadian visa, Canadian citizens and pilots or cabin crew who arrive to work on that flight. If you are a passenger, you can apply for a Canada eTA through a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...
Seasonal and Tourism Jobs in Canada: Where an eTA Stops and a Work Permit Starts
The short answer: no, an eTA does not give you the right to work in Canada, and that includes seasonal and tourism jobs at ski resorts, lodges, campgrounds, restaurants and tour companies. Seasonal workers from visa-exempt countries need a work permit, usually through the Working Holiday program or a permit tied to one employer, and when that permit is approved the eTA for the flight is issued with it automatically. If you are coming only to visit, you can apply for a Canada eTA through a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...
Rescheduling Your Canada Trip: What New Dates Mean for Your eTA
The short answer: moving your trip to new dates doesn’t change an approved eTA, because it holds no travel dates and stays linked to your passport. What can go wrong is the new calendar: the eTA has to be valid on the day you board for Canada, your passport has to last through the new stay, and the visit normally can’t run past six months from the day you arrive. If you don’t have an eTA yet, apply for a Canada eTA before you pay for the new ticket; it’s a paid private service, separate from the Government of Canada. ...