Speaking notes for the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, to announce the Transit without Visa Program and China Transit Trial

Vancouver International Airport
Vancouver, British Columbia
July 30, 2009

As delivered

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Thank you very much for that kind introduction. As well, I want to thank Dr. Wong for welcoming us here in her constituency in beautiful Richmond. Mr. Berg, thank you for having us here at the dynamic Vancouver International Airport.

The face of this province’s population is changing and so is its economy. And with the 2010 Olympics just months away, British Columbia will begin to attract great excitement. Of course, we all share your enthusiasm for the exciting times ahead. We also want to help facilitate the province’s progress. And to that end, ladies and gentlemen, it’s with great pleasure that I join with Minister Day today to help launch the Transit Without Visa Program in Vancouver International Airport.

The Transit Without Visa Program is aimed at facilitating the movement of genuine travellers and encouraging business to Canadian airports, beginning with this one right here in Vancouver. It means that we are waiving the requirement for a transit visa for certain foreign nationals who have U.S. visas, who are just transiting through Canada to go to and from the United States, and there are thousands and thousands of those people every year.

So if you’re a traveller right now from Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, passing through Canada here at Vancouver International, to and from the United States, you’ll not be required to obtain a Canadian transit visa.

Now that’s been the case under a pilot project for a number of years, but as of today, that’s becoming a permanent policy of the Government of Canada that those airlines, their passengers, and this airport can rely on going forward.

You must still hold a valid U.S. visa if you’re coming from one of those four countries, and you must be travelling on an approved airline with access to the in-transit pre-clearance facility that we have here at VIA.

This is thanks to the successful pilot project that’s been undertaken at the initiative of Vancouver International. A pilot project that demonstrated that the Transit Without Visa concept was, indeed, a secure and effective way of contributing to the local economy, not just the local economy of the Lower Mainland and Richmond, but also the mini-economy right here at this airport, which employs thousands of people.

Through this program, Canada will become more appealing as a transit country of choice for travellers going to and from our neighbour to the south, the United States. We want to expand this program to other international airports across the country and to other airlines and citizens of other foreign countries.

The Government of Canada will continue to explore initiatives that will move travellers safely across our borders. Now since we recognize the importance of growing travel from China, we are very pleased today to announce the introduction of a one-year China transit trial. This means that if you’re a citizen of China and you are flying direct from Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Manila or Taipei, you will be able, as of today, to transit through Vancouver International Airport to the United States without having to obtain a Canadian transit visa.

Again, you still have to be travelling on an approved airline with access to a Canadian airport with U.S. in-transit pre-clearance facility in full operation and hold a valid U.S. visa. The China transit trial will encourage travellers from one of the world’s fastest growing economies to choose Canada as a transit point when travelling to and from the United States. Our aim is to make Canadian airports more competitive, which will contribute to the vitality of our economy. This is in Canada’s interest.

I want to thank the Canada Border Services Agency and the Minister of Public Safety, Peter Van Loan, and all the participating airlines. We are confident that the success of this program will pave the way for future expansion to other nationalities, airlines and airports.

This is great news today for not only VIA and the people who work here, it’s also great news for thousands and thousands of families who want to come to the United States. It’ll now be so much easier to do so through this airport, and we believe this will pave the way for similar services in other Canadian air terminals across the country.

So on behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish everyone involved tremendous success and look forward to your progress in the months and years to come.