Executive Summary
Effective December 1, 2017, Bulgarian and Romanian nationals no longer require a visa to enter Canada as business visitors or tourists for short-term stays up to six months. As visa-exempt nationals, they instead require an Electronic Travel Authorization to travel to Canada by air.
The situation
Effective December 1, 2017, Bulgarian and Romanian nationals no longer require a temporary resident visa to enter Canada. Like other visa-exempt nationals, eligible Bulgarians and Romanians now require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada by air.
A closer look
- eTA eligibility. Bulgarian and Romanian nationals can apply for an eTA as of 9am EST December 1, 2017.
- Entry via land/sea borders. Bulgarian and Romanian nationals entering Canada by car, bus, train or boat do not need an eTA or a temporary resident visa.
- Bulgarians and Romanians holding valid Canadian visas. These nationals can continue to travel to or transit through a Canadian airport with their Canadian visa until it expires, after which they will need to apply for an eTA for air travel.
- Bulgarians and Romanians holding valid eTAs. These nationals can continue to fly to Canada with their eTA until it expires, provided they have a valid passport as well.
- Impact on work permit applicants. Bulgarian and Romanian nationals who wish to apply for a work permit can travel to Canada with their valid eTA and apply for work authorization upon entry to Canada.
Travel recommendations
Although an eTA is usually approved online within minutes, complex requests can take days to process. Because of this, the Canadian government recommends all travelers obtain an eTA ahead of their scheduled travel date.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen
Awards
Fragomen is recognized with multiple honors at the 2026 FEM Americas EMMAs, including Outstanding Agility & Crisis Management as a Service Provider and Thought Leadership – Best Survey or Research Study of the Year for the Worldwide Immigration Trends Report 2026.
Blog post
Destination Services Director Christine Sperr examines how housing market reforms, rent stabilization measures and cost-of-living dynamics in Saudi Arabia are influencing workforce mobility, compensation planning and long-term settlement strategies under Vision 2030.
Visas
Manager Dr. Adela Schmidt explains how German authorities assess past travel and business activities and why suspected unauthorized work during prior visits can lead to visa refusals and temporary entry bans.
Podcast
Partner Cosmina Morariu and Senior Director Leah Rogal discuss the mission of Fragomen’s Center for Strategy and Applied Insights and how it helps organizations and governments navigate evolving immigration policy and global talent mobility challenges.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Papaya Global announce a strategic partnership combining workforce technology and immigration capabilities to help organizations simplify global mobility, enhance compliance and manage cross-border workforces through a more integrated, technology-enabled approach.
Video
Latin America & the Caribbean Managing Partner Leonor Echeverria explores how Latin America’s evolving immigration landscape offers accessible and flexible residence pathways for foreign nationals, highlighting key visa options, regional trends and the growing role of digital modernization across the region.
Podcast
Senior Associate Stephanie Weaver and Associate Julia Manacher continue their discussion on immigration law in popular culture, examining how television and media portray immigration processes and the realities behind common immigration storylines.
Media mentions
Partner Kevin Miner discusses how proposed H-1B salary threshold increases may raise employer costs and influence hiring strategies for specialized talent across industries.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Pierangelo D’Errico discusses Portugal’s newly approved nationality law changes and the potential impact on Golden Visa applicants and other foreign residents.
Media mentions
Partner Rajiv Naik highlights the importance of transparency, clear guidance and human oversight as AI use expands in UK immigration tribunals.
Video
Senior Associate Tuğba Özyakup outlines how Europe’s Entry and Exit System (EES) introduces digital tracking of non-EU short-stay travel across the Schengen Area, requiring more proactive planning, accurate record-keeping and awareness of increased border processing times to avoid delays and overstay risks.
Fragomen news
Awards
Fragomen is recognized with multiple honors at the 2026 FEM Americas EMMAs, including Outstanding Agility & Crisis Management as a Service Provider and Thought Leadership – Best Survey or Research Study of the Year for the Worldwide Immigration Trends Report 2026.
Blog post
Destination Services Director Christine Sperr examines how housing market reforms, rent stabilization measures and cost-of-living dynamics in Saudi Arabia are influencing workforce mobility, compensation planning and long-term settlement strategies under Vision 2030.
Visas
Manager Dr. Adela Schmidt explains how German authorities assess past travel and business activities and why suspected unauthorized work during prior visits can lead to visa refusals and temporary entry bans.
Podcast
Partner Cosmina Morariu and Senior Director Leah Rogal discuss the mission of Fragomen’s Center for Strategy and Applied Insights and how it helps organizations and governments navigate evolving immigration policy and global talent mobility challenges.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Papaya Global announce a strategic partnership combining workforce technology and immigration capabilities to help organizations simplify global mobility, enhance compliance and manage cross-border workforces through a more integrated, technology-enabled approach.
Video
Latin America & the Caribbean Managing Partner Leonor Echeverria explores how Latin America’s evolving immigration landscape offers accessible and flexible residence pathways for foreign nationals, highlighting key visa options, regional trends and the growing role of digital modernization across the region.
Podcast
Senior Associate Stephanie Weaver and Associate Julia Manacher continue their discussion on immigration law in popular culture, examining how television and media portray immigration processes and the realities behind common immigration storylines.
Media mentions
Partner Kevin Miner discusses how proposed H-1B salary threshold increases may raise employer costs and influence hiring strategies for specialized talent across industries.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Pierangelo D’Errico discusses Portugal’s newly approved nationality law changes and the potential impact on Golden Visa applicants and other foreign residents.
Media mentions
Partner Rajiv Naik highlights the importance of transparency, clear guidance and human oversight as AI use expands in UK immigration tribunals.
Video
Senior Associate Tuğba Özyakup outlines how Europe’s Entry and Exit System (EES) introduces digital tracking of non-EU short-stay travel across the Schengen Area, requiring more proactive planning, accurate record-keeping and awareness of increased border processing times to avoid delays and overstay risks.
Fragomen news