In a move very similar to the USA’s ESTA programme, Canada has announced that from 1 August 2015, visitors from a large number of ‘friendly’ countries will be required to apply for, and pay for, permission to enter Canada. From 15 March, 2016 you won’t be able to board a plane to Canada without one.

Whilst, like the USA, Canada is charging for the service it is a little cheaper – CAD7 and lasts for 5 years – or until your passport expires whichever is the sooner.

I am lucky to have seen this as I am connecting back through Canada in the autumn to the UK from Tampa.

US Citizens do not need one.

Acquiring an eTA apparently gives travellers confidence that they have been pre-screened to come to Canada and will streamline their entry.

There is a fun little video here, which explains more.

Applications are not currently available it seems.

This is a list of who needs an eTA.

Foreign nationals from the following countries will need an eTA before boarding flights to Canada as of March 15, 2016:

• Andorra
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• Austria
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belgium
• British citizen
• British overseas citizen who is re-admissible to the United Kingdom
• British overseas territory citizen who derives that citizenship through birth, descent, naturalization or registration in one of the British overseas territories of:
  • Anguilla
  • Bermuda
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Falkland Islands
  • Gibraltar
  • Montserrat
  • Pitcairn Island
  • Saint Helena
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
• Brunei Darussalam
• Chile
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Federal Republic of Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Republic of Korea
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Papua New Guinea
• Poland
• Portugal
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

eTA required – foreign nationals with specific documents

The following foreign nationals will need an eTA before boarding flights to Canada as of March 15, 2016:

• Persons who have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence (United States Permanent Residents).
• Holder of a passport or travel document issued by the Holy See.
• Holder of a national Israeli passport.
• Holder of a passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.
• Holder of a passport issued by the United Kingdom to a British National (Overseas), as a person born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong.
• Holder of a passport issued by the United Kingdom to a British Subject which contains the observation that the holder has the right of abode in the United Kingdom.
• Holder of an ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number of the individual.