JAKARTA Indonesia, BATIK News. Online
Great news for Indonesians who’ve been eyeing a trip, studies, or work in Canada. Starting May 26, 2026, Indonesian citizens will be able to enter Canada without a visa for certain types of travel. Instead, you’ll just need an _electronic travel authorization_, or eTA, which is faster and cheaper to get.

The new policy was announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). According to IRCC, the eTA will make entering Canada much simpler compared to the _temporary resident visa_, or TRV, which usually takes weeks to months to process.

Who Qualifies?
Not every Indonesian gets this privilege. The visa exemption only applies if you:
1. Held a Canadian temporary resident visa in the last 10 years, or  
2. Currently hold a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa

IRCC calls this group “known travelers” because they’ve already gone through Canadian or U.S. immigration screening before.

How Does It Work?
If you qualify, just apply for an eTA online before boarding your flight to Canada. It costs only 7 Canadian dollars, about $5 USD, and is usually approved within minutes.

Important note: this visa-free access *only applies to air travel*. If you enter Canada by land or sea – by car, bus, train, or ship – you’ll still need a regular visitor visa.

If you already hold a valid Canadian visa, you can keep using it until it or your passport expires.

Why Is Canada Doing This?
This move is part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy to strengthen trade, investment, and people-to-people mobility with Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia.

So if you’ve been to Canada before or have an active U.S. visa, it might be time to prep your passport and start planning that trip to Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal – without the visa hassle.