The China Transit Program allows eligible citizens from China, who normally need a visa to enter Canada, to transit through the country visa-free when travelling to or from the United States (U.S), if they meet certain conditions.
Eligible Chinese travellers will have the option to fly to Canada from five additional major Asian departure points—Xiamen, Fuzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang, and Harbin—as well as from Beijing, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Manila,Taipei, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Seoul Incheon. They must be travelling to Canada for the purpose of transit on a China Transit Program-approved airline from a China Transit Program-approved departure city and be landing at either Toronto Pearson or Vancouver International Airports.
This improvement closely follows an announcement made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper during a trip to China in November 2014 when Canada welcomed a 10th airline – China Southern Airlines – to both the China Transit Program and the Transit Without Visa Program.
Increasing transit traffic through Canada will mean more business for airlines flying to Canada and for Toronto Pearson and Vancouver International airports. This transit traffic should make more international flights possible, which would offer Canadian travellers access to a greater variety of destinations at competitive prices.
To be eligible for the China Transit Program, Chinese travellers must meet the following conditions:
- Hold a valid passport issued by the People’s Republic of China;
- Hold a valid U.S. visa;
- Travel to Canada on an approved airline (Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air China, Air Georgian Limited, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Southern Airlines, Jazz Aviation, Philippine Airlines, Sky Regional Airlines Inc., and WestJet); and,
- Transit through an approved Canadian airport (either Vancouver International Airport or Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, Terminal 1 only).
Individual travellers cannot apply for the China Transit Program. Only airports and airlines can submit an application. Learn more about the TWOV and the China Transit Program on Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s website.
