Canada strengthens borders while supporting economic and tourism ties with…
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced June 4 that foreign nationals traveling by sea from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to Canada will now require an electronic travel authorization (eTA) before departure. The requirement takes effect immediately and applies to visa-exempt travelers using the marine route between the French territory and Canadian ports. Up to 1,000 foreign nationals per year could be affected by the change.
The new screening measure follows Canada's 2025 expansion of authority to cancel eTAs, visas, work permits, and study permits on a case-by-case basis when fraud or misuse is detected. That policy shift, part of the broader Canada Border Plan, gave IRCC enhanced powers to revoke travel documents for applicants who fail to meet admissibility requirements or who provide false information. The Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon eTA requirement extends those screening tools to a marine corridor that previously allowed visa-exempt nationals to arrive without advance authorization.
The eTA system requires travelers to submit passport details, biographical information, and answers to admissibility questions online before boarding. Applications are processed electronically, typically within minutes, and link to the traveler's passport for five years or until passport expiry. The $7 CAD fee applies per applicant. IRCC states the requirement will "strengthen Canada's ability to screen travellers before they arrive at a port of entry and help identify people who may not meet Canada's entry and admissibility requirements," according to the official release on canada.ca.
"This will help to stop irregular migration and protect public safety," the backgrounder states, while noting the measure aims to "facilitate legitimate travel."
The change affects visa-exempt nationals from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and European Union member states who previously could board ferries or private vessels from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to Newfoundland and Labrador without pre-screening. French citizens, who hold passports from an eTA-required country, must now apply before departure despite the territory's status as a French overseas collectivity. Canadian citizens and permanent residents remain exempt from the eTA requirement.
Travelers planning trips from Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon to Canada should apply for an eTA at canada.ca/eTA at least 72 hours before their scheduled departure, though most applications process faster. Transportation operators on the route will verify eTA status before boarding. Those without an approved eTA will be denied boarding and must reapply before attempting travel.
Source: canada.ca IRCC backgrounders — published 2026-06-04.