Transiting Through Canada: Do You Need a Transit Visa or eTA in 2026?

If your itinerary routes you through Toronto, Vancouver, or Montréal on the way somewhere else, you might assume that never leaving the airport means never needing paperwork. Canada does not work that way. Even a same-day connection where you stay behind security usually requires a travel document, and which one depends on your passport and how you travel.

Here is how the rules actually break down for 2026.

The basic rule: transit still counts as entering Canada

For air travellers, Canada treats a connection like any other arrival. The length of your layover does not change what you need — whether you are on the ground for two hours or overnight, you generally need either an eTA or a visa to pass through a Canadian airport, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

What you need comes down to your citizenship:

• If you are from a visa-exempt country (for example, the UK, most of the EU, Australia, Japan, South Korea), you need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to fly through Canada.
• If you are from a visa-required country, you need a transit visa — or a visitor visa if you already hold one.

One important exception: U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States do not need an eTA or a visa to transit Canada, by air or any other mode.

If you need an eTA

An eTA is the lightweight option. It is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals flying to or through Canada. You apply online, it costs CAD $7, and most applications are approved within minutes (some take longer). Once granted, it is valid for up to five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and it covers multiple trips.

A key detail for connections: you only need an eTA when you fly through Canada. If you are transiting by car, bus, train, or boat — including a cruise ship — an eTA is not required, though you still need valid travel documents. You can read more in our explainer on what the eTA is and how it works.

Apply only through the official government portal to avoid third-party sites that charge extra for the same $7 authorization.

If you need a transit visa

Travellers from visa-required countries generally need a transit visa when all of the following apply, per IRCC: your international flight stops at a Canadian airport on the way to another country, or you are connecting between two international flights in Canada; your transit lasts 48 hours or less; you do not hold a valid visitor visa; and you are not eligible for an eTA.

A few things worth knowing:

• The transit visa itself is free. There is no processing fee, unlike a regular visitor visa.
• If your stopover will run longer than 48 hours, or you plan to leave the airport and enter Canada, you need a visitor visa instead.
• If you are crossing by land or sea rather than flying, the transit visa does not apply — a visitor visa is the relevant document.

Because a transit visa still has to be applied for and approved in advance, do not leave it to the last minute. Book with enough lead time before your flight.

Two special programs: Transit Without Visa and the China Transit Program

Canada runs two narrow programs that let certain travellers pass through without an eTA or visa. Both exist specifically for people connecting to or from the United States, and both come with strict conditions.

Transit Without Visa (TWOV) is open to travellers holding a passport from China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, or Taiwan. To qualify you generally must hold a valid U.S. visa, have a confirmed onward ticket, travel with a participating airline, and remain in the sterile transit area of the airport. It operates at Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson. Note that travellers from the Philippines, Thailand, or Taiwan may still need a transit visa if they do not meet every requirement.

The China Transit Program (CTP) is for nationals of the People's Republic of China (passports issued in Hong Kong or Macao do not qualify). Eligible travellers can transit visa- and eTA-free if they have a confirmed flight to the U.S. that leaves Canada within 24 hours of arrival, travel with a participating airline, and stay inside the airport. The CTP currently runs at Toronto Pearson (Terminal 1 only), Vancouver, and Montréal (Air Canada flights only).

A crucial catch on both: the exemption depends on a short, uninterrupted connection. If a flight is delayed or cancelled and your layover stretches past the limit, you can lose eligibility on the spot — which is why many travellers who technically qualify are advised to consider a transit visa as a safer fallback.

The bottom line

Start with your passport and your route. Visa-exempt flyer heading through Canada? Get the $7 eTA. Visa-required and connecting in 48 hours or less? A free transit visa is usually your document. Travelling to or from the U.S. on an eligible passport? Check whether TWOV or the CTP fits — but read the fine print, because the airline can turn you away at check-in if you do not.

Verify your own situation before you book, using the official Transit through Canada guidance and the eTA pages on Canada.ca. Rules and participating airports change, and the person who checks you in will go by the current requirements, not last year's.

IRCC.com is an independent news and information website. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Government of Canada, and we do not provide immigration services or legal advice. Entry requirements change — always verify with official sources before you travel.