![\"Why](\"https:\/\/immigration.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/visa-application-pic-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\nVisa-free travel between Canada and Europe remains in jeopardy after the deadline for an agreement came and went last week.<\/p>\n
Now the April 12 date has been pushed to July 12, with urgent talks currently being held between officials from Canada and the European Union.<\/p>\n
Should those discussions break down, it would mean Canadians would require a visa to travel to the 26 members of the EU\u2019s Schengen Area, which excludes the UK and Ireland.<\/p>\n
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The EU\u2019s reciprocal policy requires countries granted visa-free travel to provide the same privilege to Europeans.<\/p>\n
Canada currently requires a visa<\/a> for travellers from Romania and Bulgaria, but the EU served a notice two years ago saying this would need to end.<\/p>\n Immigration Minister John McCallum said that while restrictions for Romanians and Bulgarians had been eased, Canada did not support a policy of visa reciprocity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don’t do it in terms of reciprocity,\u201d he said a day before the April 12 deadline. \u201cWe do it according to the conditions in each particular country, with a view to Canadians’ security and Canada’s well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n An immigration department spokeswoman added: \u00ab\u00a0Neither Romania nor Bulgaria currently meets Canada’s criteria for a visa exemption.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n Given the bureaucracy-heavy nature of the EU, any move to impose a visa restriction would take time to implement, especially given the surge in applications it would trigger.<\/p>\n A statement after the deadline expired said that before any decision was made, the EU must \u00ab\u00a0extensively scrutinize and take into account potential adverse political consequences that might arise from such proposals or decisions.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n An Immigration Canada spokesperson added: \u00ab\u00a0We are pleased that the Commission has chosen not to adopt an Act to impose a visa requirement on Canadian travellers to Europe at this time.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u00a0Having fewer Canadians travelling to the EU due to a visa requirement could impact not only the EU’s tourism sector, but also political and economic relations \u2014 as well as established family ties.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n The US and Brunei are also impacted by the EU\u2019s policy enforcement, while Japan and Australia reached agreements last year.<\/p>\n Interested employers:<\/strong>\u00a0Kindly\u00a0contact us<\/a>\u00a0here to receive further information.<\/p>\n Interested candidates:\u00a0<\/strong>Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our\u00a0free on-line evaluation<\/a>. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.<\/p>\n Recent News Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n