Beijing announced on 17 February 2026 that Canadian passport holders may enter mainland China visa-free for stays of up to 30 days until the end of 2026, expanding a pilot scheme that already covered most of Europe and parts of Latin America and Southeast Asia. The move comes a month after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ice-breaking visit to Beijing and signals a bid to reset strained bilateral relations.
Tour operators in Vancouver and Toronto report a 40 % week-on-week spike in enquiries for spring travel, while Canadian exporters of premium agri-food products see opportunities to conduct on-site market research without the usual CA $142 visa fee and multi-week processing wait. Business travellers must still obtain work permits for remunerated activities, but short-term meetings, negotiations and trade-fairs visits are now friction-free.
![China grants 30-day visa-free entry to Canadian travellers in major diplomatic thaw]()
For Canadians eager to capitalise on the waiver, online service VisaHQ stands ready to help. The company’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) tracks Chinese entry policies in real time and can arrange any residual paperwork—such as health declarations, invitation letters or onward-visa requirements for multi-country trips—so travellers spend less time on red tape and more time planning their agendas.
Corporations are reminded that China’s cybersecurity and data-localisation rules apply to devices carried into the country; compliance teams should update travel protocols accordingly. The visa waiver currently excludes U.S. citizens, giving Canadian firms a potential first-mover advantage in re-engaging the Chinese market.
Ottawa welcomed the gesture but stopped short of reciprocity, noting that China’s exit-control law still allows authorities to bar foreigners from leaving the country during investigations. Analysts will watch whether the trial is extended beyond 31 December 2026, as previous waivers have been.
Tour operators in Vancouver and Toronto report a 40 % week-on-week spike in enquiries for spring travel, while Canadian exporters of premium agri-food products see opportunities to conduct on-site market research without the usual CA $142 visa fee and multi-week processing wait. Business travellers must still obtain work permits for remunerated activities, but short-term meetings, negotiations and trade-fairs visits are now friction-free.
For Canadians eager to capitalise on the waiver, online service VisaHQ stands ready to help. The company’s Canadian portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) tracks Chinese entry policies in real time and can arrange any residual paperwork—such as health declarations, invitation letters or onward-visa requirements for multi-country trips—so travellers spend less time on red tape and more time planning their agendas.
Corporations are reminded that China’s cybersecurity and data-localisation rules apply to devices carried into the country; compliance teams should update travel protocols accordingly. The visa waiver currently excludes U.S. citizens, giving Canadian firms a potential first-mover advantage in re-engaging the Chinese market.
Ottawa welcomed the gesture but stopped short of reciprocity, noting that China’s exit-control law still allows authorities to bar foreigners from leaving the country during investigations. Analysts will watch whether the trial is extended beyond 31 December 2026, as previous waivers have been.
