In recognition of this being the Canada-China Year of Tourism, IRCC announced on November 23, 2018 that it is embarking on an initiative to make it easier for Chinese nationals to apply for Canadian visitor visas, particularly for online applications.
Chinese nationals using the Alipay payment platform may now submit an English-language Zhima report as proof of financial standing as part of the visitor visa application. The Zhima report can be accessed for free, and is thought to be more comprehensive than traditional bank statements. IRCC is able to verify the authenticity of each report, which encourages efficient processing.
IRCC estimates that over 30% of Canadian visitor visa applications in 2018 were from Chinese citizens. IRCC Minister Hussen has stated that the government aims to double the number of Chinese tourists to Canada by 2021.
For more information on visitor visas and other temporary residence permits, please contact our office.
