If you’re from Indonesia or Malaysia, the headline sounds simple: Canada now lets some travellers use an eTA instead of a TRV.
The problem is that most people stop reading there.
That’s where the mistakes begin.
This change is not a blanket “visa is over” rule. It is a narrow eligibility shift for specific travellers, specific travel methods, and specific travel histories.
Bottom line
- As of May 26, 2026, some citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia may apply for an eTA instead of a visitor visa when travelling to Canada by air, if they meet the published requirements.
- If you already hold a valid visitor visa (TRV), you can keep using it until it expires.
- Not everyone from Indonesia or Malaysia qualifies for eTA. If you travel by car, bus, train, or boat, you still need a visitor visa.
- Airlines still check documents before boarding. If your document doesn’t match your travel method, you may be denied boarding even if you thought you were “eligible.”
Who this is for
- Indonesian and Malaysian citizens planning a trip to Canada in 2026.
- Travellers transiting through a Canadian airport.
- People who already had a TRV and are trying to figure out whether they should switch.
What actually changed
IRCC’s visitor visa page now says that, as of May 26, 2026, some citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia may be eligible to apply for an eTA instead of a visitor visa to travel to Canada by air.
That is a travel-document change, not a guarantee of entry.
The approval question still includes:
- your funds
- your purpose of travel
- your return plan
- your travel history
- whether your story makes sense to an officer
If you want the refusal-risk side of this, read: Why IRCC thinks you won’t leave Canada (“immigration intent”) explained.
If you already live in Canada on temporary status
If you are already in Canada on a work permit, study permit, or visitor status, don’t confuse your travel document with your status.
Your status controls whether you may stay or work in Canada.
Your TRV or eTA controls whether you can board a flight back in.
Your permit conditions still matter. If your work permit or study permit has restrictions, leaving Canada does not erase those conditions. It just creates a re-entry question on top of the status question.
That distinction matters if you:
- leave Canada for family reasons
- plan to return for work or school
- have housing or job dates that depend on your arrival
If you are close to permit expiry, read this before you decide to leave: Can you stay in Canada after your PGWP expires?.
TRV vs eTA in plain English
TRV
A TRV is a visitor visa placed in your passport. It is still the right document for many travellers, and if you already have one that is valid, you can use it until it expires.
eTA
An eTA is electronically linked to your passport and is used for eligible air travel.
The important part is not the label. It is the travel route.
If your trip is not by air, the eTA option may not apply.
The biggest mistake: thinking eligibility equals smooth boarding
Many travellers assume the following:
- “I’m eligible, so the airline will know.”
- “I’m just transiting, so the rules are lighter.”
- “If I had a visa before, everything is still fine.”
Not quite.
Airlines check document validity before they let you board. If you have the wrong document for the exact travel method, the problem appears at the airport, not after you land.
That is why travel flexibility matters. Do not lock in non-refundable flights until you’ve checked the actual rules for your passport and route.
If you already hold a valid TRV
You usually do not need to rush to apply for an eTA just because you became eligible.
If the TRV is valid, it can still be used.
That matters because the “switch” is not always the best move for people with a complex story, a long stay, or a sensitive history.
What to do if you are transiting through Canada
Transit is where people get burned because they assume the word “transit” changes everything.
It doesn’t.
Before you book:
- confirm whether your exact route requires an eTA or TRV
- confirm whether your airline checks the document you think it checks
- confirm whether you’re entering Canada or staying airside only
If you have been refused before, don’t pretend it never happened. Build around it. This is the cleaner reset path: Visitor visa refused: what “insufficient funds” actually means.
What to do before you pay for anything
- Check IRCC’s official travel page for your nationality and travel method.
- Keep your accommodation refundable until boarding is confirmed.
- Save copies of your passport, visa history, and itinerary.
- If your travel depends on a family event, keep the plan narrow and honest.
The 15-minute checklist
Before you buy a ticket, answer these in order:
- Am I flying to Canada, or using a land/sea route?
- Do I qualify for the eTA option under the published rule?
- Do I already hold a valid TRV that I can keep using?
- If I’m already in Canada, will leaving create a status or work problem when I come back?
- Are my hotel and flight bookings refundable if the document check goes sideways?
Housing note
Travel mistakes become housing mistakes very quickly.
If you book a short-term rental, a hotel, or a lease around a fixed arrival date, a document mismatch can cost you the deposit and force you into a worse place later.
Keep the housing plan flexible until your boarding document is confirmed.
Sources checked (what we verified before publishing)
- IRCC visitor visa page showing the May 26, 2026 Indonesia/Malaysia eTA change and the rule that a valid TRV can still be used until expiry.
- IRCC news release announcing the change and explaining that only eligible travellers flying to Canada by air may use the eTA option.
- IRCC help centre pages on visas, eTAs, and transit through Canada.
Sources checked (what we verified before publishing)
- IRCC visitor visa page noting the Indonesia/Malaysia eTA change effective May 26, 2026.
- IRCC news release announcing the May 25, 2026 update.
- IRCC help centre guidance on eTA, TRV, and transit through Canada.