Coming to Canada
What are the regulations pertaining to customs and duty? What's an eTA? Get all the info you need to prepare for Canada.
Coming to Canada
Passports
No matter how you are arriving in Canada, always carry valid travel documents.
To Get Into Canada
- You do need a passport or an equivalent travel document in order to enter Canada.
- For detailed information on entry requirements visit the Government of Canada's Requirements to Enter Canada page.
- Visit the Canada Border Services Agency to learn more about Canadian customs regulation.
Electronic Travel Authorization
Think of eTAs like a visa. But not the kind you use to pay for things.
You need to apply for it online before you come to Canada.
- Anyone flying to Canada needs an eTA in order to enter the country.
- The eTA costs $7 CAD (and about the same in AUD).
- Find out if you need an eTA on the Government of Canada website.
- Apply for your eTA here.
- Your eTA is electronically linked to your passport so you don't have to print anything out. Just don't forget that passport!
Passports
No matter how you are arriving in Canada, always carry valid travel documents.
To Get Into Canada
- You do need a passport or an equivalent travel document in order to enter Canada.
- For detailed information on entry requirements visit the Government of Canada's Requirements to Enter Canada page.
- Visit the Canada Border Services Agency to learn more about Canadian customs regulation.
Electronic Travel Authorization
Think of eTAs like a visa. But not the kind you use to pay for things.
You need to apply for it online before you come to Canada.
- Anyone flying to Canada needs an eTA in order to enter the country.
- The eTA costs $7 CAD (and about the same in AUD).
- Find out if you need an eTA on the Government of Canada website.
- Apply for your eTA here.
- Your eTA is electronically linked to your passport so you don't have to print anything out. Just don't forget that passport!
Money
Do you know the value of a loonie or a toonie?
Canadian Money
- is a dollar ($) currency.
- is usually at a similar value to the Australian dollar and a lower value than American money. To see the current exchange rate, please visit the Bank of Canada.
- has a $1 and $2 coin called the loonie and toonie (seriously).
Money
Do you know the value of a loonie or a toonie?
Canadian Money
- is a dollar ($) currency.
- is usually at a similar value to the Australian dollar and a lower value than American money. To see the current exchange rate, please visit the Bank of Canada.
- has a $1 and $2 coin called the loonie and toonie (seriously).
Timezones
Broadly speaking, when the sun comes up in Australia, it sets in Canada. Time zones change as you move from Canada’s west to east coasts, and varies according to Australian daylight savings times.
Imagine for a moment...
- It’s 7:00pm and you’re relaxing at home in Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. While you unwind in front of the TV, your Canadian friends are sleeping. It’s 2:00am in Vancouver, 3:00am in Calgary, and 5:00am in Toronto and Montreal. Meanwhile, the sun is rising in Halifax, where it’s 6:00am.
- The exceptions are Perth, Adelaide and Darwin. If you live in Perth, simply add two hours to the above calculations. So, when it’s 7:00pm in Perth, it’s 4:00am in Vancouver, 5:00am in Calgary, and so on. Add just half an hour if you live in Adelaide or Darwin.
- During Daylight Savings, minus two hours from the equation. So, when it’s 7:00pm in Sydney, it’s midnight on the same day in Vancouver, 1:00am in Calgary, and so on.
Timezones
Broadly speaking, when the sun comes up in Australia, it sets in Canada. Time zones change as you move from Canada’s west to east coasts, and varies according to Australian daylight savings times.
Imagine for a moment...
- It’s 7:00pm and you’re relaxing at home in Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane. While you unwind in front of the TV, your Canadian friends are sleeping. It’s 2:00am in Vancouver, 3:00am in Calgary, and 5:00am in Toronto and Montreal. Meanwhile, the sun is rising in Halifax, where it’s 6:00am.
- The exceptions are Perth, Adelaide and Darwin. If you live in Perth, simply add two hours to the above calculations. So, when it’s 7:00pm in Perth, it’s 4:00am in Vancouver, 5:00am in Calgary, and so on. Add just half an hour if you live in Adelaide or Darwin.
- During Daylight Savings, minus two hours from the equation. So, when it’s 7:00pm in Sydney, it’s midnight on the same day in Vancouver, 1:00am in Calgary, and so on.
Language & culture
Australians and Canadians are very close in language and in culture. We both like a laugh and are always seeking the next big adventure. But, like the finer things in life, it’s all in the details.
Say what?
- French is an official language and is spoken in every province, but the highest concentration of native French speakers is in Quebec.
- There are hundreds of languages in use in Canada.
- You can travel just about anywhere in Canada using only English.
Language & culture
Australians and Canadians are very close in language and in culture. We both like a laugh and are always seeking the next big adventure. But, like the finer things in life, it’s all in the details.
Say what?
- French is an official language and is spoken in every province, but the highest concentration of native French speakers is in Quebec.
- There are hundreds of languages in use in Canada.
- You can travel just about anywhere in Canada using only English.
Weather
Canadian weather varies greatly from region to region and season to season. From rainforest to desert and everything in between, Canada has the lot.
Summer
- Vancouver has an average high of 25 degrees Celsius with 8 beaches within the city where you can enjoy the sun.
- Enjoy a cold drink on a restaurant or cafe patio in Montreal in style with average highs of 26 degrees Celsius.
- Dive into Lake Ontario at Toronto as average highs 26 degrees Celsius make for perfect sunbathing and swimming weather.
Winter
- Grab your snowboard as Whistler Blackcomb near Vancouver gets 12 metres feet of snow on average each year at the summit.
- Lace them up and join 19,000 daily visitors in skating along 7.7 kilometres of frozen urban river on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa.
- Quebec City is cold in January and February, but it’s perfect for snow sculptures, snow baths, night parades and parties of the world renowned Winter Carnival.
Getting around
How far is a km? What are the regulations pertaining to customs and duty?
Get all the info you need to prepare for Canada.
Getting around
How far is a km? What are the regulations pertaining to customs and duty?
Get all the info you need to prepare for Canada.