The Canadian passport has gone from strength to strength. Currently presented as the eighth strongest passport to hold worldwide, it allows residents access to over 180 countries travelling visa-free. A large percentage of these countries are situated within the EU, where Canadians can stay for 90 days, sometimes more, without the need for a costly and time-delaying visa holding things up. There are plenty of opportunities within this scope to be taken advantage of for Canadian citizens, and this guide explores the best of the best and the reasons why.
Strong Global Relationships
The main consideration for this post is that Canada has built strong and stable relationships with many countries around the world. Its economy has gone from strength to strength, and it has been able to create amazing trade links globally. Canada is well-known as a trustworthy ally and has played a part in many major world negotiations, bringing relevant and reliable factors to the table. Canada has moved a long step away from being associated with British governance and has forged independence in many respects.
All About the Schengen Zone
The Schengen area comprises of 26 countries. It removes international borders through the creation of universal exit and entry stipulations for those wanting to visit for any purpose within a 90-day period. This is the main component that allows Canadian citizens to travel visa-free across these countries.
List of Countries in the Schengen Zone
Malta
Belgium
Czech Republic
Austria
Norway
The Netherlands
France
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Italy
Latvia
Iceland
Greece
Sweden
Switzerland
Liechtenstein
Poland
Portugal
Slovenia
Slovakia
Denmark
Spain
Luxembourg
Lithuania
The Requirements
So, what are the rules and regulations for border access in the Schengen zone? In short, there aren’t many. Canadians wishing to travel to this zone are required to get their passports stamped by the authorities on arrival. They can come and go over 180 days for any 90-day period. Aside from this, there are no more restrictions in place. Certain countries require visa-free travellers to report to the authorities when they arrive, but this is not true everywhere.
Beyond the Schengen Zone
Outside of these countries, there are over 100 additional countries that Canadian travellers can visit without a visa. Inside of the EU, this includes the United Kingdom, where Canadian residents can enjoy up to six months of visa-free restrictions. This is why it has gained status as one of the top ten strongest passports in the world.
The Malta Example
The most obvious allure of visa-free travel is the opportunity to invest and make roots in an economically prosperous country. Real estate, for example, for international investors, has seen major lucrative returns in various countries worldwide. The example here focuses on Malta and everything that has to offer. If you are looking to invest and get residency in Malta, the process is even easier for Canadian residents who enjoy the benefits of visa-free head starts.
There are lots of reasons to invest in property here, from the strong economy to positive living standards and vast property options. It is also a stepping stone to permanent residency, should that be a route you wish to tread. Thanks to the 90-day visa-free sounding board, there is plenty of opportunity to lay down roots and even find permanent commerce ventures.
Benefits of Visa-Free Travel
There are a few benefits to visa-free travel worth noting. Aside from the investment door being held open, general convenience is also a factor.
No Fees
Visa fees can be a costly expense that eats away at your budget for actual travelling. There is not much you can do to get around these fees, and they must be paid to secure a visa for the country. Therefore, when you don’t need one, not only is it less expensive, but there is also a clear financial benefit as a direct result.
No Lengthy Delays
Visas for EU countries might have a quick turnaround, but this entirely depends on how well you fill in the forms and who is around to process them. It has been known to take weeks of administrative duties to fulfill the criteria. There is documentation to send back and forth, and official registrations to adhere to. The whole process is long, arduous, and not entirely intuitive.
Free Range Travel
If you fancy hopping from country to country at short notice, this is one of the main appeals of visa-free living. You can go wherever you like whenever you feel the itch. There are no barriers within the countries that acknowledge Canadian residents as having visa-free benefits.
Flexible Adventures
It also allows for a greater degree of flexibility as per your travel arrangements and in general. If you need to leave, for example, because of unexpected circumstances, your trip won’t be lost. You can return within the stipulated timeframe or even outside of it if you follow the rules.
No Hoops to Jump Through
The biggest benefit is that there are no hoops to jump through at the border control point either on arrival or exit.
Conclusion
Canadians have one of the strongest passports in the world. Ranking at number eight, they have a unique status globally in that nearly 200 countries allow Canadian citizens to visit and travel for extended periods visa-free. Canada has strong global ties, a favourable economy, exemplary educational opportunities, and a renowned healthcare system. It has long been a country of peace and its residents are enjoying the benefits of the strength of forged relationships.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A linebacker at Division II West Virginia State was fatally shot during what the university said Thursday is being investigated by police as a home invasion.
The body of Jyilek Zyiare Harrington, 21, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was found inside an apartment Wednesday night in Charleston, police Lt. Tony Hazelett said in a statement.
Hazelett said several gunshots were fired during a disturbance in a hallway and inside the apartment. The statement said Harrington had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said they had no information on a possible suspect.
West Virginia State said counselors were available to students and faculty on campus.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jyilek’s family as they mourn the loss of this incredible young man,” West Virginia State President Ericke S. Cage said in a letter to students and faculty.
Harrington, a senior, had eight total tackles, including a sack, in a 27-24 win at Barton College last week.
“Jyilek truly embodied what it means to be a student-athlete and was a leader not only on campus but in the community,” West Virginia State Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Nate Burton said. “Jyilek was a young man that, during Christmas, would create a GoFundMe to help less fortunate families.”
Burton said donations to a fund established by the athletic department in Harrington’s memory will be distributed to an organization in Charlotte to continue his charity work.
West Virginia State’s home opener against Carson-Newman, originally scheduled for Thursday night, has been rescheduled to Friday, and a private vigil involving both teams was set for Thursday night. Harrington previously attended Carson-Newman, where he made seven tackles in six games last season. He began his college career at Division II Erskine College.
“Carson-Newman joins West Virginia State in mourning the untimely passing of former student-athlete Jyilek Harrington,” Carson-Newman Vice President of Athletics Matt Pope said in a statement. “The Harrington family and the Yellow Jackets’ campus community is in our prayers. News like this is sad to hear anytime, but today it feels worse with two teams who knew him coming together to play.”
DETROIT (AP) — Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92.
The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Wednesday. A cause of death was not provided.
One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000.
“Joe likes to say that at one point in his career, he was 6-3, but he had tackled so many fullbacks that it drove his neck into his shoulders and now he is 6-foot,” said the late Lions owner William Clay Ford, Schmidt’s presenter at his Hall of Fame induction in 1973. “At any rate, he was listed at 6-feet and as I say was marginal for that position. There are, however, qualities that certainly scouts or anybody who is drafting a ballplayer cannot measure.”
Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt, beginning his stint there as a fullback and guard before coach Len Casanova switched him to linebacker.
“Pitt provided me with the opportunity to do what I’ve wanted to do, and further myself through my athletic abilities,” Schmidt said. “Everything I have stemmed from that opportunity.”
Schmidt dealt with injuries throughout his college career and was drafted by the Lions in the seventh round in 1953. As defenses evolved in that era, Schmidt’s speed, savvy and tackling ability made him a valuable part of some of the franchise’s greatest teams.
Schmidt was elected to the Pro Bowl 10 straight years from 1955-64, and after his arrival, the Lions won the last two of their three NFL titles in the 1950s.
In a 1957 playoff game at San Francisco, the Lions trailed 27-7 in the third quarter before rallying to win 31-27. That was the NFL’s largest comeback in postseason history until Buffalo rallied from a 32-point deficit to beat Houston in 1993.
“We just decided to go after them, blitz them almost every down,” Schmidt recalled. “We had nothing to lose. When you’re up against it, you let both barrels fly.”
Schmidt became an assistant coach after wrapping up his career as a player. He was Detroit’s head coach from 1967-72, going 43-35-7.
Schmidt was part of the NFL’s All-Time Team revealed in 2019 to celebrate the league’s centennial season. Of course, he’d gone into the Hall of Fame 46 years earlier.
Not bad for an undersized seventh-round draft pick.
“It was a dream of mine to play football,” Schmidt told the Detroit Free Press in 2017. “I had so many people tell me that I was too small. That I couldn’t play. I had so many negative people say negative things about me … that it makes you feel good inside. I said, ‘OK, I’ll prove it to you.’”
VICTORIA – British Columbia’s Environment Assessment Office has fined Coastal GasLink Pipeline Ltd. $590,000 for “deficiencies” in the construction of its pipeline crossing the province.
The office says in a statement that 10 administrative penalties have been levied against the company for non-compliance with requirements of its environmental assessment certificate.
It says the fines come after problems with erosion and sediment control measures were identified by enforcement officers along the pipeline route across northern B.C. in April and May 2023.
The office says that the latest financial penalties reflect its escalation of enforcement due to repeated non-compliance of its requirements.
Four previous penalties have been issued for failing to control erosion and sediment valued at almost $800,000, while a fifth fine of $6,000 was handed out for providing false or misleading information.
The office says it prioritized its inspections along the 670-kilometre route by air and ground as a result of the continued concerns, leading to 59 warnings and 13 stop-work orders along the pipeline that has now been completed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
