Travelling to Australia from Canada: Entry Rules and Documents
To travel to Australia on a Canadian passport you need an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) granted before you fly, applied for in the official Australian ETA app for AU$20. Bring the same valid passport you used to apply, fill in the arrival card honestly, and buy travel insurance: Canada has no reciprocal health care agreement with Australia.
Independent guide — not a government service. Australian Visa Online is an independent information resource. We are not affiliated with the Australian Government or the Department of Home Affairs, and we do not lodge applications on your behalf.
This page is the practical checklist for the trip itself. For every visa option open to Canadians, from working holidays to skilled migration, see our full guide to Australian visas for Canadian citizens.
Quick facts for Canadian travellers
| Item | What applies to a Canadian passport |
|---|---|
| Visa for a holiday or family visit | ETA (subclass 601), applied for in the Australian ETA app |
| Cost | AU$20 service charge, no other charge for the ETA |
| Free eVisitor? | No. Canada is not on the eVisitor list |
| Validity | 12 months from grant, or until your passport expires if sooner |
| Stay | Up to 3 months after each entry, multiple entries allowed |
| Passport | Valid, and the same one you used for the ETA |
| Arrival card | Incoming Passenger Card (paper for most flights) |
| SmartGate | Open to ePassport holders aged 7 and over |
| Health cover | No reciprocal agreement with Canada, so buy travel insurance |
Which visa a Canadian passport gets
Canada is one of 34 countries and jurisdictions whose passports can use the ETA. Canada is not on the eVisitor list, so ignore any advice telling you to apply for the free eVisitor; that visa is for European passports. The ETA is applied for only in the Australian ETA app, which is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Home Affairs says there is a service charge of AU$20 to use the app and "no other charge payable for an ETA".
The ETA lets you stay up to 3 months after each entry, as many times as you like while it's valid. You can do tourism, visit family and friends, do business visitor activities and study for up to 3 months in total. It is not a work visa. The details of eligibility and the app itself are covered in our ETA guide for Canadian citizens.
One exception matters for some Canadians: if you have a criminal conviction in any country, Home Affairs says you should apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600) and provide evidence about it. That includes an impaired-driving conviction. Our guide to visiting Australia from Canada with a DUI or criminal record walks through it.
Your pre-trip timeline
Home Affairs publishes no "apply X weeks before travel" rule for the ETA. The official advice is simply not to make travel arrangements until your ETA is granted. The timeline below is our suggested order of jobs, not an official schedule.
When you start planning
- Check your passport's expiry date. The ETA only lasts as long as the passport, and it stops completely if you replace the passport. If renewal is due soon, renew first and apply for the ETA on the new passport.
- If anyone travelling with you holds a non-Canadian passport, work out their visa now. A spouse whose passport isn't on the ETA or eVisitor lists may be eligible for a Visitor visa (subclass 600), which takes much longer to process. See our page on Canadian families travelling on mixed passports.
Before you pay for non-refundable flights or tours
- Apply for your ETA in the app. Most applications get a result immediately. Our page on how long the ETA takes for Canadians explains the official figures and what slows things down.
- Remember the 12-month validity starts on the grant date. If you apply a year early, it may expire before you go.
In the last week
- Check the ETA is linked to the passport you're packing, using the app's "Visa check" function or VEVO.
- Buy travel insurance if you haven't already (see the health section below).
- Pack medicines in their original packaging and read the customs rules (see below).
On the plane and at arrival
- Fill in the Incoming Passenger Card handed out on board.
- Use SmartGate or the staffed desk, then collect bags and clear biosecurity.
Passport rules for Canadians
Validity. Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force require a valid passport and publish no six-month validity rule. The Government of Canada's travel advice for Australia says your regular Canadian passport "must be valid on the day of entry into the country", and adds that airlines' "rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country's entry rules." In practice, make sure it covers your whole trip, and check with your airline if it's close to expiry.
The same passport as your ETA. Your ETA is linked digitally to your passport. There is no label or stamp. Home Affairs says "You must enter Australia using the same passport", and Canada's own travel advice says the same: "Ensure that you travel with the same passport used to apply for your ETA." If your passport expires or you get a new one, your ETA ceases and you apply again.
Name and detail accuracy. Home Affairs cannot change the details on an ETA once it's issued. If they don't match your passport exactly, you might face boarding delays or be refused entry. The app pre-fills your details by scanning your passport; if anything is wrong, rescan it rather than submitting.
Dual nationals. If you hold a second passport, you must declare it in the ETA application. If you're also an Australian citizen, you can't get an ETA at all: Australian citizens should enter and leave on an Australian passport. If you're a citizen of Canada and another country (not Australia), you must enter and leave Australia on the passport you used for the visa.
What to carry
- Your passport, the one linked to the ETA. There is nothing to print.
- Travel insurance details, including the emergency phone number.
- Prescriptions or a doctor's letter for any prescription medicines.
- Your Canadian driver's licence, if you plan to drive. Canada's travel advice says Australian authorities accept an overseas licence "if the names on your licence match exactly those in your passport", and that "You should carry an international driving permit." Traffic drives on the left.
- Where you're staying. The ETA app asks for contact details in Australia, and you'll want the address handy on arrival.
Arriving in Australia
Incoming Passenger Card. Everyone who arrives must complete one. It's a legal declaration, and it includes questions about your health and any prior criminal convictions. Parents can complete the card for their children. A digital version, the Australia Travel Declaration, is a pilot on Qantas flights; the Australian Border Force announced in July 2026 that it will reach all international airports and seaports before the end of 2027. Until then, most travellers still use the paper card.
SmartGate. SmartGate isn't limited by nationality. If your passport has the ePassport symbol, you're at least 1.1 m tall and aged 7 or over (under-16s must be with a parent or guardian), you can use the arrivals SmartGates. Otherwise you'll see an officer at the desk.
Fingerprints. As a non-citizen, you may be asked to have your fingerprints checked when arriving or departing. The Border Force says the scans are not retained.
Customs and biosecurity
Australia's biosecurity rules are strict, and Canada's own travel advice for Australia warns of "very strict rules and quarantine measures regarding the importation of food and animal products." Read the rules on food, plant and animal products before you pack. Our Australia entry requirements checklist covers what to declare, duty-free allowances and bringing medicines.
Health cover: no reciprocal agreement with Canada
Australia has Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with 11 countries, which can give visitors from those countries some care under Medicare. Services Australia lists them as Belgium, Finland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Canada is not on the list.
So as a Canadian visitor, don't expect Medicare to cover you. Canada's travel advice for Australia says health care there is excellent but "Payment is expected at time of service", and tells travellers to "get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays." Before you go, check what your provincial or territorial plan covers outside Canada, and buy a travel policy for the gap.
Money
Australia's currency is the Australian dollar (AUD). If you're carrying a large amount of cash, read the declaration rules in the entry requirements checklist before you fly.
Common mistakes Canadian travellers make
- Applying for the eVisitor. Canadians aren't eligible. The ETA is the right visa for a Canadian passport.
- Paying a website to "process" the ETA. The Australian ETA app is the way to lodge an ETA, and the only charge is AU$20.
- Renewing the passport after getting the ETA. The ETA ceases with the old passport. Apply again on the new one before you travel.
- Travelling on the wrong passport. Dual citizens must travel on the passport the visa is linked to, and Canadian–Australian dual citizens should use the Australian one.
- Relying on a Canadian PR card. A PR card is not a passport. A Canadian permanent resident travels on their own citizenship's passport, and that passport decides the visa.
- Answering "no" because an old record seems minor. The ETA app asks whether you have any criminal convictions. If you have one anywhere, read the DUI and criminal record guide first.
- Forgetting the children. Each family member, including babies, needs their own ETA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents does a Canadian need to enter Australia?
A valid passport, an ETA (or another visa) granted before you fly and linked to that passport, and a completed Incoming Passenger Card. The ETA is electronic, so there is nothing to print. Carry prescriptions for medicines and your travel insurance details as well.
Can Canadians use SmartGate in Australia?
Yes, if your passport has the ePassport symbol, you are at least 1.1 m tall and you are aged 7 or over. Children under 16 must be travelling with a parent or legal guardian. SmartGate eligibility is based on the ePassport, not on nationality.
Does my Canadian passport need six months' validity for Australia?
Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force publish no six-month rule; they require a valid passport. Canada's travel advice says your passport must be valid on the day of entry, but airline rules can be stricter. Your ETA also ends when the passport expires, so make sure it covers your whole trip.
Is travel insurance required for Canadians visiting Australia?
The ETA page doesn't list it as a requirement, but you should buy it. Canada isn't one of the 11 countries with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia, so don't expect Medicare to cover you. Canada's travel advice says payment is expected at the time of service and recommends insurance that covers medical evacuation and hospital stays.
Can I drive in Australia on my Canadian licence?
Canada's travel advice says Australian authorities accept an overseas licence if the names on it match your passport exactly, and recommends carrying an international driving permit. Australians drive on the left. If you'll stay longer than 3 months, the same advice says you must apply for a local licence.
Do I still fill in a paper arrival card?
Most likely, yes. The digital Australia Travel Declaration is a pilot on Qantas flights, with a national rollout planned before the end of 2027. Everyone else completes the paper Incoming Passenger Card on the plane.
