(BEIJING, CHINA) — Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claim that Beijing agreed to visa-free entry for Canadians still lacks an official decree and requires a formal announcement from the Chinese side.
January 21, 2026 — Wang, speaking in an exclusive interview with The Canadian Press, described the idea as under “active consideration” but not yet finalized.
“I did notice that Prime Minister Carney made it public that the Chinese side told him that China is actively considering giving unilateral visa-free treatment to Canadian citizens. In terms of what specific visa policy that will be, we need to wait for the official announcement of the Chinese side.”
The clarification landed days after Canada publicly framed the measure as a commitment, creating uncertainty for travelers who might assume the rule already applies at airports and border posts. Until China’s National Immigration Administration issues an implementing circular and carriers receive updated instructions, travelers still face the practical risk of being denied boarding without a valid visa.
Carney visited Beijing and met Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Canada’s Prime Minister’s Office tied its announcement to that visit. In a January 16, 2026 news release, the PMO said: “The Prime Minister welcomed President Xi’s commitment to introducing visa-free access for Canadians travelling to China.”
Carney also spoke in more definitive terms. “I’m very pleased to share that President Xi in our meeting today has committed to ensuring visa-free access for Canadians travelling to China,” he said, according to the PMO’s news release.
Chinese officials have not issued the implementing step that would make visa-free entry operational. As of January 24, 2026, China’s National Immigration Administration had not issued the circular required to make visa-free entry legally effective for Canadians.
That missing trigger matters well beyond diplomatic messaging. Airlines generally rely on formal entry rules when deciding whether to board passengers, and border officers rely on published instructions at ports of entry.
The sequence unfolded quickly over January. Canada’s announcement came in mid-month after Carney’s Beijing meetings, and the Chinese ambassador then urged caution on timing and legal status.
If implemented, the proposed policy described in the available information would allow Canadians to stay in China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, or family visits. Canada would join approximately 45 other nations, including most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, whose citizens can enter China under similar terms.
For now, Canadians still need a standard visa for mainland China, costing roughly $140 CAD, unless they qualify under existing transit-without-visa schemes or separate Hainan entry rules. Existing transit options referenced include 24/72/144-hour transit-without-visa schemes, and the Hainan pathway operates under its own conditions tied to itinerary and ports.
The practical gap between political statements and operational reality can be decisive at check-in counters. Even if two governments describe the same policy direction, travelers can still be refused boarding if the carrier’s system shows the visa requirement has not changed.
Wang’s remarks pointed directly to that gap by stressing the need for an “official announcement of the Chinese side.” His comments also suggested the specifics remain unsettled, even as he confirmed active consideration.
The Chinese embassy in Canada later posted a document described as an “Interview Transcript (January 24, 2026)” at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada, tied to Wang’s interview. The embassy link and The Canadian Press interview date differed, but both reflected the same cautionary message.
The visa dispute sits inside a broader Canada–China package that Ottawa cast as a reset. The announcement marked a significant “strategic pivot” for Canada in 2026, in language used in the available description of the shift.
The broader “Strategic Partnership” outlined alongside the visa message included trade terms. China agreed to lower tariffs on Canadian canola seed to 15% from 84%, and Canada agreed to allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) into its market at a preferential 6.1% tariff rate.
Carney has sought to reduce Canada’s economic reliance on the U.S. after President Donald Trump, in his second term, significantly raised tariffs on Canadian products. The visa-free entry messaging, presented as a mobility gain for Canadians, appeared alongside trade and market-access elements that both governments described as part of a larger bilateral understanding.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not issued a direct statement addressing the Canada–China visa development. Still, U.S. pressure on Ottawa intensified over the direction of Canada’s China policy.
On January 24, 2026, Trump threatened sweeping trade retaliation if Canada proceeds with a deal with Beijing.
“If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.”
At the same time, U.S. immigration-related enforcement messaging sharpened in a way that affected multiple countries, though not as a targeted response to Canada’s China talks. On January 21, 2026, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and the State Department implemented a separate “Public Charge” crackdown, suspending immigrant visa processing for 75 countries deemed a financial risk, according to the U.S. State Department’s Visa News and Policy (January 2026).
The competing signals leave travelers and employers in Canada managing immediate uncertainty. Canadian travelers have been advised not to attempt visa-free entry until an official announcement is made by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the National Immigration Administration.
Airlines have reportedly been instructed to continue denying boarding to Canadians without valid visas. That stance reflects carrier compliance practices that typically change only after official guidance reaches airline systems and frontline staff.
Businesses face similar constraints. Corporate mobility teams have been cautioned to continue scheduling consular appointments for staff, as implementation could take several more weeks or months.
For companies that send employees to China on short notice, the difference between a political commitment and an operational rule can shape trip feasibility, meeting schedules, and project timelines. Until a circular takes effect, staff travel still hinges on consular processing and lead time.
The uncertainty also affects the Chinese-Canadian community, particularly frequent family-visit travel patterns that could benefit from simplified entry. The nearly 2 million Canadians of Chinese descent remain uncertain about easier family visitation rights that the prime minister tied to his Beijing visit.
Carney’s government framed the policy as part of strengthening travel, business, and people-to-people ties, and the PMO presented it as a deliverable from the meeting with Xi. Beijing’s embassy, through Wang’s comments, emphasized that consideration does not equal implementation and pointed to the need for an official announcement that specifies the final policy.
Until that happens, the core requirement remains unchanged for most travelers: a valid visa to enter mainland China, with limited alternatives through transit-without-visa schemes or Hainan rules. The disconnect between Ottawa’s certainty and Beijing’s caution now sits at the center of the story, with travelers, airlines, and employers waiting for the formal notice that would make visa-free entry real at the border.
China Says Visa-Free Entry for Canadians Not Yet Final After Mark Carney Visit
China has tempered expectations regarding visa-free travel for Canadians, noting that despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcements, no official decree exists. The proposal, intended to grant 30-day access for tourism and business, remains unconfirmed by Chinese immigration authorities. This uncertainty persists as Canada attempts a strategic economic shift toward China to mitigate trade tensions with the U.S., which has threatened retaliatory tariffs.
