The Canadian embassy has released statistical data from October 31, 2007 to March, 2008. However, there is no risk of Canada re-introducing the visa requirements for Czech CzechRep may face trial over recognition of qualifications ...
Czechs see EU as democratic but ineffective - poll ... citizens, the embassy said. Canada once re-introduced visas for Czechs in 1997 after lifting them for a short period, in reaction to a high number of asylum seekers from the the Czech Republic, primarily Romanies. "The countries whose visa duty has been lifted are aware of that visas can be re-introduced if they do not meet conditions for granting an exemption.
However, at present Canada is not considering re-introducing visas for Czech citizens," Canadian Embassy spokeswoman Magdalena Firtova said. She recalled that Canada had not yet included the Czech Republic in the group of countries with permanent visa-free relations, but both countries are closely cooperating in this respect. Czech diplomacy is monitoring the situation, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zuzana Opletalova said. Canada has concluded that the Czech Republic now meets the criteria for visa-free relations, but it can re-assess the decision any time, Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said last year. Canada conditions the permanent abolition of short-term visas by the fact that the situation from 1997, when Czech Romanies applied for asylum in Canada en masse, does not repeat. The number of asylum applicants from the Czech Republic must not exceed 2 percent of all asylum applications filed in Canada annually. At the same time the number of Czechs violating the rules of a short-term regime, that is they stay in Canada for more than 90 days or abuse a short-time stay for earning money, must be under 3 percent a year, the Foreign Ministry said last year. From 1996 to 2000, ;a total of 1677 Czech citizens applied for asylum in Canada. The highest number of applications was registered in 1997 when 1221 Czechs sought asylum. In 2000, the figure dropped to 53, according to official Canadian statistics. Czechs have a chance to travel without visas to the United States as well. The Czech and U.S. representatives in February signed a memorandum of understanding that will lead to the Czech Republic's inclusion in the visa waiver programme at the turn of October and November, 2008. Instead of visas, Washington plans to put an Internet registration system into operation this autumn.
(Ceske Noviny)
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